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Bears are not known for respecting laws concerning trespassing or personal property in pursuit of a meal. They’re advantageous animals that are more than happy to do some damage if it means they get some food, which was certainly the case with one that shattered the window of a car in pursuit of leftover Burger King in Tennessee.
If you live or have spent a fair amount of time in an area classified as “Bear Country,” you are probably aware of the precautions you want to take to avoid attracting those animals, like the use of bear-proof trash cans if you have a home in areas they roam and similar containers for food you want to keep stored away from your campsite if you’re in the wilderness.
With that said, there’s only so much you can do on that front when you consider black bears (the most common species in the United States) have a sense of smell that puts humans (and even bloodhounds) to shame; some experts believe they are capable of tracking down a scent they detect from upwards of 20 miles away.
You may think you’d be safe if you store food in your car, but that was not the case with one person who probably regrets keeping some leftover fast food inside one they parked outside a cabin in Tennessee based on what transpired.
A bear shattered a window and damaged the door of a car it invaded in pursuit of some Burger King
Gatlinburg, Tennessee is located right outside the northern gateway to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and has a reputation for being a haven for the nearly 2,000 black bears in that region, which comprise the densest population in the country.
Its downtown area was recently invaded by one that sent people fleeing after it roamed into a parking lot, and another one invaded its annual Christmas parade last year.
Now, we’ve been treated to the latest Gatlinburg Incident (which would make a pretty solid band name), which was captured by a security camera affixed to a cabin being rented by the unfortunate soul who woke up to an expensive headache courtesy of a bear that was filmed attempting to pry open the passenger door of a car it ultimately infiltrated by climbing through the window it broke.
This is the most INSANE bear situation I’ve ever seen in TN. I’ve had a bear steal my chainsaw & make national news, I’ve seen bears get locked in cars, I’ve seen them rip off the jeep tops…but I’ve NEVER seen one actually break the glass to get in. This was sent to me by my… https://t.co/kslOGBhzii pic.twitter.com/jFfb84qJti
— BowTiedBroke (@BowTiedBroke) July 30, 2026
According to the owner of the cabin, the bear was lured to the car by a bag of leftover Burger King that had been left inside, so let this serve as a cautionary tale for anyone who might make a similar mistake in the future.