STEUBENVILLE, Ohio -- Excitement mixed with the smell of a summer cookout on Lafayette Boulevard in Steubenville Thursday night.

A neighborhood turkey and rib cook-off was interrupted by the black bear that has been spotted several times in the city this week.

"I knew that the bear was going to be coming," said a young guest. "But nobody believed me."

Now, they believe her.

Many of her fellow party-goers not only saw the uninvited guest with their own eyes, they snapped pictures with their cell phones.

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Watch a slideshow: Bear Invades Family Cookout

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After pausing for a few pictures, the bear retreated to the woods across the street.

Police and state wildlife officials have warned that the bear will be attracted to any outdoor food source, including holiday cookouts.

"He took stuff right off the table," said Douglas Branham. "They had some things left out here and he came up on the table and he helped himself."

People in Jefferson County are on the lookout for a black bear after one was spotted Thursday roaming through Steubenville neighborhoods.

Witnesses said the bear made its way from Sinclair Avenue to Whitehaven Boulevard and Johnson Road, then back to Sinclair.

Around 4:40 p.m., police said the bear was near the John Scott Highway connector on Route 22.

"We have a bear on our back porch -- a black bear," one panicked resident told emergency dispatchers, adding that the animal was "a pretty nice size."

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Listen To The 911 Call: Bear Spotted In Steubenville

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Residents like Dave Patton said the bear sighting is especially strange because it's a high-traffic area.

"I don't think he'll be too harmful. He's probably more afraid of us than we are of him," Patton said.

Spotting the wild animal in a residential area has other people very worried.

One caller told a dispatcher that she just "happened to be washing dishes and I glanced up and there it was." A dispatcher told another caller to "just leave it alone."

Residents said they will certainly be more cautious because of the animal.

"Especially with the Fourth of July coming, I don't think many people will be having picnics outdoors maybe," Patton said.

Officials from the Ohio Division Of Natural Resources said bears are not confrontational, but they are wild and will command respect. So, they said it's a good idea to steer clear of them.

Bears will stick around as long as there is a source of food, which includes bird feeders and trash. Officials said even the residue on grills can attract bears.