Black bear, cubs steal kids’ lunch boxes at Anchorage campus

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Witnesses say a black bear and two cubs that have been seen frequently in midtown Anchorage stole several lunch boxes at a children’s day camp on the Alaska Pacific University campus.

The Anchorage Daily News reports that Katie Adrian, program manager at the summer program run by Camp Fire USA, says the bears wandered onto the school’s soccer fields Monday, soon after the campers ate lunch at picnic tables.

There were snacks left in the lunch boxes.

The bears carried a few into the woods and ripped them open. After that, Adrian says the bears walked away.

The bears were not aggressive and camp staff corralled the kids. After this, she says the campers will eat in a different spot and store their food indoors.

Alaska Fish and Game Department assistant area wildlife biologist David Battle says there are no plans to remove the bears.

He says the agency doesn’t consider them a public safety hazard — and he hopes people act responsibly and secure their food and garbage.