Lancaster County 'terrified' by red 'It' balloons tied to grates

(Lititz Borough Police Department)

LITITZ, Pa. (AP/WTXF) -- Police officers in a small Pennsylvania town are evidently afraid of a certain homicidal clown.

The Lititz police department posted photos Tuesday of red balloons that a prankster had tied to a pair of sewer grates. A red balloon is the calling card of Pennywise, the sewer-dwelling, child-eating clown in Stephen King's horror novel "It." The hotly anticipated movie version opens in theaters Friday.

In a playful Facebook post , police wrote that while they admire the prankster's creativity, officers were "completely terrified" while removing the balloons and "respectfully request they do not do that again." Police also suggested that people watch previews of the movie with the lights turned on and the volume turned low.

The police department's post ended with a famous line from the book: "You'll float too."

The department has since responded to the rapid social media response.