DeKALB | The DeKalb Police Department has received clown-related reports and plans to investigate each one fully, according to a Wednesday press release.

Reports of clowns luring children into the woods in Greenville, South Carolina, surfaced in August, according to a Sept. 24 NPR article. Since then, reports of clown sightings have been rising all over the country.

“These acts are not simple cases of kids in costumes enjoying a party or trick-or-treating, but more deliberate acts designed to cause a disturbance in our community,” according to the press release.

Eureka College in Eureka cancelled all evening classes and activities Tuesday after receiving threats via social media that involved people dressed as clowns, according to a Tuesday Peoria Journal Star article.

DeKalb police encourage residents to have an enjoyable and responsible Halloween season that does not involve any participation in “clowning.”

While it is legal to wear clown costumes, intentional acts that alarm the public are illegal and may result in criminal charges.