Black bears invade Lake Tahoe homes as break-ins surge and locals fortify defenses

Black bears are increasingly breaking into homes around Lake Tahoe, leaving residents to spend thousands of dollars protecting their properties from hungry wildlife.

So far this year, South Lake Tahoe police have received 174 bear-related calls, compared with 97 during the same period last year, according to The Wall Street Journal. Several incidents involved bears making their way into homes.

One local couple told the publication they were washing dishes when they looked up to find a bear standing in their living room.

The animal wandered through the house, sniffed a tube of toothpaste in the bathroom and urinated on the floor before leaving. It was the couple's second bear break-in within the span of a month, the publication said. ---More...