What is the conspiracy theory about ice cream trucks at night?
Ice cream trucks are reportedly driving around after dark in some communities. People have taken to social media—especially TikTok and community Facebook and Reddit pages—to voice their concerns about ice cream trucks driving around town late at night, or just to share spooky stories about late-night ice cream trucks…which may or may not be true. Some people have linked their concerns to cases of missing children in the area (especially in Virginia), theorizing that the mysterious nocturnal ice cream trucks could be involved in abductions. This TikTok video by user @haleyybaylee depicts footage (which may or may not be AI; it's getting hard to tell these days) of an ice cream truck driving around a deserted Virginia city street after 1 a.m. Youtuber Danny Reyes posted a video commentary about ice cream trucks driving around in Virginia after dark, speculating, "I don't know what [the ice cream truck driver's] intentions are, but I know it's not to sell ice cream." (Though, in fact, he doesn't know this.) Some social media users seem to be delighting in the creepy mystery like they would in any other urban legend. But for other users, ice cream trucks at night represent a serious concern. As stories of nefarious ice cream trucks have spread, parents and children alike may become understandably alarmed—even if the stories aren't true.
Why might ice cream trucks drive around at night?
They may just be trying to sell ice cream. For some ice cream truck drivers, operating at night makes financial sense: people could be feeling snacky after dinner, and if it's a nice summer night, a walk after dark with a cone of mint chocolate chip might just be a perfect way to spend the last hours of the day. If an ice cream truck driver believes they can make a few bucks by staying open later, they might do so. Additionally, some trucks drive around as late as 8 or 9 p.m., which might seem late, but in the summertime, it's often still light out.
Some social media users claim trucks are selling illegal substances. We can't say for sure what every single ice cream truck in the nation is selling, but some social media users (like TikToker @itsnickholiday in this video) claim the trucks that drive around after midnight in their towns could be offering marijuana or other illicit substances for sale under the guise of an innocent ice cream truck. We're not saying you should be wary of every ice cream truck that drives around, but it doesn't hurt to be cautious, especially after dark.
Other users are concerned the trucks are linked to child abductions. Rumors of missing children in Virginia have spread over social media lately, despite there being no authoritative evidence that there are more abductions than usual, and nothing official to link abductions to ice cream truck drivers. It never hurts to be cautious when interacting with strangers at night, but nocturnal ice cream men are probably not a serious threat to most children. The sad reality is, the vast majority of kids are abducted by people they know.
Is there any truth to the theories?
Kids are probably not being abducted by ice cream trucks at night. These stories have likely been heavily exaggerated and spread for entertainment purposes. As a general rule, it's a good idea not to let small children out alone after dark, and they certainly shouldn't be approaching strange vehicles—ice cream trucks or otherwise. But the idea that ice cream truck drivers are abducting children after dark is almost certainly exaggerated. Stories about ice cream trucks kidnapping kids at night have especially spread in places like Northern Virginia, where, it's been rumored, a high number of kids have recently been reported missing. (Check out this Reddit post on the subject for more info on the rumors' spread.) However, the Virginia state police have addressed the viral social media posts and articles about missing Virginia children, claiming the situation is not as extreme as it's been made out to be. This all being said, if you see or hear an ice cream truck out after midnight, it's probably safest to stay indoors. EXPERT TIP Israel Vieira Pereira, PhD Israel Vieira Pereira, PhD PhD Student in Text & Discourse, Unisul University Israel Vieira is a Discourse Analyst and a PhD Candidate in Text and Discourse at Unisul's Language Sciences Program, where he studies the effects and characteristics of hoaxes, fake news and conspiracy theories. Israel Vieira Pereira, PhD Israel Vieira Pereira, PhD PhD Student in Text & Discourse, Unisul University Never share information if you're not 100% sure if it is true or false. Fake news sites grow based on speculation and controversy.
Rumors about ice cream trucks selling drugs at night could be true. We don't know for sure if every rumor about ice cream trucks selling drugs is accurate, but we do know this has happened before, so it's not out of the realm of possibility. For example, in 2011, a New York man was arrested for selling prescription drugs out of his ice cream truck. And in 2018, another ice cream truck driver was arrested in California for selling meth and marijuana out of his truck.
Final Thoughts
Ice cream trucks at night are probably not a threat, but be cautious. Generally speaking, children probably shouldn't be out after dark without an adult, and they shouldn't be approaching strange vehicles at night—including ice cream trucks. This doesn't automatically mean every ice cream truck operating at night is up to no good, but why take the chance? There are plenty of ice cream trucks in operation during the day for you to patronize. If you've personally seen or heard an ice cream truck at night, you may have a reason to be cautious, but if you've only heard rumors or seen TikTok videos about the issue, it's probably not a legitimate concern in your area. The likelihood is that stories about ice cream trucks driving around at night have been exaggerated. Remember, studies have proven that the vast majority of the time, strangers are not trying to abduct people, and anxiety about "stranger danger" keeps all of us suspicious of one another, rather than open to connection and community.
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