A Tennessee candy store has been ransacked by a bear for the fourth time, with the owner hoping the animal can be found and released into the wilderness.
Glades Homemade Candies in Gaitlinburgh, near the North Carolina border, posted images of its damaged store on social media.
“A bear has ravaged our beloved candy shop for the fourth time. Let us join hands in prayer that it is safely captured,” the store’s owners wrote.
“We have nurtured our arts and crafts business in this community for 35 years, spreading joy and love to our customers, blessed by divine providence, but this persistent bear is a challenge we urgently need to overcome, we are grateful for your prayers.”
The owners also said that, as Gatlinburg natives, they deeply respected and cared for the bears and hoped it was brought safely to the woods.
The pictures show one half of the double-door entrance completely smashed in, with shattered glass scattered on the ground.
Trays and a tipped bucket with a white liquid are scattered at the entrance, with a sign saying “Please excuse the bear’s mess” as it was looking for snacks.
A tall tray holder appears to have tipped over onto the wooden paneling inside the store, with more shattered glass on the floor.
Candy and biscuits appear to be strewn on the floor.
Glades Homemade Candies told 6News it had taken all reasonable precautions to avoid the bear accessing the store. This included keeping doors secured, using bear-proof dumpsters, and implementing additional security measures.
The incident has been reported to the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which confirmed to 6 News it was aware of the incident and wildlife officers were investigating the case.
The Independent contacted the TWRA for comment.
Meanwhile, in California, it was recently discovered that a 550-pound black bear had been living under a man’s house for months. It was finally evicted in the last few days.
In November, the bear made a den beneath the home, which the owner said caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage. Animal welfare experts used paintballs filled with vegetable oil to scare it away.
