Upi.com reported that police in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., said the bear struck again on Friday, escalating his antics by busting into a locked and secured home rather than his usual modus operandi of entering unlocked garages in his search for food. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife says Hank is responsible for damage to 38 homes and has triggered more than 150 calls to authorities, according to KNRV-TV.  Officers responding to the latest call said they found the bear inside a locked home after he had apparently squeezed through the small window. Police said they "banged on the exterior of the home" until Hank "popped out a back door." Police remained in the area "to ensure he continued on his way without damaging any other homes."

The repeated appearances of Hank in the same gated South Lake Tahoe neighbourhood are concerning enough for state conservation officials to consider whether the bruin should be trapped and euthanized. Euthanasia is a measure of last resort for "severely habituated, or human-food conditioned black bears," the agency said, but added in a statement to the area's homeowners that "for months -- and despite hazing and other mitigation efforts, the target bear has caused extensive property damage and forcefully entered several homes -- including occupied homes." Wildlife managers said they have DNA samples "to make sure only the targeted bear is captured. "We were actively trapping last week -- with no success. Now, we have pulled our bear traps and are evaluating our options in dealing with this very problematic bear." Read more on this story by clicking here.