Suburban police investigate Halloween candy tampering report

WAUKEGAN, Ill. – Police in a northern suburb of Chicago are investigating after a family reported finding foreign objects in their daughter’s Halloween candy.

Waukegan Halloween candy investigation

What we know:

Waukegan police said they received a report about Halloween candy that had been tampered with around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. Officers later spoke with the child’s mother at a home in the 3000 block of Grandville Street.

The mother said her 9-year-old daughter had been trick-or-treating when she noticed that a magnet stuck to some of her candy. The girl had previously watched a video about using a magnet to check candy for metal, police said.

After the family got home, the mother checked the candy. She told police she found sewing needles, bobby pins, copper wire, plastic and a gold nail inside some pieces of chocolate candy.

A Waukegan family reported finding foreign objects in their Halloween candy.

The family had trick-or-treated in the area of Flossmoor Avenue, Leith Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue, according to police. They also visited homes near Waukegan High School on Brookside Avenue, including on Leith Avenue, Lynn Terrace and Flossmoor Avenue. The family could not determine where the candy came from.

Police said they collected the candy and foreign objects as evidence, and that they were unable to identify any suspects.

What’s next:

The Waukegan Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is investigating. Police said they had received no other reports of similar incidents.