Police across Canada warn of tampered Halloween candy

Police services across Canada are urging families to check their trick-or-treat candy after several reports of needles and other items found in treats collected on Halloween.

The RCMP in Nova Scotia and Alberta, provincial police in Quebec and Durham Regional Police in Ontario are among the services that have issued public notices advising people to inspect hauls from Oct. 31, Global News reported Monday.

Durham police said Sunday they are investigating after sewing needles were found in candy in Oshawa, Ont. Quebec provincial police said they had received 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. RCMP in Blackfalds, Alta., said a needle was found in candy after a child went trick-or-treating in the town’s northeast.

A Toronto father of three told Global News his family found five pieces of candy that appeared to have been tampered with after trick-or-treating in the city’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.

The reports follow an RCMP investigation in Labrador, where police probed metal found in Halloween treats, as we reported Sunday. Police have not said whether any of the cases are linked, and the notices published so far do not name a suspect.

Police generally advise parents to check all candy before children eat it, to throw out anything unwrapped or with damaged packaging, and to report anything suspicious to their local police service. Anyone who finds a needle or other foreign object in candy should keep the item and contact police rather than handling it directly.

For other seasonal safety reminders, see our Weekend Ready guide.

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