A security company is warning trick-or-treaters to keep an eye out while scouring for candy in Gainesville.
Your Local Security, an ADT-authorized security system company, released a report Wednesday on the safest and most dangerous metro areas in America for trick-or-treating. It said Gainesville is the 10th most dangerous metro area for trick-or-treaters.
The company determined the safest and most dangerous areas by analyzing the number of trick-or-treaters, number of pedestrian car deaths, violent crime rates and ratio of sex offenders, spokesperson Morgan Bell wrote in an email.
Gainesville Police spokesperson Capt. Jorge Campos hadn’t heard of the report but said families should still take precautions on Halloween night. He recommended parents stay close to their kids and keep an eye on whoever is interacting with them.
Parents should also stick to neighborhoods they’re familiar with, Campos said.
City Commissioner David Arreola used to trick-or-treat in Gainesville when he was a kid. He and his friends would plan months in advance and go together with large pillowcases, Arreola said.
“I was always able to enjoy Halloween as a kid,” he said. “It never concerned me.”
Arreola also hadn’t heard of the report but said he hopes kids will be able to enjoy Halloween like he did.
“If you’re concerned for your safety, go before it’s dark,” he said. “No one’s going to shame you for trick-or-treating during the day.”
Arreola said regardless of the time of day, he’ll have a bowl of candy ready to hand out on Halloween.
Contact Jessica Curbelo at jcurbelo@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter at @jesscurbelo
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The Villages, Florida
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Punta Gorda, Florida
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Homosassa Springs, Florida
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St. Louis, Missouri
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Sebring, Florida
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Santa Fe, New Mexico
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Farmington, New Mexico
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Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida
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Gainesville, Florida
From left: 4-year-old Lilla Hall, dressed like a fairy, and 4-year-old Omar Saab, who wore a dinosaur costume, walked while they trick-or-treated at Flying Biscuit Cafe on 2441 NW 43rd St. on Thursday evening.
