Hope, a mama bear who wanders South Lake Tahoe and her cub, Bounce, are creating quite a stir in the picturesque Sierra destination.

According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Hope is responsible for at least 12 home invasions in the past month. In addition, SF Gate reports that she has been teaching Bounce to forage for food inside people’s homes and trash cans, as well as break into homes with people inside.

Despite the dangers posed to the public by the bear, she and Bounce have many fans among Tahoe’s residents. Last week, when a wildlife employee shooed the pair out of a backyard and up a tree with a paintball gun, an angry crowd from the Bear League, a Facebook Group, showed up and taunted the employee.

Feeling threatened by the crowd shouting vulgarities, the employee called 911.

Now, why was the field technician there?

Earlier in the day, Hope and Bounce had been identified as likely responsible for another home invasion in which one of them ignited a gas stove. The same state employee smelled gas and notified the fire department, who found items mounting on the stovetop.

Thus, upon seeing Hope and Bounce at another home, she did as instructed by her supervisors in an attempt to prevent the Bears from doing further damage.

For more details about the ongoing tensions over Lake Tahoe bears and the key issues in the debate, go to this link.