Centralia Police Department warns public after bear sighting

CENTRALIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Centralia Police Department is warning residents to be aware after a bear was sighted within the city.

Lauren TeBrink, tells ABC 17 News she has not seen anything like it in the two and a half years her family has lived in Centralia.

"I noticed in our front yard that there were a ton of cars passing by and I thought, that's weird this is centralia," TeBrink said. "Then, I saw on Facebook something about a bear sighting and then I noticed that it was our backyard that there was a bear sighting."

According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri is home to roughly 1,000 black bears. Most of them residing in the southern part of the show-me state.

In Grandview, Missouri officials say a bear was recently spotted in May within city limits.

According to a social media post from the Centralia Police Department, animal control and conservation officials have been made aware and are monitoring the situation. The department also asked residents not to approach, feed, or attempt to pet the bear under any circumstances.

TeBrink said she believes that community will be extra important moving forward.

"It's a matter of paying attention that we know that everyone around us is paying attention and watching out for each other because this situation is theoretically not going to happen tomorrow," TeBrink said. "But at least knowing, hey, everyone's got each other's back is ultimately going to help at the end of the day."

Anyone who notices the bear should call 311 immediately.