Frosh week hijinks can lead to 'unexpected expenses,' police warn

If you're one of the thousands of young scholars heading off to college or university for the first time and are looking forward to frosh week festivities, York Regional Police have a warning for you: "party with caution."

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The force has issued its annual expense list for frosh caught in a range of it-seemed-like-a-good-idea-at-the-time type of activities.

The list ranges from the serious to the absurd, but the costs can add up to thousands of dollars in fines and jail time.

The more serious offences include aiming a laser at an aircraft, which can lead to a fine of up to $100,000, jail time, or both; selling your roommate's iPad online, which can lead to a $5,000 fine, jail, or both; and ditching a cab fare, which can also result in up to $5,000 in fines.

But from the pranks-gone-wrong file, the force notes that:

• "Drifting in your mom's Honda Odyssey" will cost six demerit points and a seven-day impound;
• "Licking a baked good for sale, Ariana Grande-style, could cost you up to $5,000;
• "Distilling some bathtub moonshine" could cost up to $6,000 and "possible loss of vision";
• "Ordering 20 pizzas to another house," may cost up to $5,000 "and/or an apology to the pizza joint";
• "Fighting a bouncer" could cost up to $5,000, jail "and likely a couple of teeth."

"Frosh Week offers students a host of exciting new experiences. Unfortunately, some of those experiences might lead otherwise law-abiding students to make poor choices," the force says.

"Party with caution."

The charges were compiled from the Criminal Code, the Highway Traffic Act and various municipal bylaws, the document says, and some fines may vary due to circumstances.