Mother Bear, 3 Cubs Ransack Couple's Vehicle During Getaway In Smoky Mountains

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (CBS Local) -- A couple's vacation in Tennessee took an unexpected turn when a mother bear and her three large cubs broke into their vehicle.

Haley Gray and her husband were in Gatlinburg on Friday when they discovered four bears were inside their vehicle. "There was probably a little over a thousand pounds worth of bears in our car," she told WKRN. "Just playing around, trying to look for food."

Haley and her husband have visited the Smokies several times and are well aware of what measures are needed to prevent encounters with bears. They even had their vehicle, car seats, and all, detailed before their vacation to remove any traces of food.

Gray and her husband tried to scare the bears away by yelling and setting off the car alarm. They also called the police for help.

"When the police officer got there, he just kind of chuckled," she said. "And he said ever since the coronavirus and everything started opening back up, they've been used to seeing no people, so they've kind of had free reign around here, and now we get one of these calls nearly every day, sometimes more than once a day."

After 45 minutes, the mother bear and her cubs strolled away. Images taken in the aftermath show extensive damage to the vehicle, both on the outside and inside.