West Midlands Police are offering some basic advice as well as a 'No trick or treat' card for you to download and display on your front door.

Halloween can be a scary time for people who don't like surprises or callers at the door. If you have elderly or vulnerable neighbours, why not take five minutes to check that they are ok and pass on some of our helpful advice.

Advice for elderly or vulnerable residents:

  • Place the card on your door or in your window to help deter trick or treaters
  • Try to arrange to visit a friend/relative or invite someone to sit with you
  • If you do receive an unexpected caller at the door don't feel pressured to answer it
  • If you are expecting a caller always ask for ID
  • If you have a door chain make sure that it is securely fastened at all times and be sure to use your spy hole viewer if you have one

You can make sure that your children don't turn into little monsters this Halloween by supervising them at all times when trick or treating.

Parents and children should follow these simple rules to make sure they have a safe - and considerate - Halloween:

  • Young children should ONLY go trick-or-treating with an adult
  • Never trick-or-treat alone. Have at least two friends go with you
  • Plan your route and make sure your family knows what it is
  • Be very cautious of strangers - accept treats in the doorway but never go inside a house
  • Walk on the pavements and cross the roads carefully using pedestrian and zebra crossings where possible
  • Don't frighten elderly or vulnerable people. Always be considerate
  • Go safely home before it turns too dark and late

If there's a sign on the door saying "No trick or treat here" please respect the person and DON'T KNOCK!

Anyone experiencing problems with anti-social behaviour or unexpected callers should contact the police on 101 or dial 999 in an emergency.

How the police work with you to tackle anti-social behaviour:

  • Report anti-social behaviour by calling 101, speaking directly to officers on the street, at community meetings or at your local police station
  • Information we receive from the community helps us identify common issues, hotspot locations, repeat offenders and patterns of behaviour
  • Keep a diary of incidents of anti-social behaviour - this gives us a history of events and can be used as part of the evidence gathering process
  • A range of measures are available to us from warning letters and structured parenting orders, to imposing fines and making arrests
  • We work closely with partner agencies, such as local councils, housing providers and schools, to tackle issues jointly - giving us greater powers to improve people's lives
  • It often takes a great deal of courage to call for help and we will ensure that we identify every opportunity to protect victims

 

Type=media;MediaID=8248;Title=Download your copy;Target=_blank; of the "No trick or treat" cards to print and display at home.