Hank the Tank, a 500-pound black bear, has been breaking into homes in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., since the summer and leaving a trail of damage.
Peter Tira is a spokesman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The bear with paintballs, bean bags, sirens and tasers is too drawn to humans and their food to stay away for long.
It is easier to find leftover pizza in the forest than it is in the city.
Since July, residents of the gated community of Tahoe Keys have called the police more than 100 times because of Hank.
The authorities are trying to kill Hank.
Mr. Tira said that the bear has lost all fear of people.
Local residents named Hank after him and he has barged through windows and doors. Hank had broken into at least 28 homes.
The state wildlife authorities said that Hank is 500 pounds. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the average black bear in the western United States is between 100 and 300 pounds.
Ann Bryant, the executive director of the Bear League, said that Hank's diet of human food and garbage has expanded his size.
She said that Hank didn't get fat like that by eating food.
Hank became one of the neighborhood's least-wanted residents in July, when bears start to bulk up on calories for the winter, according to the National Park Service.
Mr. Tira said that Hank's penchant for breaking into homes did not stop in the winter, leading the state wildlife authorities to believe that he never went into hibernation. He said that sometimes bears don't hibernate if they have access to food all year.
The authorities are looking at a new approach, with the last option being to end Hank's life.
He said that if officials moved the bear to another area, the problem would be solved.
That is the point of contention between the residents and the California wildlife authorities. Ms. Bryant said that many of the residents want Hank to be sent to a sanctuary and not euthanized.
Black bears have been in the area for a long time. The residents have learned not to leave food out and to put their trash in bear-proof containers. Bears have caused problems in the area. The New York Times described the animals as home wreckers.
The bear situation took a turn when some people moved to the area to work remotely. Mr. Tira said that new residents were not all aware of their surroundings. The bears assumed the place of humans after people fled South Lake Tahoe during the Caldor fire.
The neighbors don't want Hank to vandalize their homes, but they want him to be treated with respect. The state authorities took down a bear trap after someone painted it.
Hank is a gentle and sweet person. He is more interested in the food when he breaks into a home than the people inside.
She said that he doesn't attack them. He doesn't growl. He doesn't make rude faces.
Carolyn said that she has taken new measures to protect her house from bears, such as locking her sliding glass doors, but that the thought of Hank keeps her awake at night.
We're fortunate in that it hasn't bothered us, but we're very wary of that possibility.
Hank has not harmed any humans despite other homeowners reporting that he has caused extensive property damage.
"Why should this big dummy die?" Ms. Bryant asked.
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