Canadian police urge caution after reports of tampered Halloween candy

Police across Canada are urging caution after several reports of families finding tampered Halloween candy.

The RCMP in Nova Scotia and Alberta, provincial police in Quebec, city police in Winnipeg and Medicine Hat, Alta. and Durham Regional Police are just some of the police services putting out public notices advising people to check trick-or-treat hauls from Oct. 31.

Barry Horn, a father of three, told Global News Monday they found five pieces of candy that appeared to have been tampered with after going trick-or-treating in Toronto’s Beaches neighbourhood.

“You hear of these things happening, but you never think it’s going to happen to you or your family or your kids,” he said.

Police in Durham said Sunday they’re investigating after sewing needles were found in Halloween candy in Oshawa.

Meanwhile, Quebec provincial police said they’ve gotten two calls about needles found in chocolate or candy in Drummondville, about 100 kilometres northeast of Montreal.

Nova Scotia RCMP said a parent found a syringe in a child’s bag after trick-or-treating in Beaver Bank.

The Winnipeg Police Service told parents to inspect all their kid’s candy after receiving two reports, from the Garden City and Royalwood neighbourhoods, of Halloween chocolate with straight pins inside them.

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There have been two reports out of Alberta of tampered treats.

Blackfalds RCMP in central Alberta said a needle was found in Halloween candy after a child was trick-or-treating in the town’s northeast, specifically:

• Cedar Square
• Cedar Crescent
• Crimson Court
• Cambridge Close
• Pioneer Way
• Churchill Place
• Coachman Way

Further south in Alberta, the Medicine Hat Police Service said Monday it was investigating a pill being found inside a bag of chips that appeared to have been previously opened.

Medicine Hat police said on Sunday evening, a resident found a partially deflated bag of chips with what appeared to be a slit cut in one corner.

A portion of an unidentified pill bearing the number “400” was protruding from the opening, police said, adding none of the chips were consumed.

Police said the family had been trick-or-treating throughout the Saamis area the previously evening and was unable to determine which home the chips came from.

Investigators seized the bag and pill for further examination. As of Monday, the pill had not been identified and no other similar incidents have been reported to MHPS.

Each investigation is ongoing. No injuries were reported.

“Be diligent, check the candy,” Horn said.

“Celebration is a big part of what our kids enjoy … but it’s definitely going to make us more aware of the houses we’re going to, what they’re getting.”