Hunt continues for bear that broke into Coquitlam home trapping mother and child

A bear hunt continues in Coquitlam after a woman and her baby were trapped inside their home when a young bear broke through the back deck and ransacked the house for food.

Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Michael McLaughlin confirmed officers got a call to the house on Seymour Drive at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday from the woman.

McLaughlin said when officers arrived they found the bear outside on the upper balcony.

"We had to use quite a bit of noise, bear deterrents and it took quite a bit of effort to get the bear to leave actually. It was a difficult task, because it was clearly unafraid of humans," saidMcLaughlin in a phone interview.

According to B.C. Conservation Service Officer Todd Hunter, when its officers arrived at the scene, the bear had left and headed towards Mundy Park where there is currently a hot food ban because of increased bear activity.

"Any bear that enters a home, especially coming back while officers are on scene and attempting to get back in the home, it's not good," said Hunter over the phone.

Hunter said once the bear is found, it will be euthanized. This will make it the third food-habituated bear to be put down in the past few weeks in Coquitlam.

Hunter said one bear tried to break into a restaurant and ended up surrounded by people trying to take its picture in a mall parking lot.

The other knocked down a camper along the Coquitlam River. Both bears were subsequently euthanized.