Swedish police look for man in clown mask after scare

STOCKHOLM – Swedish police say they are searching for a man wearing a clown mask and a yellow outfit holding “something sharp” who scared an 8-year-old boy on his way to school, the latest incident involving adults in creepy outfits in the Scandinavian region.

Police spokesman Stefan Dangardt says a passing motorist saw what happened and honked his horn, enabling the boy to run away.

Dangardt said the man also had red hair and a painted white face. The incident happened Thursday in Kumla, about 165 kilometres (105 miles) west of Stockholm. The Aftonbladet newspaper said the man is believed to be in his 20s.

Two years ago, similar incidents were reported in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, leading a Norwegian toy store chain to stop selling clown costumes in its 114 shops.