Bear Opens Car Door, Climbs Inside in Whitefish

A bear in Whitefish, Montana, demonstrated remarkable dexterity on Friday night, September 5, 2026, when security cameras captured the animal opening a car door and climbing inside a vehicle parked in a residential driveway.

The incident occurred around 9 PM local time, according to exclusive video footage obtained by TMZ.com. The footage shows the bear walking up the driveway, approaching the vehicle, and manipulating the door handle to gain entry.

The bear spent several minutes inside the vehicle before leaving the area. The car's owners discovered the door had been left open and reviewed their security footage to determine what had occurred, sources told TMZ.com.

Damage to the vehicle proved minimal, limited to mud and leaves deposited around the door handle area. The interior of the car remained largely undisturbed despite the uninvited visitor's presence.

This particular bear represents one of several that have been moving through the Whitefish neighborhood in recent weeks. The animals have also entered local garages, likely in search of food sources, according to sources who spoke with TMZ.com.

Local authorities are currently working to relocate the bears to nearby Glacier National Park. However, the relocation effort has progressed slowly, allowing the animals to continue their explorations of residential areas in the meantime.

The Friday night car break-in marks an escalation in the bears' interactions with human property, moving beyond typical garage raids to direct vehicle entry. The incident underscores the ongoing challenges faced by communities situated near wilderness areas where human development intersects with wildlife habitat.