Fish and Wildlife agents have suspended the search for a black bear that was spotted around the city and Ballard since Saturday May 17.

Agents said the bear was last spotted around 9 p.m. Monday near Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 160th Street.

The bear had to have crossed I-5, since he was first seen on the west side of the freeway.

Fish and Wildlife agents have nicknamed the young bear "Urban Phantom," due to his eluding nature.

According to a Seattle Police report, on Sunday, May 17, at approximately 10:11 p.m., residents in the 4300 Block of West Cramer Street called 911 to report a bear in their yard.

Seattle Police and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife officers responded. While investigating that sighting, officers were informed that there was an additional sighting of the bear near the intersection of 24th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 63rd Street in Ballard, just before midnight on May 18.

Both the police and game agents responded to that location. There were several sightings of the bear. The bear continued to move in a northerly direction, with sightings at 15th Avenue Northwest and Northwest 70th Street.

Officers assisted the Fish and Wildlife officers as they tracked the bear’s movement for the next several hours. It was last seen in the area of the 9000 Block of Northwest 90th Street.

On May 17, a Ballard resident emailed the News-Tribune and said that he spotted the bear while leaving Copper Gate restaurant on 24th Avenue Northwest. He said it was headed down 64th Street.

The Ballard resident said he quickly called the police and was later interviewed by a game warden.