Police in Salem, New Hampshire say they received a report Friday of sewing needles being found in several pieces of Halloween candy.
A male subject came into the police station on Friday and reported he had found what he described as sewing needles in several pieces of Halloween candy, according to police. The male told police he had been trick-or-treating in the neighborhoods off Kelly Road.
The male did not know which residence the candy came from.
Salem police are urging parents to carefully inspect all candy received from strangers during trick-or-treat hours and to report anything suspicious.
Other similar incidents have been reported around New England and across the country, including sewing needles found in a Twizzlers Twist package in Marshfield, Massachusetts and a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup in Newport, Maine and a nail found in a mini Hershey's bar on Martha's Vineyard.
Police said they know many are skeptical, but said the two families who reported the tainted Twizzlers are credible.
"We have no reason not to believe what they’re saying," Marshfield Police Chief Phil Tavares said. "We have every reason to believe the reports are true and extremely concerning."
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Tavares said the contaminated candy is now in evidence and the needles may end up being sent to a state lab for testing. Marshfield Public Schools also sent out a note to parents alerting them to inspect Halloween candy.
In other parts of the country, police have received reports of sewing needles in a Twizzler in Texas, a Kit Kat in Florida, a Mounds in New York, a 3 Musketeers in New Mexico and a Gummy Life Savers candy in Tennessee.
Earlier Friday, police in Sturbridge, Massachusetts warned parents to check their children's Halloween candy after a parent reported that they had found a piece of metal in candy collected while trick-or-treating. But it turned out that piece of metal was actually from the child's dental work.
Anyone caught giving out candy contaminated with injury-causing substances can face up to five years in state prison.
