A bear that attacked 4 people in north-eastern Japan has escaped from an electronics factory after apparently opening a window and fleeing during the night, authorities said.

Officials said evidence suggested the bear released the window latch and pushed it open before escaping. Before its getaway on Wednesday, the animal had also been seen using its front paws to turn on a tap and drink water.

“We believe it to be extremely intelligent,” Fukushima Mayor Yuki Baba told Kyodo News.

The bear entered a steel factory in the city of Fukushima late on Tuesday and injured 4 people before moving into a nearby electronics factory, where authorities hoped to capture it.

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