Juan Carrito the Bear lured by scent of pastries.

A Mariscan bear known affectionately as Juan Carrito broke into a bakery for a late-night feast in the town of Roccaraso, a ski resort in the central Italian region of Abruzzo.

The incident occurred after the local forestry police tracked the bear via its radio collar as the animal went on one of its frequent rambles into town.

The rangers, tasked with deterring bears from approaching urban centres, were unable to keep up with the bear, one of four cubs belonging to the much-loved Amarena who is well known in the L'Aquila province.

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Lured by the sweet scent of pastries, Juan Carrito slipped down an alley to a bakery and smashed the window.

After entering the premises the bear devoured the trays of biscuits from the oven before making its escape undisturbed.

When the forestry police reached the scene they discovered what was described as a skillful break-in, reports local media.

Inside the bakery they found open oven doors, overturned baking trays and crumbs everywhere.

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The Marsican brown bear is a subspecies of the brown bear, with only about 50 of the animals left in existence, compared to 100 in 1980.