A large female bear which has been terrorising the US Lake Tahoe area with a spate of break-ins, was taken into custody by wildlife authorities on Aug. 4 (Friday).

The 187kg bear, famously nicknamed "Hank the Tank", will be relocated to a Colorado animal sanctuary.

Her three cubs, who accompanied her on the most recent break-ins, will be sent to a rehabilitation centre in California, before they can be released into the wild.

Repeat offender

Since 2022, the bear was responsible for at least 21 home break-ins as well as extensive property damage in Tahoe Keys, a neighbourhood near Lake Tahoe in California, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a news release.

In search of food, the furry thief would forcibly enter residents' homes through the garage or front doors, rummage through garbage cans, climb stairs and scratch cars, reported The New York Times.

With its immense size and strength, it could even rip off parts of garage doors to reach its goal.

After all, the average weight of an adult female black bear is 59kg - a third of Hank's weight.

And although police action was taken on multiple occasions--with officers using loud sirens, dry-firing their tasers and firing beanbag rounds--she was undeterred.

The wildlife department referred to her as a "severely food habituated bear", meaning that the animal had lost its fear of people and was associating people with access to food.

In the past year, the bear's offences led to public furore, with the police being "inundated" with calls about the bear, and euthanasia being considered as an option.

However, given the widespread interest in "Hank the Tank", with backlash from animal advocacy groups including Bear League, and petitions calling for it to be saved, the wildlife department agreed to consider an "alternative solution", reported BBC.

Captured

The fugitive was safely tranquilised and apprehended after a year of tracking its activities, The New York Times reported.

In a tweet, Colorado Governor Jared Polis welcomed Hank and joked that she should have been named "Henrietta the Tank".

Today, wildlife biologists for the @CaliforniaDFW captured a large female black bear, who will be transferred to @animalsanctuary upon a one-time permission from @COParksWildlife and @coagriculture1.

We welcome “Hank the Tank” (turned out to be Henrietta the Tank) to Colorado! pic.twitter.com/KdI0l2NtoW

— Governor Jared Polis (@GovofCO) August 4, 2023

Top image from Bear League / South Lake Tahoe Police Department on Facebook.