Sierra Madre reports more bear intrusions in past 7 weeks than previous 2 years combined

SIERRA MADRE, Calif. (KABC) -- For Cynci Cutter, life in the Sierra Madre foothills can feel like a fairytale, but the Goldilocks adaptation of her life as of late does not sit just right.

Twice now, a bear has snuck inside her house and made themselves feel right at home.

The first visit was in late July when Cutter was out of state. It happened again earlier this month.

"I had my bags from the grocery," said Cutter, standing in the entryway of her home. "I look over and saw all the food, and I thought, 'Oh no, he's been here again.' I heard the beeping of the refrigerator and the freezer, so I dropped my stuff - everything - and I went over and I said, 'I know you're in here! I know you're in here!'"

With some combination of force and dexterity, Cutter says the bear raided the fridge, eating peanut butter, ice cream, fruit, and the groceries she dropped on her way back out.

Just as concerning as what the bear took, was what the bear left: poop in her living room.

"It was a glob, so I cleaned that up. It was great fun," said Cutter, sarcastically.

The City of Sierra Madre has received 122 calls of service regarding bears since early July, which is usually about how many they receive in an entire year.

In that same timeline, it has received 30 calls about bears in structures, which is more than the past two years combined. City analyst James Carlson has enough data to understand what the bears are targeting.

"Mostly, it's trash cans, but it can be an outdoor refrigerator, it can be in a garage ... we've had cars [broken into] a number of times," said Carlson.

The city has invested in new trash bins to help in the short term.

Some residents have bear-proof trash bins that fasten with a cable. The newer ones are meant to be effective against bears but easier on humans.

"The driver of the vehicle won't have to get out and unlock it every time," said Carlson. "There's a certain bearing mechanism. I'm not exactly sure how it works, but it's going to make it a lot easier for the truck drivers picking up all of the trash."

Sierra Madre recently passed a resolution declaring the mismanagement of bears a threat to public safety, and requests help from California Fish and Wildlife Department.

Carlson hopes additional resources would help the city collect more data, expand its education outreach and find sustainable solutions.