Halloween Pranks Can Lead to Trouble

Halloween is a busy night for law enforcement. Teenagers and college students can easily find themselves on the wrong side of the law when a seemingly harmless prank goes too far.

• Toilet papering or egging: “TPing” or egging someone’s house may seem like a harmless – or even time-honored – prank, but it can get you arrested if you’re caught and can lead to multiple charges, including vandalism, trespassing and disorderly conduct.
• Smashing pumpkins: Taking a neighbor’s pumpkins is technically theft. You could also be charged with trespassing, criminal mischief and perhaps even burglary (if you had to jump over a fence or enter a porch to snatch pumpkins, for example).
• Trespassing: Sometimes Halloween dares go too far, leading kids to go places that they are no allowed just for the thrill of it. You can get charged with trespassing simply walking into a house without notifying the owners or walking behind a building.
• Breaking Mandatory Curfews: Many Collin County cities have mandatory curfews in place. Generally, these prohibit people under the age of 18 from wandering the streets unsupervised. Curfew hours differ slightly from city to city but they tend to begin at 11 p.m. on weeknights and end at 6 a.m.

While Halloween pranks may start out harmless, they can quickly turn into legal situations. If you or a loved one are facing criminal charges, contact Rosenthal Kalabus & Therrian at (972) 369-0577 for a confidential and free consultation.