Whistler bear killed after breaking into car

A black bear with a reputation for breaking into cars around Whistler was killed by conservation officers after it got trapped inside one final vehicle last week, severely damaging the interior.

The female bear was known to local conservation officers, and had been tagged and relocated south of Whistler to Chance Creek in 2012 after breaking into several vehicles.

"We knew she was back for a while," Conservation Officer Simon Gravel said. " She broke into many cars, learned how to open a car door, just by pulling the handle."

Unfortunately for the bear, she never learned how to open a car door from the inside.

"She was trapped in the car and was unable to get out. She was in there for probably over an hour, looking at the damage done," Gravel said.

Gravel opened the door and the bear rushed out.

The bear had become such a nuisance, Gravel said, that even a small packet of gum left on a car seat was enough to tempt her to open the vehicle, that she had to be killed.

A trap was set and, the next day, the bear was caught on Friday and put down.