Police warn that wearing a clown costume this Halloween could get you ARRESTED
POLICE are warning people celebrating Halloween at the end of the month if the dress up as a clown, they could get arrested.
If they don a creepy costume and deliberately scare others, they could find themselves in trouble.
This comes after a "killer clown" craze has spread through the UK, inspired by pranks in the US.
Police forces have reported a large number of call-outs over the past week and weekend, as more people get dressed up with the intention of scaring other people.
Schools have been a particular target for the apparent pranksters, but there is a real danger the craze could end up becoming a serious problem.
After Thames Valley Police were called out to 14 clown-related incidents in 24 hours, Chief Superintendent Andy Boyd of Thames Valley Police has spoken out to express police concern.
He told the : "Clearly we are concerned as to the nature of the behaviour of some individuals involved in this.
RELATED STORIES
"They are putting others in fear and making people anxious.
"Some of the behaviour that is reported would lead to arrest.
"We don't want to spoil the Halloween fun but we do want people to feel comfortable and safe.
READ MORE:
‘Clown-hunting’ groups of vigilantes are being set up to tackle craze sweeping the UK
Clown sightings in the UK – where have they been spotted and where has the trend come from
"You need to consider the ramifications of your actions and how you are making people feel.
"You may be arrested if you are putting people in fear."
Sightings of clowns causing trouble have been reported in more than 20 locations around Britain since last week.
Drivers in Manchester were startled to see two clowns running at their cars on Sunday, and a mum-of-two was left with terrified children after one jumped on her car.
A masked man carrying a knife left a group of children aged 11 and 12 "upset and distressed" when he jumped out on their way to the Hermitage Academy in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, at 8.40am on Friday.
While in Suffolk, a boy "younger than a teenager" was chased by "several people dressed as clowns" in Beatty Road, Sudbury, at 8pm on Thursday, Suffolk Constabulary confirmed.
A brave woman in Cornwall who said she was jumped on by two teenage "idiots" dressed as clowns in car park had the last laugh as her dog chased them off.
Aimee Gilbert posted on Facebook today about her encounter with the two clowns and she wasn't happy about it.
She changed her status on Facebook to 'feeling angry' and said the jokers were either 15 or 16 years old and were dressed in "clown masks, black hoodies and black trousers and trainers."
A group of friends who met for a meal in a restaurant in Bracknell, Berks, had a scare over the weekend as they noticed a creepy figure wearing a mask looking through the window.
Gloucestershire Police had six reports of clown sightings and South Wales Police attended numerous reports.
In Crawley, West Sussex, a clown with a hatchet was seen by a motorist in a park while another was seen on a street corner.
Another creepy clown was filmed walking along a Manchester street in broad daylight.
Graham Alan Lowndes-Buckley, who spotted the clown in Ashton-under-Lyne, saw the man wearing a hockey mask and a ‘blood’ covered poncho while travelling home from work on the bus at around 5.30pm.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368.