The black bear spotted in parts of Montgomery County has a new home after being captured on Friday.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission released the bear in State Game Lands near Harrisburg.
The black bear was captured thanks to some doughnuts and the public's help after spending some days roaming around parts of Montgomery County -- including near the Plymouth Meeting Mall -- this week.
Plymouth Township police announced on Facebook Friday morning that the bear was captured. The department's Facebook message featured an illustrated bruin and the words "I'm heading home."
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"We have captured the bear with the cooperation of the public," Pennsylvania State Game Warden Jerry Czech told reporters Friday morning.
The bear was trapped late Thursday night on private property, Czech said. The game commission used doughnuts as bait.
The roughly 200-pound bear would be taken about two hours away to state game lands near Harrisburg.
Officials still don't know if the bear is a he or a she and no one wanted to get close enough to find out.
"It's a little better suitable habitat for bears," Czech said.
The Montgomery County bear spent a few days on the run
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the bear was first reported in Worcester Township and East Norriton Township at some point Wednesday.
Then the bear had been seen in Whitpain Township near the area of St. Helena School Wednesday night and again Thursday morning in the area of Hoover Road and Perri Place, police said.
The spottings prompted Whitpain police to post bear tips on the department's Facebook page.
The last known sighting was Thursday afternoon around 1:30 p.m. in Plymouth Township after the bear was seen near the Plymouth Meeting Mall in the area of Edge Fitness and Whole Foods around 4 a.m. Thursday, according to Plymouth Township police.
"Please bear with us," Plymouth police joked in a Facebook post.
Plymouth Township Police added that people should remain vigilant in the areas encompassing Hickory Road, Walton Road, Township Line Road and Narcissa Road.
Police said a property owner near Hickory Road saw the bear going for a swim in the pond and when the game commission arrived the bear had left the area.
The Game Commission set up traps Thursday to hopefully catch the bear.
Police told NBC10 that this bear -- they didn't know the gender -- has been tagged before and this is not the first time it has been found wandering in neighborhoods.
Czech said they didn't tranquilize the bear -- so they wouldn't be able to tell which agency initially tagged the bear. He noted it's a bit weird for a bear to wander into a more populated area this time of year.
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