Bear takes midnight stroll through Newbury ParkFree Access

Predator likely looking for water, police say



A small bear lumbers down Reino Road in Newbury Park in the wee hours of July 9. Courtesy of Joel Council/Safety for Citizens

A young black bear was spotted roaming the streets of Newbury Park early Friday morning.

Police received reports of the animal being in the vicinity of the Borchard Skatepark shortly after midnight July 9, Sgt. Tim Lohman told the Acorn. He said Ventura County sheriff’s deputies followed the animal for about 45 minutes until it returned to open space.

He said the Department of Fish and Wildlife didn’t respond to the area because they only intervene if the animal poses a threat.

“The little bear had a complete tour of the neighborhood of Kimber/Fallbrook/Mayfield/Reino before heading through the Albertsons parking lot,” Newbury Park resident Jill Mahon told the Acorn.

Capt. Eric Buschow said bear sightings occur in the Conejo Valley “every once in a while.”

“I remember chasing one around Westlake a while ago,” he said.

Buschow said the bear was probably looking for water.

“The problem is with the heat and the drought there’s probably no natural sources of water, so he’s probably got to go sip off a sprinkler,” the captain said.

The bear passes by the Albertsons shopping center at Reino Road and Kimber Drive. Courtesy of Joel Council/Safety for Citizens

Bear sightings are not unheard of in eastern Ventura County. In May 2020, a 100-pound bear was spotted in Simi Valley before being tranquilized by Fish and Wildlife authorities and taken to a remote location in the Los Padres National Forest.

A black bear was spotted in Malibu Creek State Park in 2016 and another black bear was killed in 2014 on a 101 Freeway off-ramp in Westlake Village. There was another bear sighting in Westlake Village in 2006. That bear roamed the city for about five hours before it disappeared.

In May 2004, a bear was found in Agoura Hills wandering through yards and even lounging in a jacuzzi. In August of that year, another bear was found in a garage in Thousand Oaks near the 23 Freeway and the Reagan Library.