Authorities in the northeastern Japanese town of Shizukuishi are hunting an Asiatic black bear believed to be responsible for 14 home break-ins over a two-week period.
Local officials have deployed patrols, set up box traps, and installed electric fences around repeatedly targeted properties to capture the animal and protect residents.
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The search intensified after 87-year-old Mitsuo Matsubara confronted the large bear in his kitchen on Monday evening.
The animal had opened the refrigerator and scattered food across the floor.
Single Culprit Suspected
Local officials suspect a single, repeat offender is responsible for the series of break-ins, which have targeted five different locations across the town, including a farm and a confectionery shop.
Shiho Chida, a bear specialist with the nature division in Iwate prefecture, expressed concern over the unusual behavior.
"It's unusual for a bear to break into the same place multiple times," Chida said.
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Chida noted that the frequency of the incidents suggests a single culprit, emphasizing the urgency of the ongoing trapping operations.
"It's possible this is the same animal, so we want to capture it as soon as possible," she added.
The bear has repeatedly targeted a local farm to consume milk-based cattle feed.
On another occasion, a resident spent 30 seconds blocking a sliding door as the 1.65-meter-tall bear tried to push its way inside.
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Experts attribute the rising number of bear attacks in Japan to shrinking rural populations, which has reduced the animals' fear of human settlements.
