Let’s be real, sometimes you just gotta throw some teens in jail for six months right? In Chesapeake, Virginia, an ordinance is in place banning trick or treating for children above the age of 12. Sounds to us like they’re just making the idea of trick-or-treating sound a whole lot cooler and more dangerous!
The ordinance states:
“If any person over the age of 12 years shall engage in the activity commonly known as “trick or treat” or any other activity of similar character or nature under any name whatsoever, he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than $25.00 nor more than $100.00 or by confinement in jail for not more than six months or both.”
Fine is $100 max but jail is six months? Seems like they def understand what Baby Boomers have done to the minimum wages of young people. One thing is for certain, Chesapeake made sure to cover all bases here, they’re ready for any crafty teenagers who try to pull a fast one on them by claiming they aren’t “trick-or-treating” they’re “prank or pleasing.”
At the city of Chesapeake’s website, they clarify that the law won’t be strictly enforced explaining, “a thirteen-year-old safely trick-or-treating with a younger sibling is not going to have any issues. That same child taking pumpkins from porches and smashing them in the street more likely will.”
Honestly, the idea of an age limit for kids trick-or-treating is ridiculous but kids who smash pumpkins getting a fine is much more reasonable. Still, if you’ve dressed for the holiday and made the effort to go door-to-door all in the name of festive fun you deserve a Kit-Kat! It’s not like teenagers don’t like junk food, they’re practically funding the gas-station snack economy single-handedly with their hot-Cheetos-stained fingers.
The Chesapeake police have been instructed to ensure the night is safe for everyone and not to be actively seeking out violators of the age limits or those exceeding the designated time for trick-or-treating, which is 6-8 p.m. Seems strict, but maybe Chesapeake has some truly unhinged teenagers terrorizing the streets every year.
