Altadena, CA — An Altadena homeowner is dealing with an unexpected and intimidating intruder — a 500-pound black bear that has decided to turn the crawl space beneath his home into its personal den.
For Ken Johnson, the situation has become a daily nightmare as he tries to reclaim his property while navigating a slow-moving state wildlife response system.
Strange Clues Lead to a Startling Discovery
Johnson first grew suspicious months ago when he began noticing trash cans knocked over, bricks dislodged, and signs of a powerful animal moving through his yard. To identify the culprit, he installed motion-detecting surveillance cameras around his home.
What he captured shocked him: a massive black bear squeezing its way into a 2.5-by-2.5-foot crawl space, entering and exiting whenever it pleased. The footage also showed the bear wandering down the driveway, rummaging through garbage bins, and tearing out landscaping materials.
“I see wildlife here all the time, but I’ve never had my crawl space torn up,” Johnson told The Post.
Months of Mystery Resolved
Johnson said he first noticed serious damage to his crawl space back in June. He placed a camera inside, but it wasn’t until last Tuesday that he realized the trespasser was a bear.
Over the weekend, the bear made several appearances. It emerged briefly on Saturday, then popped out again for about 20 minutes on Sunday night, confirming that it still considers the space its home.
“It’s scary when I don’t know where it is,” Johnson said. At one point, when he attempted to change the camera batteries, he was greeted with growling and hissing coming from the darkness just below him.
State Wildlife Agency Offers Little Support
Johnson attempted to contact the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for assistance, but said the agency offered no immediate help.
“All I did was get the runaround to go to a website to file a report about the bear online,” he said in frustration.
He submitted the official report on Monday morning, but fears it may take days — or longer — before any action is taken.
A Dangerous Waiting Game
While he hopes wildlife officials will coax the bear out, tranquilize it, and relocate it, Johnson isn’t optimistic.
“I hope they can coax it out or shoot it with a tranquilizer and haul it away, but I don’t see that happening,” he said.
Knowing he may have to handle the situation himself, Johnson is considering some unconventional strategies:
- Using sweet dinner rolls to lure the bear out
- Bear-proofing the crawl space afterward with pepper-spray-covered sandbags
Though creative, the measures reflect his growing desperation as the bear continues to rumble beneath his home — often directly under his kitchen.
“It’s very unnerving, especially when I hear him rumbling around below my kitchen,” Johnson said.
A Community Problem Reflecting a Larger Issue
Black bear encounters have become increasingly common in foothill communities like Altadena, where human homes sit directly on the edge of natural habitat. But cases of bears actually moving into people’s homes — especially into confined spaces — are rare, and officials typically urge residents not to engage the animals themselves due to the significant danger.
Johnson’s case highlights the growing challenge of wildlife-human coexistence in Southern California, as well as the frustrations homeowners often face while seeking state intervention.
For now, the massive “roommate” remains in place — and Johnson is left waiting, watching, and listening.
What’s Your Take?
What would you do if a 500-pound black bear moved in under your home? Share your thoughts in the comments — Should the state move faster in responding to dangerous wildlife intrusions?
