GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WATE) — The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating after a bear ransacked a candy store in the town of Gatlinburg. This is not the first time the bear has caused damage to the store, but the store is hopeful the bear will be relocated.
Glades Homemade Candies shared on social media Friday that this is the fourth time the bear has caused damage at the store. Photos of the damage shared with Nexstar’s WATE, seen below, show a glass door the bear busted through, an overturned sheet pan rack, and pans that were once full of sweets dragged outside.
According to the post, the owners have nurtured their arts and crafts business in Gatlinburg for 35 years, but the persistent bear is a challenge they “urgently need to overcome.”
In an update Saturday, Glades Homemade Candies said it has taken every reasonable precaution it can to prevent the bear from accessing the store, including keeping doors secured, using bear-proof dumpsters, and implementing additional security measures.
Glades Homemade Candies said the incident was reported to the TWRA. The store told WATE in a statement that it is hopeful the bear will be relocated.
“As Gatlinburg natives, we deeply respect and care for our bears, our natural environment, and the Great Smoky Mountains,” the store wrote.
The TWRA confirmed to WATE that it is aware of the incident and wildlife officers are investigating the case.