The key facts

  • Needles and metal screws found in sweets collected by children on Halloween in at least five German states
  • Police believe the objects were hidden deliberately; in a number of cases investigations into attempted aggravated bodily harm have been opened
  • In Nuremberg, a child bit into a needle in chocolate but was not injured; no suspects have been identified

Sharp objects in Halloween sweets

German police reported on Sunday that needles and other sharp metal objects, including metal screws, were found in sweets that children collected while trick-or-treating. According to the police, most or all of these objects were deliberately hidden in the candy to cause harm. Cases have been recorded, among other places, in Thuringia, Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Rhineland-Palatinate, Deutsche Welle reports citing the police.

Individual incidents and the course of the investigation

In Nuremberg, according to the police, a child bit into a needle while eating a piece of chocolate and was not injured. In two cases in Baden-Württemberg, the needles were hidden so that they were not visible from the outside. In Thuringia, the needle was found by children aged 4 and 10. Several incidents have led to investigations on charges of attempted aggravated bodily harm. No suspects have been identified so far; the police have not said whether the cases in different states are connected.