Crime & Safety
Black Bear Spotted In Barnegat: Police
As of Sunday afternoon, officials were tracking a black bear seen wandering around Barnegat.
BARNEGAT, NJ — An American black bear was seen wandering around Barnegat on Sunday afternoon, police said.
The bear was first spotted at 11 a.m. in the area of Barnegat High School, police said. It made its way from Project Playground to downtown. "Who doesn’t love downtown on a beautiful Sunday," joked Barnegat Police Chief Keith Germain.
It is unclear if the bear is the same one seen this weekend in Lakewood and Toms River.
Find out what's happening in Barnegat-Manahawkinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
As of about 12:30 p.m., the bear was seen heading into the woods east of Route 9 towards Lower Shore Road, Germain said.
"Please remove all bird feeders, garbage, and keep garage doors closed at all times," police said in a Nixle alert.
Find out what's happening in Barnegat-Manahawkinfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Authorities are currently monitoring the direction of the bear.
"While we all love living on the edge of the 1.1 million acre Pine Barrens, it comes with the occasional unannounced visit from neighbors who moved in before us," Germain said.
If you see the bear, remain cautious and contact police, police said.
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