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Connecticut man chases off bear that wandered into his home

The bear in question entered Bill Priest’s property on three separate occasions

Abe Asher
Wednesday 03 August 2022 16:26 EDT
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The bear that invaded Bill Priest’s home
The bear that invaded Bill Priest’s home (NBC)

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A Connecticut man endured a memorable weekend after a bear entered his home multiple times.

Bill Priest, who lives in West Hartford, told NBC Connecticut that he was working in his yard on Saturday morning just before noon when he re-entered his home to find a local bear lurking in his kitchen.

“Go on! Go on!” Mr Priest yelled at the bear, attempting to usher it out of his home. The bear retreated slowly and departed the home without taking or breaking anything, and Mr Priest believed that the episode was over. But at 5:30 on Monday morning, Mr Priest heard a noise — and, after a short investigation, determined that the bear had returned.

Bill Priest
Bill Priest (NBC)

Mr Priest, who said that he had seen the bear the week prior when it was attempting to break into his garage refrigerator, was displeased.

“I don’t care if you roam around our yard all you want,” Mr Priest said. “But now you’ve crossed a line.”

The bear’s days of roaming freely around Mr Priest’s property and yard are likely over. Following the third incident, Mr Priest contacted the Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection so that a crew could set up a trap for the bear, capture it, and relocate it away from the neighborhood.

The NBC report contained interviews with neighbors who said that bear sightings have become increasingly common in their area. One neighbor said that the incidents at Mr Priest’s home were “scary, but not surprising.”

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