PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The nationwide spree of reported sightings of menacing clowns has reached the Berkshires.

 

For months police departments across the country have been fielding calls reporting clowns making threats, chasing people, or luring children - most of which have been hoaxes. The reports have caused disruptions in schools, even prompting school closures and lockdowns on college campuses. 

 

On Monday, Pittsfield Police received two calls reporting such instances. According to scanner reports, the first call claimed a clown was chasing a person on Tyler Street. Later, a second call reported clowns on Wahconah Street, possibly with weapons. 

 

On Tuesday, Police said one of those calls was determined to be unfounded while officers were unable to locate the alleged clown in the other. 

 

"We're monitoring the situation locally and nationally, but don’t have anything further to provide at this time," Chief Michael Wynn wrote in an e-mail.

 

There were also rumors of sightings in other Berkshire towns Monday night as well, including North Adams and Adams. A dispatcher in Adams said there were no clown sightings, and that whatever alleged sightings have been circulating are just rumors. 

 

An outbreak of such reports are nothing new and seemingly arise in various parts of the country every few years - the most recent rash of such reports in 2014.

 

In August of this year, a growing number of reports were being made, which fueled hysteria in many cities and towns and leading to many copycat callers. That trend has picked up steam and in September, found its way to Massachusetts.

 

In Greenfield on Sept. 17 police fielded a report of a man in a clown costume "lurking" at the Franklin County Fairground, according to the Greenfield Recorder. Also on Monday, a dormitory at Merrimack College was evacuated after a report on Twitter that an armed clown was inside, according to the Boston Globe. In both of those cases, authorities did not find any suspicious activity.