LONDON (AP) — A rare polar bear that was spotted outside a cottage in a remote village in Iceland was shot by police after being considered a threat, authorities said Friday.

Iceland: In a surprising incident, a rare polar bear was spotted outside a cottage in a remote village in northwest Iceland, prompting police to take action after deeming the animal a threat. The bear was killed on Thursday afternoon when the bear was seen rummaging through garbage near the home of an elderly woman.

It might have hitched a ride from Greenland on a floating iceberg.Police sharpshooters killed a polar bear that had come ashore on the northwestern tip of Iceland on Thursday. It's considered possible that the bear traveled with the help of an iceberg to Iceland from Greenland,