Bear Caught on Camera Stealing Package From Florida Porch

The furry thief didn't get far with the stolen goods.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A Florida family was shocked to discover a black bear had stolen a package from their porch while they were away camping. The bear was caught on the family's Ring security camera picking up the package in its mouth and walking away with it down the walkway. While porch pirates are a common problem, this is likely the first instance of a bear turning porch thief.

Why it matters

Bear encounters are relatively common in the Longwood, Florida area where the family lives, which is located near a national forest. However, this is an unusual incident of a bear specifically targeting a package delivery, highlighting the creative and opportunistic nature of these large animals when it comes to finding food or interesting objects.

The details

The footage, shared by the family with Newsweek, shows the large black bear lurking on the porch before picking up the Amazon package in its mouth and walking away with it. The family, who were hundreds of miles away camping at the time, said the bear didn't take the package very far, just down the walkway. While porch piracy is a common problem, with around one in three U.S. households experiencing package theft, this is likely the first known instance of a bear turning porch thief.

  • The incident occurred while the family was away camping on February 12, 2026.

The players

Wesley

A Florida resident whose family's porch was targeted by a black bear stealing a package.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

The state agency that estimates there are around 4,000 black bears in Florida.

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What they’re saying

“My family and I were away camping when we got an alert on our phone. We saw the bear start to smell our Amazon package, turned away, turned back and took the package.”

— Wesley (Newsweek)

“It didn't take it very far, just down the walkway.”

— Wesley (Newsweek)

“Seeing one walk down the middle of the street, or around the side of the house. We live quite close to a national forest. It is not the first time we have caught a bear on camera.”

— Wesley (Newsweek)

“Obviously, when you are hundreds of miles away, there's nothing you can do about it, but we were enamored with the fact that he was interested in something that was not food.”

— Wesley (Newsweek)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the creative and opportunistic nature of bears, which are relatively common in the Longwood, Florida area where the family lives. While porch piracy is a widespread problem, this is likely the first known case of a bear turning porch thief, showcasing the adaptability of these large animals when it comes to finding interesting objects beyond just food.