A TikToker learned the hard way what happens when you forget to lock your car in bear country.

PublishedNovember 24, 2025 11:47 AM EST•UpdatedNovember 24, 2025 11:47 AM EST

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You know those insurance commercials about protecting you from “mayhem”? This is the sort of mayhem they’re talking about.

A woman in Lake Tahoe learned the hard way what happens when you forget to lock your car in bear country. TikToker @tahoe.lex, who lives in the Tahoe area and should know better, shared video of the moment she discovered a black bear had made itself at home inside her Subaru. And when we say “made itself at home,” we mean the bear basically completed a full DIY renovation.

The upholstery on the roof was shredded into confetti. The seats were mangled beyond recognition. A window was smashed. The rearview mirror was ripped clean off and tossed into what used to be the driver’s seat. Oh, and the bear even peed inside the car for good measure.

As one commenter put it, “The pee was personal. That was unnecessary.”

Imagine sending those pictures to your insurance agent.

It’s funny how these bears have no trouble getting into cars, but they can never figure out how to open the doors to let themselves out. In the clip, Lex tries coaxing the bear out of the back of her Subaru while the animal casually hangs out in the cargo area like it’s waiting for a ride to the buffet. When the bear finally lumbers out, that’s when she discovers the carnage.

Lex even joked in her caption: “POV: you watched and liked this video so we could pay our deductible.”

Which is fair. If a bear totals your car from the inside-out, you may be entitled to some social media compensation.

RELATED: Bears Break Into Lake Tahoe Cabin And Raid The Fridge For Snacks

Funny as it is, this is exactly what wildlife experts warn about every single year. Bears may look cute and cuddly, but they’re strong, curious and unbelievably efficient at breaking into anything that contains food, once contained food, or might someday contain food.

So if you live or travel anywhere near bear country, learn from Lex’s very expensive mistake: lock your doors, roll up your windows and don’t leave any snacks in the vehicle.

Unless, of course, you want mayhem to find you, too.

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