Colorado Parks and Wildlife searching for bear after at least 20 garage break-ins in Jefferson County

A bear breaking into garages across a Colorado neighborhood is now raising safety concerns. Colorado Parks and Wildlife believes the same bear has broken into at least 20 garages in the Ken Caryl neighborhood in recent weeks, with some garages targeted more than once. 

CPW says the first break-in from this bear was likely on Aug. 22.

Aimee Labaugh was home when the bear forced its way into her garage in the middle of the night Monday.

"Once he started clawing at it, it was almost like he was just ripping a piece of paper," Labaugh said about the new hole in her garage door.

While she said she slept through most of it, she added, "I heard dogs in the neighborhood go crazy, and I was like, I bet that bear's out there. And then, sure enough, he came in," she said.

Labaugh says her husband tried to scare the bear away by pounding on the door connected to the garage from inside the house.

"He was pounding on the door to scare him away. And the bear, he could feel the bear pushing on the door," she said, "Then the bear just turned around and left."

CPW says the repeated garage break-ins are becoming a concern because the bear is learning where it can find food.

Wildlife officials are now putting out traps to try to capture the bear, as CPW says it is concerned activity could eventually escalate to a home break-in. CPW says they currently have two traps in the Ken Caryl neighborhood.

Garages across the neighborhood have similar damage, including at Jackie Treece's home where she found paw prints and the aftermath of another break-in over the weekend.

"[The bear] hit the jackpot here," Treece said.

Inside the garage, the bear found plenty to eat as Treece had a fully stocked fridge in her garage.

"I had just stocked up on some gluten-free frozen donuts, muffins, burgers, and I had the beef in there," Treece said.

CPW is reminding residents that fall is a critical time to secure anything that could attract bears as they continue searching for food.

Wildlife officials recommend bringing all food and trash completely inside the home and not leaving attractants in garages or outside.

CPW also warns residents not to put out their own traps. Bear trapping should be handled by wildlife officials.

For neighbors dealing with repeated break-ins, there's frustration over how to protect their homes while also keeping the bear from becoming a bigger safety threat.

"I feel sorry for the bear that he's wreaking such havoc, and the neighbors. I honestly don't know what we can do," Treece said.

Any bear sightings can be reported to CPW, or in an emergency, 911. 

According to Colorado Parks and Wildlife, bears are entering hyperphagia, where they bulk up for winter, and the lack of their usual food sources is pushing them into neighborhoods in search of food.