OMM Newsroom
Needles and other sharp metal objects have been found in sweets given out over Halloween in Germany, Austria and Hungary, prompting police to warn people to check treats before eating them, according to the BBC.
German police reported cases in several states, from Bavaria in the south-east to Lower Saxony in the north. In Bremervörde, west of Hamburg, a nine-year-old girl hurt her tongue while eating a chocolate bar. Police later found a 5cm-long pin inside it.
In Hungary, police have launched a criminal investigation after nails, screws and pieces of wire were found in sweets handed to children who had been trick-or-treating in and around Gyömrő, east of Budapest.
The local authority said a young girl had received a toffee containing a nail inside a chocolate wrapper. She noticed it in time and did not swallow the sweet.
Several cases have also been reported in Austria. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner condemned the incidents as “cowardly, malicious and in some cases life-threatening”.
Austrian police said investigations were under way in four states. A 10-year-old girl suffered a minor injury to her mouth after biting into a small chocolate bar in the Amstetten area, east of Linz.
Lower Austria Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner said those responsible should face the full force of the law, adding: “Our children deserve a carefree childhood and we’ll continue to ensure that.”
Police in Bavaria said similar cases had been reported in the previous two years, but initial figures this year indicated a significant increase. Up to 25 cases involving sweets containing needles, screws or nails have been reported in the state.
Police in the Middle Franconia region of western Bavaria also warned of possible copycat incidents. A mother reported finding a needle in her child’s chocolate bar, then later returned to tell police that her child had admitted inserting it.
