A woman’s house in California was burglarized so many times that even bears went in

MAGALIA, Calif. (AP) — Prosecutors say a woman’s home in a remote area of northern California was so badly damaged by a series of burglaries that bears were able to get inside, causing additional destruction that compounded her financial losses.

The Butte County District Attorney’s Office said it filed burglary charges over the past week against 11 people for the break-ins at the home of a 64-year-old woman outside Magalia.

The homeowner first reported a burglary in April 2024, authorities said. That was followed by a series of additional intrusions that drove her from her home. With the house being empty, bears went inside.

Along with the 11 suspects, Butte County prosecutors said, another five suspects have been tentatively identified and charges against them are pending.

Five of the 11 were still in the county jail as of early Saturday, all facing a burglary charge. Others have posted bail or were released on their own recognizance, according to the district attorney’s statement. Ten are residents of Magalia, while the other is from nearby Paradise.

Magalia is about 92 miles (148 kilometers) north of Sacramento in a region of vast national forests. The woman’s home is in the Lovelock area, just north of Magalia.