A female bear — and one of three known as Hank — was captured with her three cubs by California wildlife authorities. She was responsible for at least 21 home break-ins, officials said.
The animals had been extinct for more than 70 years in the country, which has just begun a program that brought 20 cheetahs from Africa to a wildlife sanctuary.
In a country where wildlife trafficking already runs rampant, conservationists fear that ransoming of animals may become a common tactic used by criminals.