Black bear spotted in Evesham Township

A black bear was spotted in Evesham Township Wednesday. The bear is becoming the talk of the town.

"I heard a noise as if wood was being torn or something was being broken." So Thomas Sylvestro went to investigate in his Evesham Township backyard. He saw a tree with missing bark and shot a video of what he believed to be a black bear.

"I wanted to get a picture of it-- tried to get video and then it just wasn't moving," he told FOX 29. "So then I grabbed a rock from the flower bed tossed it over and it kind of scurried away."

Police confirmed the bear sighting at Jessica Court and Barton Run Blvd. They are advising residents not to panic if they see it Thomas kept some distance.

"So I'm like if this is a cub, chances are the mother is not too far away. So I figured 25-30 feet's probably good. It is what it is," Sylvestro said.

It's become the talk of the town and some neighbors are eager to get a look.

"I wish I had seen it. Unfortunately, I didn't. I hear some of my neighbors did. We're keeping an eye out for it."

But that's not why Diana Martinez happened to wear this shirt with a bear on it.

"Oddly enough you'd think it was planned. It was an accident but it worked out well didn't," she said.

Alisa Weis says she saw something strange herself.

"I was facing the computer this way and I thought I saw a shadow of something dark come past the window and I said, 'Well, that's weird.'"

Then she found out about the bear.

"The best thing to do is not worry too much and stay clear," she said.

The neighborhood is heavily wooded so while it's not an every day sight. People here say they weren't entirely surprised to have this new neighbor.