'Surreal' security footage captures young bear rummaging through Claremont kitchen

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Photo courtesy Anju Kapoor

CLAREMONT, Calif. - A hungry young bear gave a Claremont homeowner a "surreal" surprise Thursday morning after sneaking into a kitchen to forage for food. 

Anju Kapoor discovered the aftermath of the break-in while preparing her morning tea, leading to a viral security camera discovery.

What we know:

The incident occurred in the San Gabriel foothills after Kapoor accidentally left a kitchen window open to vent the room while cooking the night before. 

When she went into the kitchen the following morning, she found "lots of mess" and items thrown around.

Security footage later confirmed the culprit was a young bear that had climbed through the open window. 

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Kapoor, who is familiar with the local bear population, noted that while she is usually cautious, the oversight allowed the animal easy access to her home.

Photo courtesy Anju Kapoor

What they're saying:

"I saw there was lots of mess, everything was thrown around and it was very unusual of course, you don't see your kitchen like that," said Kapoor. 

Reflecting on the footage, she added, "It was kind of surreal, interesting to see a bear in my kitchen."

While she remained calm after the fact, Kapoor admitted the situation would have been different had she interrupted the animal. 

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"If I had walked in here and saw a bear, I would be very scared, but it didn't happen like that. So for me, it's still an interesting little story kind of thing," she said.

What you can do:

Residents living near the foothills are encouraged to keep all ground-floor windows and doors locked, especially at night or when food is being prepared. 

Following this encounter, Kapoor stated that closing the window is now something she'll "never forget to do."