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© AP Photo
A bear took a car for a joyride after breaking in to steal a sandwich.

After becoming trapped in the vehicle, the animal honked the horn and seems to have knocked the gear lever, rolling the Toyota Corolla 125 feet (38 meters) into a thicket, a Colorado family said.

The car's owner, Ben Story, 17, said he and his family were asleep in their home south of Denver when the bear managed to open the unlocked door.

A peanut butter sandwich left on the back seat is probably what attracted the bear, Mr Story said.

It's not unusual for bears to open unlocked doors to cars and houses in search of food, said Tyler Baskfield, a spokesman for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

"It happens all the time," he said. "They're very smart."

Once inside, the bear must have knocked the shifter on the automatic transmission into neutral, sending the car rolling backward down the inclined driveway, Mr Story said. The door apparently slammed shut when the car jolted to a stop, he said, trapping the bear inside.

Neighbours had called 911, and deputies freed the bear by opening the door with a rope from a distance. The bear then ran into the woods.

Mr Story said he'll need a new car because the bear smashed up the interior trying to get out.