Virginia Will Arrest Your Kids For Trick or Treating if Over 12

I went out with a buddy of mine when we were 13. This would have been 1960. We went as hobos, in other words we just wore our oldest clothes. It didn't go very well. I was about 5 foot 8 or 9 at the time and my buddy was only maybe an inch or two less. We were trick or treating in what was mostly a retirement area and we got turned away a lot with remarks that we were too old, or too big. Looking back on it was kind of funny. I remember one old guy scolding us and saying that he couldn't afford to buy candy for big kids like us because he and his wife were living on social security.
 
I think six months in jail is a bit much but I do approve of age limits for trick or treating. I don't mind the mom or dad with a couple of toddlers or grade schoolers knocking on my door but since I live alone, it was a bit unsettling to have a couple of large people that I did not know in masks knocking on my door when I lived in a house. My apartment complex doesn't allow door to door trick or treating at all.
 

We get some pretty big kids along with the little ones. But, if they're dressed up in costumes, what the heck, they get candy anyway. Sometimes the parents will line up for their share. It's all fun.

I wonder if they have trick or treat police in Virginia. That must be fun duty. Do the kids have to carry some sort of I.D.?

Don
 
I heard that on the news and thought it was pretty weird, arrest and jail is going a bit overboard IMO. I have to say though, the later it gets at night, the older the trick or treaters are, well up into their teens and they are not with any small children. Lots of them are brought by car from other areas and don't even live in the neighborhood.
 
SeaBreeze said:
I heard that on the news and thought it was pretty weird, arrest and jail is going a bit overboard IMO. I have to say though, the later it gets at night, the older the trick or treaters are, well up into their teens and they are not with any small children. Lots of them are brought by car from other areas and don't even live in the neighborhood.
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The younger ones are out early, escorted by their parents.

But the later it gets the older they get.

Sorry Virginia, I have my own fix for that. After a certain time, I turn out the lights and don't answer the door.
 
I agree with SeaBreeze,

I don't have trick or treating in my complex but I wouldn't have the stomach to turn away a trick or treater of any age.

You could have a six-foot trick or treater with some sort of developmental disability or a big kid escorting some smaller kids, why make a fuss over a piece of candy.

When the candy is gone or the clock strikes 8:00 pm turn out the light and lock the door.
 
When I get tired of answering the door, I just put the candy bucket on my porch and let them help themselves. Halloween is for kids of all ages; I don't know why government interference is required. "Those trouble-making 12 year olds must be stopped!!" :rolleyes:
 
Well, it sounds ridiculous, but on reading the article, I don't think they are really going after 13-year-olds collecting candy. They are probably warning the teenagers against real mischief and vandalism, and what's so terrible
about that? I don't know anything about the community of Chesapeake, but maybe they have had a huge crime rate on Halloween, and something had to be done.
 
Perhaps not, but the way the Ordinance is written, a child can be arrested for Trick or Treat.

The city's ordinance code states if anyone over 12 years of age participates in "trick or treat" or any similar activity, "he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $100.00 or by confinement in jail for not more than six months or both."
 
When a child is past primary school age, they're really too old for door-to-door Trick or Treating. I can remember one year when smoking teenagers showed up on my doorstep! Costume parties can be enjoyable for teens and adults if they're held at community centers or private residences.
 
Thot it was kids over 12 are not allowed to wear a mask as it would be too frightening to the younger ones....I live in Virginia and thats always been the H'ween rule in our area...there's still alot of teens who dress up creatively and go trick or treating here.....

The article is for Chesapeake and two other cities attempting to curb any rowdiness but not 'actively seeking violations'....its a good scare tactic
for the trouble makers who try to hide behind a mask so they're not identified, I think....
 
halloween

dkay said:
I think six months in jail is a bit much but I do approve of age limits for trick or treating. I don't mind the mom or dad with a couple of toddlers or grade schoolers knocking on my door but since I live alone, it was a bit unsettling to have a couple of large people that I did not know in masks knocking on my door when I lived in a house. My apartment complex doesn't allow door to door trick or treating at all.
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I feel the same way. Our complex has a party for the kids that night and that takes care of the situation. When I lived in a house I was unnerved by older kids at my door. There should be age limits!!
 
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Sunny said:
Well, it sounds ridiculous, but on reading the article, I don't think they are really going after 13-year-olds collecting candy. They are probably warning the teenagers against real mischief and vandalism, and what's so terrible
about that? I don't know anything about the community of Chesapeake, but maybe they have had a huge crime rate on Halloween, and something had to be done.
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I think so, too -- I think they are more going after the "trick" part of trick or treating, i.e., vandalism and destruction of property.
 
Sorry, read my next reply. One of the reasons this might not be such a bad idea. One thing for sure, some young folks, not small kids, don't treat Halloween as a fun and costume thing for Trick or Treating.
 
Just read the article, not as stupid as I thought. They are trying to curb the older Halloween crowd mischief and crime thing. That isn't so bad.

Look at it this way: Due to a fall at a pre-Halloween Party, that hurt my foot, we decided to limit the number of Trick or Treaters that came. Our complex management tells all residents each year, "if you don't want, or had enough, Trick or Treaters, close your blinds and curtains."

Well, after a few nice Trick or Treaters showed up, wife and I decided that was enough. Just before shutting off the outside Halloween décor lights and closing the blinds/curtains, a teen, or a little older, knocked on our door. Wife answered and gave him some candy. Thing is, he had no costume on. NOW, after he left, and we turned off outside lights and closed blinds/curtains, someone knocked on our door a few times and my wife said "sorry, no more candy". Next thing we know, the door knob was turning slightly, but was locked as well as the deadbolt was locked. Scared the crap out of wife and I! Whom ever it was, did go away, but they did try to open our door.

Had never had anything like this happen before.
 
When I was a kid Halloween was mainly for the kids and teens. Sadly my generation kind of took it over and it has become more of an adult event now. It would be nice if that changed. Sure there are teens who use the night as an excuse to be unruly but I'm in no position to judge them. I wasn't exactly a saint on Halloween night when I was an older teen. I'm sure stores sold a lot of eggs and toilet paper on that day.

My dad is now 88 and grew up in rural central Texas and I remember him telling me the pranks he and his friends use to pull on Halloween night. Some of the things they use to do he is ashamed of now.
 
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