A humongous bear nicknamed 'Hank the Tank' has been breaking into multiple houses across a city in the US.
On Friday, February 18, a wild bear weighing an impressive 500 pounds broke into a home located in South Lake Tahoe, California.
The pesky bear has acquired quite the reputation, according to police, who reported that 'Hank the Tank' has become a major issue for locals after breaking into not just one, but dozens of homes.
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Locals have now been left with a difficult decision in how to safeguard themselves against Hank, while also trying to make sure no harm comes to the bear.
Hank has been the reason behind no less than 150 panicked calls to police, and has wreaked havoc and damage across dozens of homes, CBS reports.
The burglar bear is wanted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, yet has so far managed to evade them for more than six months.
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Spokesperson Peter Tira stated: '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.'
Bridget Marchetti Philip and her family live near to Catalina Drive where Hank was last spotted on Friday morning, February 18.
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Philip said: 'I’m tired of having to fear our lives quite frankly because of what the bear may or may not do.'
Hank broke into the house via a small window, before he was scared out of the building by police officers.
Spokesperson Tira said: 'Officers responded and banged on the outside of the house until Hank came out the back door. They then stayed in the area to ensure he continued on his way without damaging or entering other homes.'
Another resident in the area, Tim Johnson, explained: 'I’ve been in town 40 years and I’ve been locking my doors recently and I’ve never done that. The more we don’t feed them, the more this isn’t going to be the case.'
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Another neighbour noted that while the community doesn't want 'anybody to get hurt,' no one wants 'the bear to die either'.
A meeting is set to take place this week in Tahoe Keys, to debate what can be done to solve the issue.
Local campaign group Bear League have asked the Department of Fish and Wildlife about the possibility of moving Hank to a sanctuary amid fears the overweight bear is unable to catch anything on his own and so would likely die in the wild, ITV reports.
Protests have also been held by locals against the potential trapping and killing of the bear.
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If you see an animal in distress and/or in need of help, contact the RSPCA's 24-hour animal cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 or visit their website for further advice
Poppy Bilderbeck