Black bear spotted near Commercial Drive safely relocated, Vancouver police say

A bear was spotted roaming the streets of East Vancouver, and pursued by police.

A black bear that was spotted wandering around East Vancouver earlier this week has been safely relocated, according to police.

The Vancouver Police Department shared a short video and photo of the “furry suspect” in a social media post on Thursday.

Police said they received reports of a black bear near Commercial Drive and Grandview Highway and were able to track the animal down at approximately 1 a.m. on Tuesday.

“Patrol officers located the bear, and the Emergency Response Team assisted when the bear was getting a little too close to people nearby,” police said in the post. “The B.C. Conservation Officer Service was called, while VPD officers contained the bear as it moved toward Hastings and Commercial.”

Authorities said once conservation officers arrived on scene, the bear was safely tranquilized and relocated to North Vancouver.

There were no reports of any injuries.

“The bear slept it off and was released without charges,” the VPD added.