Busted.
A black bear in California has won over a lot of hearts on the internet – despite the fact that it’s a pretty notorious criminal.
Nicknamed “Hank the Tank,” the bear has been confirmed to be responsible for 21 home break-ins over the last couple of years in California. And when you see Hank, you can see how it got its nickname.
The bear has been linked by DNA to the home invasions in Lake Tahoe, but until now has evaded authorities seeking to get this burglar off the streets.
But now, Hank’s reign of terror has come to an end – and it turns out, Hank is actually a female.
The bear, formally known as Bear 64F by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, was captured last week along with her three cubs, with Hank (Henrietta?) weighing in at an incredible 500 lbs.
In a news release, the Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the bear was “safely immobilized,” and would be transported to The Wild Animal Sanctuary near Springfield, Colorado. The department says that generally, relocation is not an option for “conflict bears,” but due to the public interest in Hank, the bear will be spared from euthanization and will get to live out the rest of her life in a new home.
Authorities have been tracking the bear since last spring, and were eventually able to sedate her to get a DNA sample and attach a tracker to confirm that she was responsible for the break-ins.
Colorado governor Jared Polis tweeted over the weekend that his state is looking forward to welcoming Hank the Tank to his state, thanks to a one-time exception issued by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Agriculture.
Sounds like a happy ending for all involved. Hank the Tank gets to live on in her new home, and the people of Lake Tahoe can finally rest easy knowing this notorious burglar is off the streets.
