Bears breaking into homes or trash cans in search of food have become a problem in California — from Lake Tahoe in the Sierra down to the foothill suburbs of Los Angeles, where some have been known to raid refrigerators and take dips in backyard pools and hot tubs.

There is a rather unusual twist in the story of a bear that attacked vehicles in California. Authorities now say the 'bear' is actually something else.

Insurance Department detectives reviewed the footage, which showed a large, furry creature entering the vehicles and causing scratches and other interior damages, and concluded “it was actually a person in a bear costume.” The detectives nicknamed their investigation “Operation Bear Claw.”