This is one burglar we would not want to mess with!
A 500-pound bear now known as Hank the Tank has practically moved into a California neighborhood and has been breaking into homes for more than SIX MONTHS! According to residents of South Lake Tahoe who spoke to The New York Times, Hank has been scavenging the area for human food. When he can’t find what he’s craving in the garbage cans, he heads inside residences!
Hank has managed to break into 38 homes already, entering through garages, windows, and doors, according to the outlet! Yikes!! Ordinarily once a suspect has been identified in a series of crimes like this, something can be done… but try telling the local cops to arrest this fella!
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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has been hard at work attempting to scare Hank away from the area as humanely as possible. But no matter what they do, Hank just keeps coming back! So far, officials have used paintballs, bean bags, sirens, and tasers to prevent the animal from roaming the community… to no avail, unfortunately. Hank is here to stay. Department spokesperson Peter Tira explained to the Times:
“It’s easier to find leftover pizza than to go in the forest.”
We’ve certainly always found that to be true…
At this time, 38 homes have been damaged thanks to Hank’s hunt for grub — and that number is likely to rise given his persistent ways. Authorities have also received more than 150 calls about Hank’s whereabouts since he arrived in town, according to CBS Sacramento. The outlet also reported that Hank’s most recent break-in occurred on Friday morning at a home on Catalina Drive. Cops were called to the scene after the bear broke a small window to get inside and the homeowners didn’t know how to get him out. Officials banged on the outside of the house until he exited, then stayed in the area to make sure he didn’t come back. Wow, scary stuff!
Tim Johnson, who lives in the area Hank likes to frequent, told the outlet these constant and usual break-ins have made him rethink his home security behavior. He explained:
“I’ve been in town 40 years and I’ve been locking my doors recently and I’ve never done that.”
Similarly, Bridget Marchetti Phillip, who lives across the street from a home that was broken into, is “tired of having to fear our lives quite frankly because of what the bear may or may not do.” She noted:
“This has been happening for a very long time and eventually something very, very bad is going to happen.”
She isn’t the only one worried about something far worse than a broken window. If the quarter-ton animal attacked, what could anyone do??
Because of this fear, many in town are beginning to question whether Hank should be euthanized. Authorities have confirmed they are considering the option but are continuing to seek alternative plans to capture Hank first. The Department of Fish and Wildlife’s spokesperson admitted euthanizing Hank is a “last option,” but continued:
“This is a bear that has lost all fear of people. It’s a potentially dangerous situation.”
On why officials have struggled to make progress for more than half a year, the spokesperson told CBS Sacramento:
“These are neighborhoods, there’s a lot of people around, traffic and cars. So, we have to do this in a way that is safe for both the public and the bear itself. This is a severely food habituated bear. What that means is this is a bear that has lost all fear of people and it sees people and homes as a source of food.”
It’s remarkable no permanent damage has been done so far considering how many homes Hank has entered already. Just imagine if a child or pet were to get in his way?? It’s a legitimate fear at this point.
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Not everyone is pleased with the idea of euthanizing the wild creature, though — specifically, a local organization called the Bear League. On Sunday, a statement was posted to the group’s Facebook page claiming that the bear was being “targeted for death by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW).” They insisted:
“The BEAR League is vehemently opposed to this plan, and we are frantically working to save his life by reaching out to various wildlife sanctuaries in hopes of finding him a safe home.”
We can totally understand the hesitancy to kill an animal, but judging by Hank’s behavior, he won’t be turned away easily. We hope that folks can find him a safe home away from this poor Cali neighborhood ASAP! We’d hate for this to end in tragedy.
[Image via 20th Century Fox/YouTube]
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