There are thousands of bears bumbling around the Sierra Nevada, sniffing out snacks left behind by absent-minded campers and even ransacking the vacation home of two San Franciscan teenagers.

Only one of them is named T-Shirt.

He’s more easily identifiable than other Tahoe bears thanks to the distinguishable patch of Hanes-white fur on his chest. The 400-pound creature is now considered somewhat of a local celebrity in the Kings Beach area of Placer County following repeated sightings among residents and tourists – most recently on Monday morning, when the bear found himself in a bit of a predicament.

In a video released by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, the colossal bear is seen trapped inside a dumpster. Arriving on the scene were Deputies Bertoni and Staley. Just as one of them approached, T-Shirt pops his head out as if to say “hello,” much to the initial shock of one of the deputies.

That alarm quickly turned into excitement when the deputies recognized the bear’s telltale white chest. “That IS T-shirt!” one of them exclaims in the video. Wielding a flashlight and a pole tethered to the lid of the dumpster, the deputies attempt to free the animal.

Carefully, they use the narrow object to remove a chain from the latch holding one side of the top down. With a clatter, it falls open. T-Shirt clamors out, his hefty paws dangling over the sides of the dumpster, causing the rim of it to bend beneath his weight.

Just a few feet away from the animal, an officer discreetly opens the adjacent door – then runs for his life. Minding his own business, T-Shirt makes his way to the safety of the ground below. The deputies honk at him, sending him on his way.

Over 31,000 viewers gawked at the adorable, albeit terrifying video, some fondly referring to T-Shirt as “a big boy” while others mused how the interaction could have gone horribly wrong.

“One swipe from his paw and you could have been a goner,” Cheryl Arbaugh commented.

Another man wondered aloud whether t-shirts depicting T-Shirt would be sold.

The last sighting of the bear occurred earlier in July. Police said tourists had cornered the bear against a fence to take photos of him.

“He is normally a docile bear, but chances were pretty good he could have become agitated and attacked,” a representative for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office wrote at the time. “Yes, bears are cute and fluffy but they have instincts.”

Bear break-ins aren’t uncommon in the area, especially around this time of year. Last October, the Placer County Sheriff's Office also caught footage of a black bear pawing through shopping carts at a Tahoe City Safeway.

"Be warned that this time of year, bears are getting ready to hibernate and are looking for food to store for the upcoming winter. Remember not to leave food in your car and to keep car doors locked," the department wrote in a Facebook post.

If you do encounter a bear on your own property, the U.S. Forest Service advises people not to run away. Instead, individuals should remain calm and assert their dominance by standing tall and making noise to scare the bear away.

Tips on proper food storage can be found on the NPS website.

Amanda Bartlett is an SFGATE digital reporter. Email: amanda.bartlett@sfchronicle.com | Twitter: @byabartlett