Princeton Police say they have received multiple reports of a black bear.
PRINCETON - Princeton police issued an alert Sunday after receiving multiple reports of a black bear in the northern part of the town.
A black bear is shown in a file photo. The bear was seen walking in the woods and though backyards near Bunn Drive and Autumn Hill Road. Police issued the alert at 1:51 p.m.
This is at least the second bear sighting for the town this month and there were multiple bear sighting in July.
Police warned residents to take several precautions. Residents should put trash in containers with tight fitting lids, clean any food scraps from grills, porches and decks, and keep meat scraps out of compost piles.
Police also advised residents not to feed pets outdoors unless absolutely necessary and immediately remove all uneaten food.
They placed an emphasis on not leaving food outside after dark and advised to wait to put out garbage on collection day -- not the night before.
Residents can report bear damage, nuisance behavior or aggressive bears to the DEP Hotline at 1-877-WARN-DEP (877-927-6337) or the police department.
Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook.