# Police called about home haunt



## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

Really?

Story in the link.


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## randomr8 (Oct 24, 2009)

Jack-wagon spoil-sport complainers. Since when is slowing traffic down in a neighborhood a bad thing? I bet ppl actually stop a stop signs to view it.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I wonder if he's one of those NJ/PA Make and Takers?


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I've heard of Christmas displays being sited for the same reason.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

We live in a lame ass world nowadays. When I hear my mother (58yrs old) talk about "the good ol' days" and how we (meaning me and others in or around my generation) missed it, it almost brings a tear to my eye. It's sad to think that if life was good then and what life is now, what will our kids live in?

I want the world to go back to my folks' time or earlier. For those who can't imagine what I'm talking about, go watch the movie The Sandlot.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

Happened to me last year. Police came out, "Advised" me on making a couple of "safety changes" and gave me 10 days to change them. If I hadn't, it was a $200 fine plus $90 in court costs! And to me, I hadn't done anything wrong. You look at the pics in my albums, I THINK NOT! 
One BAD Sour Puss Rotten To the Core Apple tried to spoil it!


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## epoweredrc (Aug 6, 2012)

Well sounds like he has lot of support one pissed off person all takes dark Halloween hater


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## penaltyboxpunk (Oct 7, 2012)

Every year we have the police drive by at some point in the night but they have never stopped or said anything to me.I think they are just checking to bake sure we are not blocking the road with traffic or anything like that.I have talked to a bunch of my neighbors and nobody seems to have a problem with our haunted house.


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## Dark Angel 27 (Sep 11, 2008)

yeah, what a loser. One guy is all it takes to spoil everyone's fun!


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

It makes me mad to hear things like this. This man has been doing a Halloween display for 25 years, with no real problems. To him, this is a stress relief, and now some jerk has made it a stressor. Nobody does a Halloween display for that long unless they love the holiday, but some jack wagon decided that they need to call the police and disrupt his love of the holiday. I'm glad my neighbors don't have a problem with my meager display, and that the cops come through here quite often anyway. It's given me a chance to meet the people around me, as well as the people who protect the area. I've had a few conversations with our local police about the stuff I've put in my display, and I know of 4 or 5 who are bringing their kids this year.

I really hope that this doesn't dampen the man's spirit for Halloween, and that he continues to put up his display every year.


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## trishaanne (Aug 20, 2005)

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Roxy..LOL. Not one of the NJ/PA group. Try the south Jersey guys...maybe someone in their group is making us all so famous..


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

MapThePlanet said:


> Happened to me last year. Police came out, "Advised" me on making a couple of "safety changes" and gave me 10 days to change them. If I hadn't, it was a $200 fine plus $90 in court costs! And to me, I hadn't done anything wrong. You look at the pics in my albums, I THINK NOT!
> One BAD Sour Puss Rotten To the Core Apple tried to spoil it!


"You show me an ordinance, law or something in writing that what I have is illegal and we'll talk otherwise GTFO!" 

RIGHT??


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

that happened in at Clarklake a few years ago, township forced to shut down because off traffic.
I found that out this year as I had mentioned to someone that I would be getting back into it ( he had come every year at our old location)....leading to the battle I've had with the township since January ..... said "they'll probably get me" with a violation .... I say bring it on!


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## diggerc (Feb 22, 2006)

roxyblue said:


> i wonder if he's one of those nj/pa make and takers?:d


hey!!!


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## diggerc (Feb 22, 2006)

What a collection of douches, The clown who complained and the spineless cops who didn't have the nads to tell one guy to suck it up and deal with freedom of expression for a month.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

diggerc said:


> and the spineless cops who didn't have the nads to tell one guy to suck it up QUOTE]
> 
> Hey!
> 
> ...


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## Hairazor (Mar 13, 2012)

Haunt On David!!!


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## MommaMoose (May 15, 2010)

Love how he is on the corner with a STOP sign and who ever the dill hole is, is complaining about it causing traffic to come to a stop. Hmmmmm.


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## autumnghost (Sep 12, 2009)

Every time I read a story like this I want to cry or throw something. Maybe both. I don't understand, in this day and age, how one person can spoil a really good thing for everyone. Christmas parties are holiday parties. Halloween parties are fall/autumn parties.

We're being politically corrected into a miserable existence.

That being said I have to give a big ole thank you to my neighbors and my town. I live two blocks from the police station and they just drive by and honk and wave. The neighbors are cool with everything (and if they're not they haven't said anything). 

Good luck guys. Halloweenie good thoughts going your way.


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## Drago (Sep 5, 2011)

Last year a police car parked just a few houses down from mine, she(police officer) came over and asked me if she could go in, told her sure can, just don't pull your gun out! We had a laugh about it then she checked out my haunt and said it was good, we talked some more and she drove off.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

LH, that is pretty much what I told the local PD...
I had a really old REAL steel butcher knife stuck in a baby (yes, the police officer referred to the Plastic Doll as a Baby) and it was near a sidewalk (about 20 feet onto private property) and told me that she "could not ask me to take it down, but thought it was a safety hazard to be in such close proximity to a public sidewalk" then threatened some public safety code enforcement B.S. My response was surprising to her. After a brief discussion about what IS and what isn't a "public safety" issue, I walked out to the doll and removed the knife, all the while feeling like King Arthur pulling Excalibur from the stone! It was quite the dramatic performance if i do say so myself!! It was topped off by looking down the street where the "anonymous" call had come from, was peeking around her hedge to see what was happening!


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

I have to agree with copchick. Most officers aren't out to harass everyone. Granted, there are a few in every county across the country who truly believe that their badge makes them better than you, but for the most part, the officers do their job indiscriminately (I can already feel it coming for saying that.) If they are told by a supervisor to go to a house and tell someone to take down decorations that might be a hazard, they are going to do that. Are they going to look for a reason to shut someone down? Usually not. The knife in the doll, thing, I can understand. What if some crazed drunk shows up spoiling for a fight and sees a real knife he can use in a fight? Then you have real blood on your props instead of the fake stuff.

If you get to know the officers in your neighborhood, you usually find out that they are normal people with a very difficult, dangerous job. They have family issues, bills to pay, and pet peeves, just like the rest of us. They are doing a job that they obviously love (Cops get paid less than teachers in most states) for people who usually give them a hard time for doing that job. I personally make it my mission to thank each new officer that I meet for the job that they do. I know I couldn't work as a street cop. I don't have the right temperament for it.


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

@ BioHC - Thanks buddy, you just made my day!


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

A friend of mine does a Halloween themed light display. He normally got about 500 ToTs a year.

Last year he posted several videos of his display and they went viral. He had 1.3 Million hits on one of them. A fact that was covered by the local media.

This lead to a huge increase in TOTs and traffic. It really did not creat that much extra traffic until Halloween night. Then he had cars lined for blocks. He thinks that he had about 3,000 ToTs. I went by at 9:00 and I think his estimate was short-he only counted the people that actually went to the front door. I saw the people that only sent their kids to the door and waited at the curb.

Anyway, a few SOBs started to act like jerks, the cops were called and they asked him to shut down early. He turned it all off at 09:45. He had planed to turn it all off at 10:00 anyway.

Next thing you know there is another story in the paper and it becomes a subject at a city council meeting.

Luckily for him, one city council member stood up for him. Said that ti was wrong to punish thousands of people for the action of a few idiots.

This year the city is supplying him with a couple of traffic cops!

If your doing something NICE for the community, the local government has the job of finding a way to support you AND keep your neighbors happy. If they can't do that then they need to do what they can to serve the larger part of the community. Their job is NOT to simply take the easy way out and shut down the display.

My Christmas display does not attract much traffic since it is so small. This is my first Halloween so I do not expect, or even want, that much traffic. 

However, if I find that the traffic is getting to be an issue than I think I would go have a discussion with my city council member and the local police. If nothing else, I might get a little more attention from the police and maybe that will cut down on vandalism.


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

Yay NJ !!! I gotta love my state........
Having said that, Let's try to keep in mind that this isn't a police vs home haunter issue. This is a neighbor vs home haunter issue. When police are called they have to go out and have a look see. That's their job, protecting ALL of us. Not just the rights of the homeowner to express themselves, but also the rights of motorists, and pedestrians to be safe. I watched the video and I'm seeing someone making every effort to get the attention of people in moving vehicles and interact with them while the vehicles are moving. To me, not a good idea. Even in that short clip I could see cars slowing and stopping in the street. It's a recipe for rear end collisions. 
If it's just a huge display, then people can pull over and gawk and take pics all they want.I can't see the whole area in this, and have no idea if the street is busy or slow with traffic, and I hope the cops did go out and evaluate it. There's the old saying, that freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to yell fire in a crowded theater. So it should also be with what we as haunters do.


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Until you mentioned it, Vlad, I honestly didn't notice him trying to interact with the people in the cars. I was too busy trying to see what in the display was so distracting. I agree that that is not a good idea, to try to get people to slow down and stop.


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## The Red Skull (Dec 23, 2010)

No one has mentioned it, but I wonder if it was a religious anti-Halloween motivation, or just a humbug....
I didn't see him trying to get people to stop.... if he was on the road side of the fence jumping at the cars, then yes... but I just saw him dancing and waving to the people that did stop or wave to him...


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

How is it the haunters fault that people are allowing themselves to be distracted by his display? Since when is it illegal to have decor up in your yard? Is a hot girl in a bikini sunning herself in the front yard illegal? That's certainly a distraction. Is a Christmas display illegal? I would pleasantly advise the cops to leave my property unless they were going to arrest me for breaking an "actual" law. If it came to it I am sure he could take this to court and win.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Vlad said:


> Yay NJ !!! I gotta love my state........
> Having said that, Let's try to keep in mind that this isn't a police vs home haunter issue. This is a neighbor vs home haunter issue. When police are called they have to go out and have a look see. That's their job, protecting ALL of us. Not just the rights of the homeowner to express themselves, but also the rights of motorists, and pedestrians to be safe. I watched the video and I'm seeing someone making every effort to get the attention of people in moving vehicles and interact with them while the vehicles are moving. To me, not a good idea. Even in that short clip I could see cars slowing and stopping in the street. It's a recipe for rear end collisions.
> If it's just a huge display, then people can pull over and gawk and take pics all they want.I can't see the whole area in this, and have no idea if the street is busy or slow with traffic, and I hope the cops did go out and evaluate it. There's the old saying, that freedom of speech doesn't give you the right to yell fire in a crowded theater. So it should also be with what we as haunters do.


I cannot agree. This guy can dance, shout and wave all he likes in his own yard. He may be trying to get people to stop but any motorist that does is at fault and potentially causing a problem. No one is holding a gun to their heads making them stop. So long as he is not obscene, or actually assaulting the cars in a physical way, he may be annoying but is in no way breaking the law. The cops should be handing out tickets to any motorists who are actually causing an issue.

Otherwise I agree, the cops are just doing their jobs. I am sure they do not like it anymore than we do.


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

He can put up what he wants in his yard. It's his yard. If there is a traffic pattern problem in the street, then it becomes the city's problem to manage traffic. Leave the guy alone.


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## Acid PopTart (Oct 29, 2007)

I find those people waving signs advertising different places distracting, but as a driver, I feel I'm pretty good at keeping my eyes where they should be. I got more to worry about like people texting while driving, obviously distracted. A lot of things could be considered a distraction, I was a distraction on a sidewalk once where a guy slammed on his brakes to ask for my number. Guy behind him nearly ran into him. With the way some people drive, the sky is a distraction. Heh!

Really glad to see this guy getting support. I agree with most everyone, the police are just doing their job. This is more grumpy neighbour versus home haunter. City was called to our house for a dumpster in our driveway for too long, we were doing home renovations. The city official was super nice and we worked out a good date to remove said dumpster. City officials and the police are just doing their jobs (I have a good idea of which neighbour complained) and I've met a lot of nice people in both professions. My best mate is married to an ex cop now ER nurse. I have indeed met some arses. In every profession.

Typoagain - I love your story, that is really great. I hope this home haunter finds some compromise that is safe and enjoyable for all. So glad to see the neighbourhood in support of him! May we all have safe, fun, spooky Halloweens and that the grinches just lock themselves inside for the month of October!


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

I was thinking I'd like to see a few cops on Halloween night. Last year I got about 700 tots and I bet more than half were brought in cars. Our street is a two lane, running north and south. At some point durning the night it became a three lane all headed south. I was afraid there might be an accident. People can be such jerks, to drive like that, with about 100 kids around at the time. But from reading the posts on here, if they did come, I would probably get asked to shut down early. I love having a large turn out, but I don't know what to do about traffic control. You would think people would know the laws are the same as any other night of the year.


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## bloodymaniac (Jul 14, 2010)

awsome i live in new jersey also and this is what NJ is all about Stupid people calling the police about things that are there opion bad and nopt the law, I also do a home haunt and my friends wonder why i dont advertise and try and get more people, well I dont want the police here cause somr moron doesnt like a good time.


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

scareme said:


> I was thinking I'd like to see a few cops on Halloween night. Last year I got about 700 tots and I bet more than half were brought in cars. Our street is a two lane, running north and south. At some point durning the night it became a three lane all headed south. I was afraid there might be an accident. People can be such jerks, to drive like that, with about 100 kids around at the time. But from reading the posts on here, if they did come, I would probably get asked to shut down early. I love having a large turn out, but I don't know what to do about traffic control. You would think people would know the laws are the same as any other night of the year.


Scare, you are in your house, not in a car. While the way some people drive is all of our problem, it is not your fault. You are not responsible for idiots or their driving habits.


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## Vlad (Aug 2, 2005)

I really am sorry to have to say this, because here in America we do like to feel that what we do on our own property is our own business, but yes, you can be held responsible for causing traffic problems, and be shut down for it. It is NOT the local law enforcement agency's responsibility to send out crowd control, and or traffic control. It comes down to an expense thing, and they are more likely to shut you down, rather than direct traffic and tie up their limited resources, or do nothing in a situation that they're aware of and be liable later if someone is injured and they do nothing. There are many instances where home owners have hired rent-a-cops off duty for crowd and traffic control to avoid this. We can all talk about freedom of expression and our rights, but when it comes down to a safety issue, the public comes first before the individual.


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

This story just made me feel incredibly sad.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

While I agree with what most people are saying on the subject, as much as I hate to admit it, I think Vlad has it right. I'm reminded of protesters, or political supporters waving signs trying to get the drivers attention and possibly causing an accident. The driver will be at fault, but the cops will shut down the protest or tell the people waving political signs that they need to disperse. Often times the officers receive bad treatment because the people have no one else to vent they're frustrations on. That's not right, as was stated earlier they're doing they're job. I've had one run in with the cops because a neighbor complained about my haunt being a devil worshiping house, and that her son had to walk by my house to get home. The cops came out and talked to me about it, and he told her that all the props were on my property, and that if she didn't like it, she could have him walk one street over to get home, but he couldn't force me to remove the props. So I understand about having cops come out. The difference is if it causes problems, the city is going to do something to make it safe. Maybe an alternative would be to sit outside and watch the traffic, as opposed to dancing, but it does take the fun out of it!! Really is a shame!!


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## Horror Roots Productions (Jul 8, 2012)

1 person hates it >>> 1000 people love it....


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## DreadKnightswife (Oct 16, 2011)

I agree that the police are only doing their job, I know that we usualy have a line half way around our block and the main street in our neighborhood is nearly impossible to get down on Halloween. The neighbors have commented on it but most are also excited that we do everything we do for free and their benefit (well really its for ours I LOVE seeimg peoples reactions and DreadKnight loves scaring people!)


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## jaege (Aug 23, 2009)

Vlad said:


> I really am sorry to have to say this, because here in America we do like to feel that what we do on our own property is our own business, but yes, you can be held responsible for causing traffic problems, and be shut down for it. It is NOT the local law enforcement agency's responsibility to send out crowd control, and or traffic control. It comes down to an expense thing, and they are more likely to shut you down, rather than direct traffic and tie up their limited resources, or do nothing in a situation that they're aware of and be liable later if someone is injured and they do nothing. There are many instances where home owners have hired rent-a-cops off duty for crowd and traffic control to avoid this. We can all talk about freedom of expression and our rights, but when it comes down to a safety issue, the public comes first before the individual.


What the authorities will do and what is legal are two very different things sometimes. Most people just capitulate to the police, unfortunately there are all those little nitpick laws that they could charge you with, that pretty much cover any circumstance.


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