With Halloween just around the corner, officials are urging everyone to be safe lest there be more “tricks” than treats. A bona fide scare from last year still hovers over the Eugene community.
During Halloween 2022, three separate reports of razors embedded in candy bars came to the Eugene Police Department’s attention. The tainted stashes were all from the Friendly Neighborhood, and the culprit remains at large.
EPD officer Steven Chambers said it’s important to remember that any candy stash can be sabotaged.
“Make sure that you inspect it or parents should inspect it before children consume it, just because there is the potential that it’s contaminated,” he said.
Last year, a Winnipeg, Canada couple was arrested and charged for putting cannabis-fused gummies into children’s bags. Some of the kids receiving the candy were as young as six.
People are urged to report any tainted candy to police, or any other criminal behavior including vandalism.
The EPD and other organizations host family-friendly “trunk or treat” events where the candy’s accounted for, and many are held during the daytime.
Drivers are also urged to watch for trick-or-treaters, as Halloween is the worst holiday for child-vehicle collisions. Parents are advised to have their kids wear bright costumes or reflective tape, and to avoid darting in and out of streets given the lower visibility of night-driving.
