Key Takeaways
- A parent reported finding a sewing needle inside a chocolate bar collected while trick-or-treating, Ottawa police said on November 3.
- Police believe the candy was collected in the Prince of Wales and Chinatown areas; no injuries have been reported.
- Police urge parents to inspect Halloween candy carefully — and to keep, not throw out, anything suspicious and call 613-236-1222, ext. 7300.
A Halloween Treat With a Frightening Surprise
Trick-or-treating is supposed to end with a sugar rush — not a police investigation.
But in Ottawa, one parent's routine Halloween candy check turned alarming after finding a sewing needle inside a chocolate bar collected during trick-or-treating.
The Ottawa Police Service is now investigating the discovery.
The report came in on Tuesday, November 3. Police say the chocolate bar is believed to have been collected in the Prince of Wales and Chinatown areas of the city.
Police released a photo of the bar — a KitKat — broken open, with the needle visible inside the chocolate.
No injuries have been reported.
What Parents Are Being Asked to Do
As a precaution, police are encouraging parents and caregivers to carefully inspect their children's Halloween candy before anyone eats it.
Check the packaging for signs of tampering, including small holes, tears or broken seals.
If you discover suspicious candy, do not eat it — and do not throw it out either. Police ask families to keep the candy and its packaging and contact them at 613-236-1222, extension 7300, so investigators can examine it.
Police say the release describes one chocolate bar, and no one was hurt.
The Twikup Take
One reported needle, no injuries, and an investigation just starting — that is a reason for a careful look through the candy bowl, not panic.
The two-minute check at the kitchen counter, and keeping anything suspicious for police instead of binning it, is exactly what officers are asking for.
Image: Ottawa Police Service, via its news release.