High schoolers vandalizing my house
 

A few high school kids have been messing up my neighborhood. They've been egging houses, playing with other people's stuff on their front lawn, and things like that really late at night. My bedroom window is next to the garage that they egged a few nights ago, and by the time I awoke and got outside they had already finished the job and left. My question is, since they are on my property, can be physical with them? I think it's dumb to call the police and stand on the front step waiting for the cops to come while they laugh and continue. I certainly could single-handedly whoop all of them, and I'm pretty sure it would be good and legal. I want to hear some confirmation before next time.

Criminal mischief is much less of a crime than assault and battery. You'd be in much more trouble than they would.

I've used paintball guns on kids vandalizing my house, they didn't come back after that. I didn't get in trouble for it really, though I'm sure it could be considered assault if someone wanted to press charges.

Egg their house.

don't you mean make them breakfast and bring it to their house? :lol:

No, throw the eggs. Buy them jewelry later.

razor wire and landmines. bus seriously, a floodlight and a video camera would do the trick. get there pictures and let the police handle it.

that is to say, wait till they come again, turn the camera on then the floodlight, catch them in the act.

LOL don't we all wish we could sometimes take the law into our own hands. My grandpa's mailbox kept getting ran over and knocked down. He caught the kid one night, and held him by the hair until the cops came, but when he told the sheriff that the sheriff humorously remarked, "Uhh... that part I didn't just hear..."

Anyway, kids are stupid. Everytime it snows here sure enough, guaranteed, when I'm driving around my car is bound to get pegged with at least one snowball. It doesn't damage anything, but it's obnoxious and super loud. If you're driving uphill at 40mph and they throw a snowball towards your car at say, 25mph, it's like being hit with something at 65mph. It's really loud, and needless. I don't remember being that bored while I was a kid. I guess I was so busy trying to dodge telephones and kitchen utensils my mom was always throwing at my face...

Exactly.

You'd be better off keeping a camera ready to catch them in the act. Record their faces and any identifying marks as well as the license plates of vehicles they may take off in.

It might not afford you the instant gratification of cold cocking a 16 year old but at least they'd face some sort of justice.

Hey you know this statement got me thinking: Since they're on his property, what if he posted up a warning sign that says "Trespassers will be physically assaulted. Roam at your own risk," ??

I know that there was an older lady that had a warning sign, "Robbers will be beaten to death," at her jewelry store, and then she beat this guy up with a baseball bat when he tried to rob her... Maybe a sign will give him leeway. Anyway I'm glad I don't have to worry about it. I hate vandals.

It depends on the state, but in most cases, you aren't allowed to use deadly force to protect property. I believe Texas is an exception as may be Florida, but I'm sure some others can shed more light on that.

Protecting your or someone else's life is completely different.

Regardless, posting such a sign will not release you from civil liability in any way. That's why bars don't post signs along the lines of "if you're an asshole, we reserve the right to beat the shit out of you, throw you to the curb and then go hit on your girlfriend."

Heh. When my friend's father's mailbox kept getting ran over, (about once a month, and they hit EVERY mailbox on that side of the street) he finally got ticked and augered a hole about 6 foot deep, dropped in a 9 foot well casing, cemented it in place, and stuck his mailbox on top of it. Next time the kids tried it, the truck was totaled, and 3 of the 5 ended up taking a ride in an ambulance. No more trouble after that.....

FWIW, I like the paintball idea.

A lot of work, but well worth it!

My parents are having similar type problems... but in their neighberhood its moved on to more petty theft then just eggs being thrown.

Had car windows broken and stuff taken, stuff like a 10 prepaid car wash card to a local carwash, my dads business day planner(which they dumped a few blocks away and was found and returned) and other contents of the cars were scattered in the yard.

its almost definitely high schoolers, just going by what was taken.


Its been happening all over the neighborhood, some stuff out a a car here, a pair of boots, a weed eater there... it all ads up to quite a bit of crime, but since each instance hasn't been that big of a deal by itself people havnt been reporting it. and since people haven't been reporting it the police arent aware and haven't stepped up patrols or anything.

http://www.ssqq.com/stories/images/doberman%2002.jpg

Problem solved.

Do you have automatic sprinklers?

If so, hook them up to a motion sensor.

Granted, that won't help if they throw egss from the street, but it'll keep them from getting any closer, with no legal worries.

Too bad it's not like the old days when you could send them on their way with an assfull of rock salt from a 12 gauge.

BTW - the motion-triggered sprinklers also help if you've got a neighborhood cat using your landscaping as its personal litterbox (again - if a shotgun is not practical):eek: .

I like the sprinkler suggestion. Probably that plus a trigger hose.

If there's a problem that can't be solved with tear gas, I haven't found it.

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Make a couple of these, and charge at them with a face painted friends with movie prop weapons. Maybe they'll think you are crazy and leave you alone. If not you'll at least have some cool smoke grenades and get to play with them.

OK, now that we've covered all the stuff that will get your name in the paper under the police blotter section. . . How about calling down to the high school and asking them what they know? I remember my HS cracked right the hell down on idiots who did that.

I haven't heard anything recently about high schools doing anything that resembled punishment or discipline, perhaps some sort of very permanent dye you could hose them with. Something harmless but doesn't come off, like the stuff they put in bank bags would make them easy to identify.

1. Super-soaker
2. Urine (preferably aged a day or two in a warm area)

Stake out your home with urine-filled super-soaker. Night vision goggles would make it cooler, but are not necessary. Just don't go overboard and start yelling threats... that's where people get in trouble with assault.

I'm also really enjoying this suggestion/comment.

As a fellow high-schooler (coming on 20 years ago) I can relate to the kids just wanting to let off some steam. I mean what are you bitching about - they're just a couple of eggs.

Seriously, after consulting with family in law enforcement - if its a recurring problem - the best you can do is motion sensored lights and a camera. Good luck!

or:

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=121842

Get to know their mothers. very personally.

take each mother out to a nice chicken dinner.
Never call them back.