'I see you:' Deputy plays peekaboo with bear outside California gas station

KABC logo
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
'I see you:' Bear 'plays' peekaboo with deputy outside gas station
A bear in Placer County, California, has become a social media star after it was caught "playing peekaboo: with a deputy.

PLACER COUNTY, Calif. -- A bear in Placer County, California, has become a social media star after it was caught "playing peekaboo" with a deputy at a Shell gas station.

On Thursday, the sheriff's office posted a video of the unusual game on its Facebook page.

In the video, an off-screen deputy is heard saying, "Hey! I see you."

Within seconds the bear pops up from behind an overturned trash can and stares at the deputy.

RELATED: Bears break into Asheville girl's car, eat 49 chocolate bars

The bear then drops back down to the ground to continue looking through the trash.

While the video is unbearably cute, officials used it as a chance to remind residents about bear safety.

"This is prime time for bears to come out of hibernation in search of food, and they're not shy about getting into your homes, cars, garbage cans, you name it," the Facebook post read in part. "Friendly tip: please don't engage the bears - they may look cute and fluffy, but they have real instincts!"

RELATED: Bear breaks into car for gummy bears