Police chief warns of 3+ hour backups, urges shoppers to avoid Wrentham Outlets

The police chief in Wrentham, Massachusetts, is warning of three-plus hour waits and urging shoppers to avoid the Wrentham Outlets on the afternoon of Black Friday.

"#" Wrentham Police Chief Bill McGrath said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, just before 5 p.m.

STOP . #

— Chief Bill McGrath November 24, 2023

The Wrentham Outlets close at 9 p.m. on Friday.

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McGrath had warned of hours long delays throughout the day.

#BlackFriday Afternoon Report. It’s worse! 1.5 - 2 hour wait depending on direction you’re coming from. Tho I don’t get why shoppers voluntarily do this, no road rage, no complaints. Still, be warned! Crazy traffic & waiting! pic.twitter.com/evHdV3UOKK

— Chief Bill McGrath November 24, 2023

WJAR reported traffic backups of at least an hour earlier on Friday .

McGrath told the station that the traffic was "definitely" worse than last year.

"We can never predict how this place goes," he said. "And we are always shocked that we don't have far more road rage incidents and crashes than we do."

Some local streets had to be blocked off by police to keep motorists from driving through neighborhoods.