KENNEWICK, Wash.-- Halloween is right around the corner. The holiday is a fun night of trick or treating, costumes and spooky decorations, but sometimes mischief can spoil the fun.
Halloween often brings with it smashed pumpkins and neighborhood vandalism. Lots of people roam the streets on Halloween night, which can lead to things getting out of hand.
A Kennewick Police officer tells me teens making a mess by throwing pumpkins and eggs is the most common issue, but when windows get broken or cars are damaged, that's when it becomes more serious. Property damage is still property damage, no matter how small or big the damage is. So people need to keep an eye out and parents should talk to their kids about the seriousness of bad behavior.
"Typically what we see is people damaging lawn ornaments and things of that nature, pumpkins, egging, which is all damaged property. Anything over 750 dollars can be a felony. Anything under that can be a misdemeanor," said Officer Aaron Hamel, Kennewick Police Department.
Officer Hamel advises home owners to avoid Halloween vandalism by talking with neighbors about looking out for each other's houses. If a neighbor can spot strange behavior or vandalism in action then there's a better chance of stopping it before it escalates. Hamel says to call police if you see vandalism happening in your neighborhood.
