Massive Bear Raids Ice Cream Parlor in Shocking Incident

A hungry brown bear in California gave locals quite the scare — and a good laugh — after storming into a popular ice cream shop and helping itself to the tasting counter.

The uninvited visitor, nicknamed Fuzzy by officials, wandered into the Ice Cream Shop at Camp Richardson in South Lake Tahoe around 4 a.m. Sunday, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office. Somehow, the massive bear made its way behind the checkout counter and began sampling flavors like a true dessert connoisseur.

Deputies responding to the scene said they “could barely believe their eyes” when they arrived to find the furry bandit standing among overturned tubs, paw prints smeared across the floor, and half-eaten ice cream scattered everywhere.

In photos released by the sheriff’s office, Fuzzy can be seen staring straight at the camera with a guilty, caught-in-the-act expression.

Officials say the bear seemed to have a favorite flavor, polishing off an entire tub of strawberry ice cream before “sampling” several others. After a little coaxing, Fuzzy finally left the shop — but not before leaving a sticky trail behind.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much damage to the store, but the raid wasn’t cheap. Since no one could confirm which tubs the bear touched, the entire stock of ice cream had to be replaced.

“We’re pretty sure he didn’t wash his claws before he came in,” joked William Boas, vice president of operations for ExplorUS, which manages Camp Richardson.