Any ideas on how to stop local kids from vandalizing your house?

Question

A group of local kids have been coming up to our front door at night and knocking loudly then running away. We keep our porch light on and have called the cops and the kids have been caught once and fined but continue to bother us and now the cops won't even drive by. Any ideas on how to stop them or where to find info on what my rights are if I catch them? They are probably between 14 and 16 years old. We are the only ones on our street being bothered even though we haven't lived in our town very long and hardly know anyone here. Any ideas will be great thanks!!

Answer 1

If the police were able to fine them, then I have to assume you know where they live? I would go to their parents and talk to the parents about this issue. I would not come off very confrontational, just say, "Your boys keep doing this to our house, it is very frustrating and we were hoping that you could make sure they stop." If that does not work, I would call the school they go to. The school's response will be "We can't do anything," but I would bet you anything they will approach the parents about it, too. As a very last resort, you could call your state's child protection services, and complain that a 14 year old and a 16 year old are being allowed to run around late at night, are knocking on people's doors, and the parents are doing nothing. Kids should not be running around the neighborhood at night unsupervised; it could be considered neglect and they are at risk. The state is legally required to follow up on any and all complaints. When the parents are visited by the state's child welfare people, that may motivate them to pull the reigns in on these kids.

Answer 2

One bad thing is that you reacted, if you hadn't that would of lost interest, your continued attention is only going to bring their attentions on to you, keeping in mind they have more time, or less mature, feel they have less to loss, vindictive, pride hungery, young emotional wreaks looking for something to vent on, your giving them that. Your best bet is ether the frontal confrontation based on a more or less relationship of respect, or trying to ignore them and hope it goes away. Police route might work, but consider if it doesn't how much anger they might direct towards you? To there is the possible parent route, but then again, those parents raised these kiddos and the cops don't scare them. Which means they KNOW the parents got their back against other peoples conflicts, bad business. So ether you find a way to get some respect, best way here is the strait appoarch, be non-confentational, just ask why you guys can't just end this, keep it at that, appoligize, lets just say the prize is to get them off there back, so slowly crow if it well smooth over their little ego'd but don't bow down! Or you ignore the situation and maybe find any away to avoid making it... exciting... interesting... just well do what you can to make them forget about you.... help if you had kiddos ;-) their age.....

Answer 3

Try to get the parents involved. I know this may not work, since many parents sadly don't care what their kids do.

If you want proof of who is doing this, you could buy an automatic camera that takes pictures when someone walks in front of it. You can find them at sporting goods stores, as they are used for identifying animals in the wild. That may not help either.

You have to make it uninteresting for them to harass you, or make it unattractive. Your circumstances will dictate how you do that.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Fence in your front yard and buy a rottweiler or 2. That will do the trick!