APD officers and victim services staff do the Thriller dance as part of Scare for a Cure. There is no evidence to support the rumor that it's Mike McDonald under the mask. Credit: Photo by John Anderson

While one Halloween-masked local has been taking goodies (see this morning’s post about the Prosperity Bank robbery), others have been using their scary aspects for more noble purposes.

Charity haunted house attraction Scare for a Cure has raised more than $10,000 for good causes. Organized by Austin Police Department Detective Jarrett Crippen, aka the Defuser from the Sci Fi channel’s hit show Who Wants to Be a Superhero?, the money will go to local and national cancer-related charities.

That sum could be getting an additional boost from rival attraction Lord Vile’s Vault of Shadows. The two haunts were in a challenge to see who could attract more customers, and the APD-backed scare won with more than double the number of bodies through the door. All net proceeds will be split between the Breast Cancer Resource Center of Austin, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and the Elks National Foundation.

The Defus … uhh, Crippen told Chronic that the haunt exceeded expectations and that it will definitely be back again next year.

This article appears in November 9 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.