A black bear is reportedly roaming Chester County\u00a0\u2014 and looting residents’ garbage for snacks in the middle of the night.<\/p>\n
West Vincent Township police alerted the community to the furry freegan in a social media post Monday. Law enforcement said it had received multiple reports of a black bear in the area and asked residents to call 911 if they spotted the animal or captured video of it, so officials could notify the Pennsylvania Game Commission.<\/p>\n
MORE:\u00a0Taryn Hatcher is giving away her Phillies gear to raise money for the Pennsylvania SPCA<\/a><\/p>\n At least one person already caught the black bear on camera. West Vincent Township police shared nighttime Nest footage of the animal rummaging through trash cans outside a suburban home and scampering off with a bag of garbage in its mouth.<\/p>\n While black bears tend to avoid people and are rarely aggressive, officials advised Chester County residents to clean their grills, bring in bird feeders and secure their garbage cans as a precaution. Pets should also be closely monitored, especially around dusk and dawn.<\/p>\n “Remember: This bear is likely just passing through in search of snacks and a shortcut,” West Vincent Township police wrote on Facebook<\/a>. “Let\u2019s not make your backyard the local buffet.”<\/p>\n The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed it had likewise received reports of the bear. Black bears are “infrequently seen” in Chester County, a spokesperson said, but not unprecedented. A 250-pound black bear was on the loose in Coatesville for about a week back in 2020. The game commission eventually caught it with a trap of donuts<\/a>.<\/p>\n Follow Kristin & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @kristin_hunt
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