Mama bear and cubs peel siding off home and take over basement, California cops say

A California basement was just right for a mother bear and her three cubs — until they caused a gas leak.

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that a family of bears peeled the siding off a Kings Beach home and moved into the basement temporarily.

Photos show that the bears trashed parts of the basement. There was a large hole in the siding of the home and other parts were damaged.

During their stay in the basement, the bears broke a gas line. The smell prompted a concerned neighbor to call 911, the sheriff’s office said.

The homeowners were not in the house when the bears broke in, according to the sheriff’s office.

“This is a friendly reminder to keep your homes, windows, sliding doors, and cars locked at all times, and to make sure no remnants of food or food wrappers are left in areas accessible by bears,” the sheriff’s office said.

Bears can cause a lot of damage. They can smell food from 20 miles away, so people should also secure garbage cans in bear-proof containers, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said bear activity near Tahoe has been rising as the weather warms up.

This story was originally published March 9, 2021 at 1:18 PM with the headline "Mama bear and cubs peel siding off home and take over basement, California cops say."