Know How A Creepy ‘Free Candy’ Van Once Took The Internet By Storm

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In the year 2015, in a Sacramento neighborhood, a panel van plastered with "free candy" left parents feeling uneasy. Initially, both parents and kids hoped it was just a trick and not a genuine offer. A 12-year-old boy was the first to notice the van and felt something wasn't right, prompting his mom to share his concerns. It then turned out that the van was just part of a prank, en route to the annual Burning Man event. Read on to find out more.

Photo Credit: Instagram

The "Free Candy" Van

Ron Jacobs, a 28-year-old engineer from Perth, found himself at the centre of attention when his quirky choice of transportation for Burning Man in 2015 took California by storm. The "Free Candy" van he created caused unease in suburban streets, with parents, children, and local media questioning his motives.

A series of devastating setbacks became the catalyst for an unforgettable journey abroad.

"My life fell apart in April last year," he shared with ninemsn. "My job, romance, family, and health all fell apart in the space of two months. I had a near-death experience and spiralled into depression. I essentially had a mid-life crisis at 28 and I hit rock bottom."

With nothing to lose, he decided to take a leap of faith. "So I took my life savings and went off on an adventure," he explained, determined to find a new path amid the chaos.

"I needed to choose my transport and accommodation, so I chose the quintessential creepy white windowless van," Jacobs added. "It already had such a strong social stigma associated with it, so I wanted to embrace that scary idea and just go over the top with it all, so I created my candy van paint job with bloody handprints and all."

Driving the van across California over three days, Jacobs attracted a mix of curiosity and concern from the public, law enforcement, and the media. While his over-the-top prank stirred plenty of reactions, it turned out to be far more than just a bold statement.

Free Candy Van's Journey Through Experiences

Jacobs, an engineer who once studied at Penn State University, handed out $1,500 (£1,500) worth of free candy since his infamous "Free Candy" van hit the roads. Reflecting on his experiences, he described the reactions to the van as a "rollercoaster," often beginning with horror before shifting to relief and even amusement.

Over time, the van caught the attention of law enforcement repeatedly, Jacobs himself had been stopped by police eight times, while a Perth friend who borrowed the vehicle for three weeks was pulled over on seven occasions.

Despite its notoriety, Jacobs' unconventional creation continues to spark conversations and plenty of double-takes wherever it goes.

The Van That Turned His World Around

Jacobs' infamous van didn't just spark conversations, it introduced him to countless new friends and even led him to his lady love, Lisa. Not even a smashed window during a stop in Santa Monica could derail the young Australian's eccentric road trip.

"It was a great social experiment for me, and I loved watching how people reacted," he shared. "Even when someone smashed out my back window as a protest, my response was simply to cover the hole with an American flag," he said.

Photo Credit: Instagram

As his time in the United States came to an end, Jacobs put the "Free Candy" van up for public auction in San Francisco, marking the close of his unconventional adventure before heading back to Australia.

Despite its high mileage, clocking in at around 200,000 miles, Jacobs remained optimistic about the value of his "Free Candy" van. Hoping to recoup the costs of the vehicle and its eccentric modifications, he listed it with an ambitious starting price of $10,000, banking on a bidding war to drive up interest.