Police around the UK are advising pranksters not to dress up as a clown and frighten strangers by jumping out on them on the street, after police received numerous calls over the weekend of October 8 and 9 from people feeling intimidated by the new trend.
Hampshire Insp Simon Starns said: “We are aware this is a trend that has come over from America as Halloween is approaching. However while is not an offence to dress up as a clown and prank your mates, we don’t advise people to do this to strangers in the current climate of heightened security and it is an offence to carry an offensive weapon or an item which could be perceived to be a weapon.
“We will respond if someone feels threatened and the culprit could end up being arrested and then they won’t find it so funny. While we realise that reports of this kind are not restricted to just the Sussex area, the issues of intimidation, potential arrest and waste of public resources are the same across the country and we would urge people to refrain from such activity.”
For an incident in Eastbourne, visit the Sussex Police website.
For a police caution given in Norfolk to a man, visit the Norfolk Police website.
Pictured by Mark Rowe; graffiti, Bristol.
