By Tim Binnall
A young man in Scotland received what one presumes was a stern lecture from police after he was caught roaming around several towns while dressed as a plague doctor. The mischievous lad clad in the creepy costume was reportedly first spotted in the community of Bo’ness a few weeks ago and then subsequently appeared in a number of nearby villages. Particularly worrisome to parents is that the mysterious stranger was often seen outside schools and, on a handful of occasions, actually spoke to or chased after some children who were understandably terrified by the unnerving individual.
The presence of a 'plague doctor' in their communities quickly became a hot topic of discussion among residents on social media with many people expressing anger over the individual's antics. Fortunately, it would seem that the proverbial reign of terror may have come to an end as Police Scotland issued a statement saying that they were aware of the reports and had "identified the male youth who was seen." According to the authorities, "he has been visited by officers who have offered appropriate advice to him," though they conceded that the young man had not technically done anything illegal.
Not unlike the creepy clown phenomenon, phantom 'plague doctors' have become something of a trend in the United Kingdom since the pandemic started with sightings in various communities popping up in the news over the last year or so. Perhaps the most prominent case unfolded in England last May when police identified a teenager who had caused a similar stir in a small community by silently roaming the streets in the eerie costume. As with the young man in Scotland, the British teenager was "spoken to about the consequences his actions" and advised to hang up the robe and mask before someone wound up getting hurt.