'I'd like the ghostbusters please' – Halloween 999 calls revealed
REQUESTS for the ghostbusters, a boy claiming to be a wizard and eggs pelted at trick or treaters – these are just some of the Halloween 999 calls made to Gloucestershire police.
The constabulary has released a log of all the calls it has had since January 2011 which have included likely Halloween phrases such as "zombies", "witches" and "trick or treat".
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Gloucestershire Constabulary
On May 18 last year a man, whose location was not known, called asking for some unorthodox help.
The log taken by the operator said: "Male wants the ghostbusters as there is something strange in the neighbourhood! Then cleared."
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And the log for last September contained the following call: "Young child saying he was a wizard."
But beyond the bizarre, some of the calls are more serious.
On Halloween itself last year, one call log, from someone in Stroud, read: "Caller reports that he was approached by a group of teenagers and adults with a child aged about eight years. They said they were trick or treating but caller thinks begging. The child was crying saying I want my mummy."
A call log from someone in Cheltenham last Halloween also revealed a vigilante approach to dealing with unwanted visitors. The log read: "Caller reports that the residents at (neighbouring property) have a big pumpkin outside their house on a car.
"As children are going to the door doing trick or treating, the occupants are pelting the kids with eggs shouting 'happy Halloween'."
Crime reduction officer Paul Francis said: "We would remind the public that while Gloucestershire police will respond if there actually is something strange in your neighbourhood, we are not the Ghostbusters. Hoax calls to the police are irresponsible and put people's lives at risk.
"Halloween should be a fun time of year for children but not a frightening one for the old and vulnerable. If you do plan to head out trick or treating please do so responsibly and consider your neighbours."
Posters asking trick or treaters to stay away can be downloaded from www.gloucestershire.police.uk.
Comments
by North Glos EPC
Saturday, October 27 2012, 12:10PM
“Yes there is something strange in the neighbourhood. Idiots who waste emergency service's time. And as for printing the "funniest hoax 999 calls" amusing as it might be it encourages other idiots to have a go. Not really a good idea.”
by InspectorGade
Saturday, October 27 2012, 11:45AM
“Seriously, they put out a press release with the 'funniest' hoax 999 calls with a view to remind people not to make them, but why are they not being prosecuted? Why not send the police round anyway if they're not too busy, check its not a real emergency and then have them cautioned there and then for wasting police time. Humorous stories in the Echo are not enough, clearly.”