City officials in the north Georgia town of Nelson are warning residents to "bear-proof" their properties after the police chief had a run-in with a black bear.

Nelson City Manager Brandy Edwards said residents should be on guard after recent calls about bears at homes and reports of missing cats and kittens around town.

The bears are believed to be moving into the town 50 miles north of Atlanta in search of food to fatten up for the winter.

About two weeks ago, Nelson Police Chief Heath Mitchell confronted one bear that made itself at home on a home's porch and was rummaging through garbage. Mitchell said he tried to run it off, but it turned and growled, walking closer toward him. It eventually ran off.

Tags: black bear, bears, black bears, nelson