Home Invaders are using Candy to get You to Open Your Door

Update 3/2024: I didn’t find any news articles about this type of home invasion that dated later than March 2022. But… it’s still good to be aware just in case it comes back around. Be Safe.

What can be more innocent than a young person selling candy door-to-door? Probably a band kid, right? Trying to get money for instruments. Or a softball player earning money for team shirts.

And who isn’t tempted to buy candy when it’s right there on your front porch whispering “buy me…”

I probably would have answered my door, too. But, sadly, not anymore.

In two different cities, in two different states, young people appeared to be selling candy. In both instances, the home owners opened their doors and became victims of home invasions.

Stanton, California, Early March 2022

A young man rang the doorbell of the home of a 69-year-old woman. He was carrying a box full of bagged candy. The article didn’t say what was said, but the woman chose to buy some of the candy.

As she was handing her money out the door, 3 thugs came out of hiding and rushed the door. According to a police spokesperson, the homeowner was told to get down on the floor as the intruders took items, then fled the scene.

The women’s Ring camera recorded the event.

Luckily, she was not seriously hurt.

Oak Lawn, Illinois 3/22/22

A young female, pretending to be selling candy, approached a home owned by a 70-year-old woman.

The home owner answered the door, but declined to make a purchase and closed the door.

The doorbell rang again and, again, she opened the door. This time there was a man, with a gun, standing next to the young female.

He forced his way into the residence, knocking the woman down. A second thug joined the first one and they looted the home while the young female held the gun on the woman.

The women sustained minor injuries, according to the police.

Do NOT open your door to strangers!

It’s the way of the world now. We must be suspicious of everyone. We can’t trust anyone, especially people we don’t know.

Don’t open your door just because someone knocks or rings the doorbell.

Find out who it is. Verify their identity. And if you can’t be sure it’s safe, then keep the door closed and locked. Even if they are offering you chocolate. (I would have used that last line as a joke in the past. But now it’s not funny. And that makes me sad.)

Related Post: Don’t Want to become a Willing Participant in a Home Invasion?

~ Shereen

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