Every town, city and country around the world have their own urban legends. They’re often told at campfire sites or by parents to instill just a dash of fear into mischievous kids. But it should be mentioned that many urban legends are based on actual events, sightings and people that were either grossly exaggerated or just plain misunderstood. But not all of them are untrue. And there’s no need to go searching, because five of those stories have already been selected for just you. 

1. The Boogeyman of New York, Cropsey

The story of Cropsey was one that was told by both parents and children alike, especially on school playgrounds. He was an escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand who kidnapped children and left them for dead in abandoned underground tunnels. But in the 1980s, the story of Cropsey became very real for New Yorkers. His name was Andre Rand, a janitor at the Willowbrook State School, who hijacked a busload of children and even took the life of one them. He’s now serving a life-long prison sentence for his actions.

2. Virginia “Bunny Man” Threatens Trespassers with Ax

For decades, the legend of Fairfax County’s Bunny Man was thought to be just that, a legend. He was said to have hurt several children, all while wearing a bunny suit and wielding an ax. In October of 1970, a couple reported to the Washington Post that a hatchet-wielding man in a bunny suit threatened them for “trespassing” by throwing his weapon into their car windshield. It couldn’t have been their imagination, because another couple experienced the very same thing just a week later. Both times he disappeared into the woods and was never seen after that.

3. Mysterious “Charlie No-Face” Confirmed a Considerate Pennsylvania Resident

Just about every Pittsburg resident has heard about Charlie No-Face or the Green Man. Some said he was a ghost while others swear he’s a monster. Charlie was very much real and his name was Raymond Robinson. As a child, a terrible accident involving high voltage left him horribly disfigured: his eyes, nose, lips and ears were burnt off. Because of this, he only left his home at night for fresh air, fearing he would scare others. Local residents learned of his existence and often drove down to see him. Some even brought him cigarettes and beer!

4. Too Real Carnival Props

There have always been rumors of amusement parks using real bodies as part of their props. Who can blame them? Some of them look so real! But be careful, because some of those mannequins might be actual skin and bones. That’s what the owner of the Pike Amusement Park got in trouble for in 1976. He somehow managed to get his hands on the mummified body of outlaw and train robber Elmer McCurdy who was killed in a shootout with the police. No one claimed the body, so his remains were used as an attraction for decades until he was finally laid to rest in Oklahoma.

5. The “Maine Hermit” Christopher Knight

People living in North Pond, Maine must have believed they were losing their marbles when things suddenly started vanishing. It was never anything of value, just simple things like apples or peanut butter and so they brushed it off. But the break-ins never stopped and 27 years later their questions were finally answered. The culprit, Christopher Knight or the “Maine Hermit,” was a recluse who cut off all ties to the outside world at the age of 20. He survived all that time alone by committing at least 1,000 burglaries!