Fugitive bear sits down for a rest outside the police station

A race to catch a brown bear wandering around Bavaria and Austria gained urgency after he strolled into the lakeside resort of Kochel am See and even sat down outside a police station, officials said.

The bear, a fugitive from Italy officially named JJ1 — but dubbed Bruno by the German media — ambled into Germany last month, becoming the first wild bear sighted in the country since 1835. He is part of a programme in northern Italy to reintroduce the animals to the Alps.

Reported sightings followed in southern Bavaria and in Austria, and the bear chase has kept Germany’s attention even amid coverage of the World Cup.

The 100kg (220lb) Bruno is seen as an unwelcome visitor because he has killed livestock and approached homes. Authorities say that his lack of shyness could make him dangerous to humans.