I Scream. You Scream. We All Scream For Ice Cream Parlor Bear

An astute security guard at the Camp Richardson resort Ice Cream Shop in South Lake Tahoe seemed poised to catch a burglar red-handed this week. Instead, he found a pink-pawed bear making short work of the strawberry ice cream.

One look at the huge black bear standing on two feet behind the ice cream counter, and the guard knew this was a job for the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.

In the early morning hours Sunday, deputies responded to the break-in at Camp Richardson Ice Cream Shop.

"The deputies could barely believe their eyes as they saw a large bear behind the counter of the shop," the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office shared on social media. "With some encouragement, the bear ultimately left, but only after showing interest in the strawberry ice cream. Thankfully, Fuzzy the bear caused barely any property damage and there was barely any cleanup."

Fuzzy reportedly tried most of the flavors, smearing ice cream paw prints all over the story, and forcing staffers to throw out the inventory.

“We’re pretty sure he didn’t wash his claws before he came in, so all the ice cream had to be replaced,” William Boas, vice president of operations for ExplorUS, which operates the Camp Richardson Resort told The New York Times.

The bear, which the sheriff’s office nicknamed Fuzzy, sampled as many flavors as it could get its

The deputies shouted and startled Fuzzy into making a run for it through the front door and into the forest.

Tahoe residents are no stranger to bear run-ins.

In July, a bear crashed a party on Lake Tahoe and returned to the area the next day, when the animal was recorded just feet from beachgoers, video shows.

Earlier in the month, a female bear a was euthanized by CA State Parks rangers after attacking and harassing people at a campground in Emerald Bay State Park, north of South Lake Tahoe.

Over the winter, a mama bear and her cub made a home under Tahoe house, and the homeowners welcomed them and allowed a nonprofit to place a webcam beneath their home.

See Also:

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• Black Bear Roams Leo Carrillo State Beach In Malibu
• 300-Pound Bear Caught Walking Into Sierra Madre Home
• Black Bear Likely First To Make Santa Monica Mountains Home In Decades
• Resident Coyote Pack Rattles Westside Neighborhood
• Bear Startles Late Night Cookie Baker In Kitchen Of LA County Home
• Weary Mamma Bear Lets Wildlife Officials Free Tangled Cub
• 'Remarkable' Bear Can't Stay Away From The City
• Bear Moves Into Crawlspace, Others Open Doors As Bear Break-Ins Spike

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife offers these tips for coexisting safely with bears:

Stash Your Food and Trash

• Use bear-proof containers(opens in new tab) to secure trash, recycling, and compost.
• Pick ripe fruit off trees, and promptly collect fruit that falls off trees.
• Keep doors and windows closed and locked when unoccupied.
• Clean BBQ grills after each use and store in a secure shed or garage when not in use.
• Remove unsecured trash, food, and strongly scented items (e.g., sunscreen) from vehicles and yard.

Prevent Potential Conflict

• Bring pets inside at night.
• Keep livestock in secure pens at night. Install electric fencing around chicken coops and enclosures.
• Eliminate access to potential den sites (e.g., crawl spaces under decks).
• Install motion-activated lights, noise makers, or alarms.
• Install electric mats (‘unwelcome mats’).
• Use sensory deterrent to deter potential access to attractants (e.g., place ammonia in shallow bowl).
• Remove bird feeders from yard.