Gardaí probe pins found in Donegal Halloween treats
Two families in the Ballybofey-Stranorlar area discovered sharp objects hidden in sweets collected by their children on October 31.
By James Anderson ·
Gardaí are investigating whether sharp objects were deliberately inserted into Halloween sweets collected by children in County Donegal. Two families in the Ballybofey-Stranorlar area reported finding tailor's pins and needles inside chocolates and other confectionery on October 31. No injuries were reported, but police are treating the incident as a deliberate risk to child safety.
Savannah McDaid, from Stranorlar, discovered the first batch of items. Her preschool son had gone trick-or-treating with friends and returned with a large collection of treats. McDaid checked the sweets after seeing social media videos of similar incidents. She used a magnet to scan the items and found that several pieces stuck to it. Upon opening the wrappers, she found a pin hidden inside the bars.
McDaid described the objects as large and sharp. She said the items could have been fatal for young children eager to eat their prize. "I got a magnet and started to check all of his sweets," McDaid said. "So I opened them and broke them up only to find a pin hidden in the bars and sweets." She posted about the discovery on social media, which prompted other local parents to inspect their children's collections.
Philippa Falls, from Ballybofey, saw McDaid's post and checked her son's treats. Inside a chocolate bar from a tin of roses, she found a pin embedded in the confectionery. Falls said the object appeared to be carefully pushed through the wrapper to remain concealed. "I am horrified, gobsmacked and worried that someone could conceal something like this in a chocolate," she said. She urged other parents to examine all sweets and chocolates in their children's bags.
The mother of one of the boys involved noted that the pins found were so sharp they posed a serious threat. Gardaí confirmed they received a report of the incident in the Ballybofey-Stranorlar area on October 31. Investigators are currently examining the evidence to determine how many items were affected and who placed the objects in the sweets. Inquiries are ongoing.
The discovery led to a wider check of collected treats in the local community. Families reported using magnets to detect metal objects hidden in candy wrappers. The police are continuing their investigation into the specific details of the incident and the condition of the items found.
