Video of Man in Bear Suit Sparks Singapore Bear Hunt

Electronics giant Philips has apologized for sending police, zoo officials, and wildlife groups in Singapore on a wild bear chase. Dozens of people searched an area of the city-state after a hoax video supposedly showing a bear rummaging through a garbage can surfaced on social media. The company says the bear was actually a person in a mascot suit and the video was part of a viral marketing campaign for a new shaver.

"We acknowledge that the resemblance of the mascot to a live bear has caused some public concern in the neighborhood where the mascot was sighted," the company said in a public apology. Police say they are considering filing public nuisance charges against Philips, reports the Straits Times, which notes that there are no bears in the wild in Singapore and none resembling the mascot in the city's zoos.
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