Andrea Innocenti Halloween night , traditionally dedicated to trick-or-treating, has taken on a sinister tone in much of Germany , where numerous small sweets containing sharp objects have been found.
The reports, received over the weekend of October 31st and November 1st, involved regions from Hesse to Bavaria, with similar cases also in Austria, triggering an immediate investigative operation by the competent authorities.
Needles, vines and spikes discovered in sweets from different German regions
In Filderstadt , near Stuttgart, two families discovered multiple needles inside milk and hazelnut wafers, invisible from the outside of the packaging. In Landshut , Bavaria, investigations revealed screws embedded in gummy candies and chocolate bars. In Hanover , Lower Saxony, a little girl found three sewing needles in three individually wrapped sweets: a chocolate bar and two chewy candies.
Similar cases have also been reported in Nuremberg , although the children involved were not injured. Austria has registered a complaint from Linz, where a father found several nails about a centimeter long inside chocolate bars collected in the Oed neighborhood.
Injured child and other cases without injuries
The most serious case occurred in the Rotenburg district of Lower Saxony, where a nine-year-old girl suffered a tongue injury after biting into a chocolate bar containing a five-centimetre pin .
The incident required the infant to be taken to the hospital for treatment. In Essen , a father noticed suspicious holes in a candy wrapper and, thanks to this vigilance, was able to prevent his thirteen-year-old son from possibly biting a metal object. In other reports, children discovered the "traps" before ingesting them, avoiding more serious consequences.
Police investigation and warnings to families
German authorities have opened an investigation into attempted bodily harm , suspecting intentional tampering with candy distributed during Halloween . No one has yet been identified, and investigators are attempting to reconstruct the origins of the packages, a task made difficult by the itinerant nature of trick-or-treating. Police have issued a national alert, urging parents to carefully check every single candy, even if the wrapper appears intact.
How to check the sweets collected
Experts recommend carefully examining for small holes , deformed packaging, or unusual odors. If in doubt, it is essential not to consume the product, store it in its original packaging, and contact law enforcement immediately. Removing the metal object is not recommended, as it could compromise evidence useful to the investigation.