One of the most notorious criminals in South Lake Tahoe, California, has finally been captured after over a year of successfully evading authorities during a prolific string of home break-ins and considerable property damage.
The criminal in question? A massive 500-pound female black bear known as “Hank the Tank” that captured the hearts of the public in early 2022 even as she terrorized local residents.
On Friday, Hank was “safely immobilized” and captured alongside her three cubs, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced in a press release.
According to the CDFW, Hank is responsible for “at least 21 DNA-confirmed home break-ins and extensive property damage.”
She is also the suspect in many other break-ins, as residents reported the bear for “ripping off screen doors and parts of garage doors, rummaging through garbage bins, climbing stairs and scratching up cars” in search of food for herself and her cubs, The New York Times reported.
What will happen to Hank the Tank next?
Hank the Tank will be relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado, while her three cubs will be sent to the Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue with hopes of being later returned to the wild, the CDFW announced.
Though “conflict bears,” as the CDFW calls them, are typically euthanized, the agency decided that “given the widespread interest in this bear,” Hank would be relocated to The Wild Animal Sanctuary near Springfield, Colorado, under a one-time permission from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis welcomed Hank the Tank to Colorado on social media, stating, “We welcome ‘Hank the Tank’ (turned out to be Henrietta the Tank) to Colorado!”