CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) -- It was a night like any other for Jason Petrie and his family. Everyone was ready to call it a night until the family got an unexpected visitor.

Meet Sweetie, a black bear whose recently been seen near Butts station and Elbow Road in Chesapeake.

“We had been having a bear sighting in the neighborhood quite frequently recently. And before I went to bed, I started just checking my cameras around the house. And when I checked the front door camera, that's when I noticed that the bear had come up right up to the front door and was sniffing the door handle.”

Jason and Lochlyn Petrie told 10 On Your Side what it was like having Sweetie come up to their front door.

“I'm not even used to seeing deer, but when I do see deer, I think that's crazy, let alone a bear walking up to our front door. I think that's really crazy,” said Lochlyn.

Jason and his family weren’t the only ones Sweetie paid a visit to last night. One couple says they’re down two bird feeders thanks to the hungry bear. 

“My wife came into the shower as I was drying off and she said that there was a bear in the backyard. And so, I ran out dripping wet with a towel wrapped around me and we looked at this bear dismantling her bird feeders and tore them all up and everything,” said John Williams, a witness.

While some may be nervous about a bear coming so close to their home, Jason and Lochlyn say they’re not worried about Sweetie.

“I'm not worried about it. He doesn't seem to be an aggressive type of bear, and he's come in pretty late at night.”

The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources says if you spot a black bear near your home, the best way to make the bear go away is to remove any sources of food it may be after, such as garbage, bird feed and pet food. You can learn more by clicking here.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) -- Virginia Beach Police are asking residents to be aware of a growing trend of car break-ins and thefts.

According to officials, just between April 8-9, the city reported 34 incidents of destruction of property and 14 thefts from motor vehicles. This all occurred in the 3rd Precinct of the city near Bonney Road.

As a result, law enforcement are reminding the community to always lock your doors, keep valuables in your vehicle out of plain sight or to not leave valuables in your vehicle, at all. This will reduce your likelihood of becoming a victim. 

Police said that, while car break-ins typically involve individuals checking to see which vehicles are unlocked, the recent thefts have involved smashing car windows in order to get the items inside.

Other areas of the city have reported similar trends, however, not as prevalent as in the 3rd Precinct.

A resident living on one of the streets with multiple break ins said he has seen incidents like this before and knows how to avoid them.

“Coming from Orlando, Florida, it’s just the younger crowd breaking into cars and trying to get whatever they can get," one resident said. "The more excessive ones where they’re breaking the glass, using tools, usually there’s something in your car that they know or have heard of that they want, or they see something expensive through the windows. That’s why I avoid leaving anything expensive in my car.” 

The man explained his process to make sure his car isn’t broken into.

“Double lock it — sometimes I even do a little look back, make sure I didn’t leave anything in there," he said. "Like I said, if you’ve got something expensive sitting out on the front seat, it’s gonna catch someone eye.” 

Due to the rise in thefts, police are asking residents to keep valuables out of vehicles, or just out of sight. People are also asked to consider investing in car alarms or added lighting to your home or driveway. They're also asking neighbors in the Bonney Road area to help them ID suspects and review security camera footage to see if they've captured anything.

Individuals who may have captured video of thefts from security cameras are asked to contact the VBPD Detective Bureau at 757-385-4101 with the potential evidence. People can also register and integrate their security cameras with VBPD using the link here.

NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Eighteen puppies and their mother were left behind at a shelter in Staunton and, to keep them from being euthanized, they were sent to the Norfolk SPCA, where they have been getting the love they deserve as they await their forever homes.

Kevin and Lilly, and all nine of their Anatolian Shepard siblings, are available for adoption.

“So these guys will be available today, they start at 12:30," said Jesika Streeter, deputy director for the Norfolk SPCA. "We’re gonna start hanging out buzzers for them. We do ask that you do your research — there’s a post up on our Facebook page, specific to this breed. They’re not for everyone. They can be a little stubborn sometimes, our Anatolian friends, but they are available."

In addition to the 11 Anatolian pups that were rescued, a mom and her seven puppies were also rescued.

“The mom is very, very sweet," Streeter said. "She’s a little pitty mix. She super, super sweet, and all of her puppies are very loud, yes. They’re a little too young for adoption just yet, but I’m sure once they get of age, their personalities they will definitely grow into."

With limited space, and a lot of new mouths to feed, the Norfolk SPCA is always looking for more help.

“We are always looking for donations, cash donations are the best way," Streeter said. "You can also donate right on our website as well. The more donations that we’re able to get in, we’re not undercut the city, by the state, or federal funding. So, all of the donations that we rely on come from our community directly."

If you’d like to adopt any of the puppies or make a donation to help the Norfolk SPCA continue their work, click here.