Police investigate reports of clown spotted trying to lure children into woods

Authorities have not yet located anyone matching that description

Part of the wooded area behind the Fleetwood Manor apartments (Google Maps)

Police in South Carolina are trying to find the mysterious figure or group of people who allegedly dressed up as clown and tried to lure children into the woods behind an apartment block.

Several residents of the Fleetwood Manor complex in Greenville reported that they saw a clown in white face paint who tried to entice children by displaying a large amount of cash.

One resident said her son told her that he had seen clowns in the woods, “whispering and making strange noises”, and flashing green laser lights.

Her eldest son also said he heard chains and banging on the front door of their apartment around 8.30pm on Friday.

A second witness told police she saw a large clown around 2.30am the next morning with a blinking nose, standing under a lamppost, who waved at her. She reportedly waved back.

The suspect did not approach the resident.

Residents also said they received letters on Fleetwood Manor-headed paper, warning them to give their children a 10pm curfew and to ensure they are supervised "at all times".

The letter that residents received, warning them to supervise their children (Facebook)

“They [children] advised that they believe the clowns stay in a house located near a pond at the end of a man-made trail in the woods,” read the police report.

Police went down the trail and located the building, but did not see any signs of suspicious activity nor did they discover anyone living there.

Authorities have assigned the case to their follow-up unit and have sent extra police officers to patrol the apartment complex.

The sheriff’s office also received calls about gunshots being fired the same evening from men who had heard about the clowns and fired their weapons into the woods. Police did not discover any shell casings from the weapons.

Another call was made to the department to report a clown sighting. In this call and the one about gunshots, the complainants refused to give their names.