Baldwyn Police Warn Yard Rolling Pranks Can Bring Charges

The Baldwyn police department is warning residents that fall pranks like rolling yards and egging cars can quickly cross the line into criminal activity. In a community press release posted to its Facebook page this week, the department said anyone found responsible for disturbances or property damage will be charged.

The warning comes as the fall and Halloween season gets underway, a time when rolling yards with toilet paper has long been treated as a harmless tradition in many small Northeast Mississippi towns.

What Baldwyn Police Say Will Not Be Tolerated

The department acknowledged that seasonal pranks can be part of the fun, but said that fun has its limits. According to the release, the following activities will not be tolerated when they create a significant disturbance, a hazard or damage to someone’s property:

• Rolling yards
• Messing with vehicles or mailboxes
• Using items such as grease, eggs or flour
• Ringing doorbells or banging on doors
• Honking horns or creating other disturbances

“Every citizen has the right to enjoy their home and have their property protected,” the department wrote.

Complaints Will Be Investigated

Baldwyn police said that when a complaint is reported, officers will investigate, and individuals found responsible for criminal activity or property damage will be charged accordingly. WTVA reported that pranks like these can lead to charges such as trespassing, vandalism and littering, and that adding eggs, paint or shaving cream raises the stakes to property damage.

The department asked residents to treat the post as a formal heads-up. “Please consider this as your warning,” the release said. “Have fun. Be respectful. Know where the line is.”

The release was signed by Chief of Police Roy Ragin, Assistant Chief Xavier Cousins and Public Relations Director D. Poole.

Community Reaction in Baldwyn

The post drew dozens of reactions and shares within a day. At least one resident who shared it said her home had been visited by pranksters six times in a single night, urging parents to know where their children are and what they are doing after dark.

Parents of teens may want to talk with their kids before Halloween weekend about where the line falls between a joke and a crime. Even pranks that seem harmless can result in a police report, fines or charges if a homeowner files a complaint.

How to Report a Problem

Residents who find their property damaged or who experience repeated disturbances should contact the Baldwyn Police Department rather than confronting those responsible. In an emergency, call 911.

Baldwyn sits on the line between Prentiss and Lee counties along U.S. Highway 45. For more news from the city, read about Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith’s recent visit to Baldwyn.

Source: Baldwyn Police Department