WHEN Pascale D'Astros walked out to her car Monday morning to find the passenger-side window broken, she assumed she had been the victim of a regular, human burglary.
But when the St. Andrew's Road resident looked more closely, certain details seemed amiss: Her designer sunglasses had been left untouched, the paper coffee cup on the console had been mangled, and whoever had broken in, oddly, had licked all her stamps. Some further investigation confirmed her suspicions.
"I walked around the car," she said, "and at the back I saw a nice, beautiful front paw imprint on the rear window."
D'Astros, whose house sits just a short distance from the edge of the forest near the top of British Properties, had apparently been the victim of an ursine burglar in search of a free meal. The black bear, attracted by the scent of an unattended banana and some cereal bars wafting from her four-door Hyundai, had smashed its way into the vehicle over night and rifled through it for a snack. It was a first in D'Astros' experience - and apparently in the experience of the officer who investigated.
The unusual incident has prompted the West Vancouver police to remind residents to keep fruit, garbage and other attractants securely locked away at all times. Leaving it in the car, it seems, isn't good enough.
Although the encounter was an expensive one, D'Astros remains philosophical.
"I may have to pay a $300 damage deposit," she said, "but on the whole, it will be a fun thing to tell my grandchildren."
