Quincy police want residents to be on alert after an officer spotted a black bear wandering the area behind the BJ's overnight.
According to a tweet from the department, the bear was in the wooded area behind the store just before midnight. In a video the bear can be seen investigating a tree.
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Anyone who spots the bear is asked to call police at non-emergency line at 617-473-1212 or 911 if it's an emergency. Police want the call even if the bear is in the woods or another remote area.
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Black bears have been expanding their territory in Massachusetts for decades, according to the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, and sightings in eastern Massachusetts have become more common.
Black bears are generally not aggressive toward humans and can often be scared off if you make loud noises and wave your arms around. Residents should keep a safe distance from the animals. They can become a nuisance when they become used to human interaction and feeding on human food sources, like bird feeders or trash.
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Last month, a black bear in Arlington led to delays to the start of the school day. Video recently surfaced of a dog facing off with a bear in a Cohasset backyard, while another video shows a brazen bear stealing lunch from a worker's truck in Sunapee, New Hampshire. There have also been recent sightings in Newton and Needham.
