Winston-Salem, NC -- It may be the heat or the smell of food in trash outside, whatever is it, it's bringing wild animals out and dangerously close to neighborhoods around the triad.

First it was a monkey in Clemmons and now, a bear sighting in a Winston-Salem neighborhood.

Police tell News 2 neighbors have spotted the bear twice since Friday.  But so far the bear is staying one paw ahead of officers.

The first call to police came from Ziglar Road just after 1:30 in the afternoon, Friday.  Police couldn't find it so neighbors thought they were in the clear.

Not so, because at 10:44 Saturday morning police got another call from Mallard Lake Road - about three miles from the first sighting.

People in the area say word got around fast! Even to the Brissy family who was on vacation.

"We got a phone call from our neighbor and we thought there might be something wrong with the house," said Lauren Brissy.

"It was spotted just up the street here," said Jim Palmer, a neighbor. "I was thinking not in this neighborhood but it did happen."

Neighbors are used to seeing deer and squirrels around in the area.  There are even signs to watch out for geese. But a bear? Jim who has lived there for decades says it's a first.

"My wife and I have three kitty cats and we brought the cats in to make sure if the bear showed up, it didn't get the kitty cat," he said.

Freddie Best says he also took some precautions when he heard the news.

"We have the grandkids here this week, this is my granddaughter sky, we ride bicycles up and down the street so we were kind of afraid to get very far from the house last night," he explained.

"I don't expect any problems but at least there's some action in Winston-Salem," Brissy said through laugher.

Best added, "We're going to still be looking out the corner of our eyes no matter where we go."

What we don't know is where the bear will go, but the neighbors say they hope it went back to the woods.  

The Winston-Salem police department wants to remind everyone to be careful: if you see a bear, stay away, don't feed or provoke it.  Also, make sure your trash is always covered when it's outside.

Don't leave food out in pet and bird feeders because bears will generally go back into the wild if they can't find food.

WFMY News 2