Are Creepy Clowns Making A Comeback In New Jersey?

By Shannon Antinori and Kara Seymour

They're baaaaack — or, they very likely will be. A year after creepy clown sightings had people on edge nationwide, some police departments are bracing for another round of reports. Last fall, scary clown sightings were so prevalent, school districts warned against coming dressed as a clown on Halloween and clown entertainers reported losing business.

Now, state police in Pennsylvania are warning residents that the creepy clown craze could happen all over again, especially with a remake of killer clown classic "It" hitting theaters next month.

"It is anticipated that similar 'creepy clown' sightings could be reported starting as soon as September," police said in a community awareness bulletin issued on Wednesday.

The trend led to creepy clown panic last fall, with social media rumors of threats in New Jersey and across the country. Most reports turned out to be pranks, and sightings were likely the work of a jokesters with a twisted sense of humor.

But in some cases, the danger was real. Last September, a 16-year-old was stabbed to death in Reading, Pennsylvania, when a fight broke out after a person appeared wearing a clown mask. And even pranks had a serious side: In Union County, a teenager looking to capitalize on the killer clown craze ended up getting arrested.

Sightings in New Jersey last fall resulted in extra police patrols and additional security at some schools:

• Local juveniles in Monroe Township reported being approached by clowns armed with weapons on three separate occasions. One clown was reported as having a semi-automatic handgun, another a machete, the juveniles told police.
• In the North Jersey community of Wayne, a woman reported seeing a creepy-looking clown in a wooded area near a school, but police were unable to confirm the clown was actually there.
• In West Deptford, police said they were aware of the social media posts regarding "subjects dressing up as clowns and planning to be around our schools."
• One person was cited by Pohatcong police after video and still shots circulated on social media of a clown riding on the hood of a hearse, authorities said.
• Two people wearing clown masks in Fair Lawn allegedly hung out of a moving vehicle and yelled at people on state Route 23.
• Parsippany Police said a person wearing a clown mask and carrying a plastic machete was reported at the a Quick Chek.

Police in Pennsylvania said they think sightings will ramp up as a remake of the Stephen King clown horror story "It" hits theaters on Sept. 8.

»Photo via NJ State Police