Four bears put down after repeated break-ins at Swannanoa homes

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) -- Four bears were put down in the Swannanoa Bee Tree community earlier this month after breaking into at least two area homes, according to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.

On Aug. 17, an adult female bear and two of her cubs forced themselves in through a locked window, and over a period of several days removed items from the home and, generally, caused damage.

The homeowner found their home in disarray upon returning from vacation and was able to watch their house get broken into via security video.

After returning home, the owner boarded up the window, and still, the bear and cubs returned and were able to remove the makeshift board.

According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, bears near this home have been fed, both intentionally and unintentionally, for years, which is why the bears kept coming back, and ultimately why they had to be put down.

"That was done out of the interest of public safety," Ashley Hobbs, a Special Projects Biologist with the NCWRC said. "We wanted to make sure that, if this behavior repeated, that we weren’t putting people in harm's way and once a bear receives a food reward for a behavior it is very likely that they are going to repeat that same behavior.”

Hobbs said an additional bear was put down after it also attempted to access the boarded-up window. A total of four bears, two adult females and two cubs were, put down.

Hobbs said always to consult the commission's Bear Wise tactics to help avoid future bears being put down, which includes securing food sources like trash and bird feeders.