Video shows bear spotted in backyard in Delco, police say

Authorities in Upper Chichester are investigating a report of a bear that was spotted Tuesday in a resident's backyard.

Police said the bear was seen at a property in the 4400 block of Garnetmine Road. When officers arrived, the bear was no longer there, but a property owner captured a video that was released by police.

Bear populations have increasingly spread into Southeastern Pennsylvania over the last several years as opportunities to find food and mates expand. In recent years, a string of sightings have led to large-scale searches across parts of the region. 

In 2016, a black bear seen in Radnor spent several months on the loose before it was eventually corralled and released in Lackawanna County. The search even inspired a Twitter account.

Last June, another black bear first seen in Montgomery County traveled south to Philadelphia and was spotted along the SEPTA tracks of the Manayunk/Norristown Line.

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A search that lasted several days resulted in the bear's capture in Roxborough by the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Multiple videos of the young bear's journey through residential areas surfaced during the search.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission offers the following safety tips for bear sightings.

• Don’t put trash out until the morning of collection

• Clean garbage cans regularly using bleach

• Clean your outdoor grill, properly dispose of grill grease and bring bird feeders in at night

• Store trash, bird seed and pet food inside a building, garage or secure shed

• Bring pet food in at night

• Don’t place food out for other wildlife (Be aware that intentionally feeding bears is against the law in Pennsylvania.)

Anyone who sees the bear spotted in Delaware County on Tuesday is asked to call 911.