Bear shot, escapes authorities after breaking into NJ home

DENVILLE - A bear that made its way into a Denville home was shot Monday before escaping into the woods, according to reports.

According to the Daily Record, the shots were not considered life-threatening and police say they were warranted because the bear's entry into the home classified it as a "Category 1" bear. These are bears that exhibit behavior making them a threat to humans and causing more than $1,000 in damage, according to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife.

Following the incident, members of the DEP searched for the bear for several hours, with negative results, the article states. Police were originally called to the area of Riverside Drive for a report of a bear eating garbage. An officer saw a broken basement window in one home and saw the bear inside, according to the Daily Record.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.