In Norristown, 'Scary Clown' Mania Has Been A Bunch Of Hocus Pocus

NORRISTOWN, PA -- While bizarre threatening clown sightings have been reported across the country and have even prompted a Homeland Security investigation in Philadelphia, Norristown police maintain that nothing credible has been reported within the borough since the virus took hold.

"There are a lot of troubling things that I knew I would be dealing with as a police officer," said Norristown Police Chief Mark Talbot. "This isn’t one of them. Like most jurisdictions, we haven’t received a single credible report of a clown sighting. We will continue to thoroughly investigate any reports we do receive."

Talbot notes that rashly sharing a "creepy clown" social media post can lead to fear and harm public safety. He urges that the public report any information to police immediately.

"I ask that you send us your ‘clown’ related stories and sightings so that we can investigate and sort the facts from the fiction," he said.

The Norristown Area School District affirmed Talbot's stance.

"Throughout Montgomery, Delaware and Chester counties, and the broader Philadelphia region, social media has been active regarding a clown hoax, with an attempt to disrupt the normal operations of schools," the superintendent's office said in a statement issued Monday afternoon. "Such messages have been shared with public, private, charter and independent schools across the nation. Although we believe this is a hoax, in the Norristown Area School District, we have taken appropriate steps to exercise situational awareness and are working with local authorities to ensure the safety of our students and staff. Schools will open as normal"

The strange incidents began around two weeks ago and have intensified in recent days. Reports of clowns chasing children, attempting to lure children into the woods, and peeking in windows has led to widespread attention being focused upon the issue. Over the weekend, the School District of Philadelphia announced that they were launching an investigation into school shooting threats made by clown-themed Instagram users.

Image courtesy Norristown Police Department.