CLAY CO, Fla -- Ten-thousand dollars. That's how much it could cost Clay County for deputies to investigate false Halloween candy claims this year. Clay County Sheriff’s Office has a reminder to those in the community: Please send in your tips and file police reports, but if you file a false claim, be prepared to be prosecuted.
You probably wouldn't believe it unless you saw it for yourself, but Longneedle Lane actually exists in Clay County. What's even stranger, a mother along Longneedle Lane claimed her step-daughter found a needle in her Halloween candy this year. A claim among two others found out to be false by Clay County Sheriff's Office.
“As a law enforcement officer, it gets you frustrated in a sense because the community was put on high alert," said Public Information Officer Chris Padgett.
During his 10 years in Clay County, Padgett is used to investigating but, unfortunately, is used to another trend of what looks like seasonal hoaxes.
“We see our citizens who now become distrusting, not of law enforcement, but as they hear other allegations of crimes that occur, they begin to be distrusting on those things and unfortunately wind up questioning everything. Then they become apprehensive to call us,” Padgett said.
Exactly what the sheriff’s office does not want. This year’s candy claims tied up nearly 50 members for 200 hours and nearly $10,000 of your tax dollars at work.
“Unfortunately, we have to do that for these cases to come to a resolution," Padgett said.
Back along Longneedle Lane, we noticed a truck in the driveway, but no one answered to address why the claim was made.
Padgett says the state attorney’s office is still reviewing this case and the two others for possible charges.
“It starts off as a first-degree misdemeanor, but it actually can be a third-degree felony, based on the circumstances," Padgett said. "We want you to know that we take every single call seriously.”