Teenagers Terrorising the Neighborhood (Houston, The Woodlands: movers, home, school)

[marykate1]

For the past couple of weeks my neighborhood has seen a lot of stealing usually lawn movers, edgers. All of this is done by 4 teenagers. My neighbor called the police several times and filed a complain. They do stupid stuff like pulling the phone box out of the wall so that the alarm will not go off. Steel lawn mowers by entering backyard of people.

They even completely destroyed the equipment in the kids playground. They melted yes MELTED the kids tunnel. I am 100% they are doing drugs etc.

Our neighborhood is on high alert these days.

Any idea or suggestions on dealing with this problem?

[EasilyAmused]

When I lived up in The Woodlands, teens did stuff like that all the time, along with some tire slashing,knocking over the big concrete neighborhood signs, and cutting down trees so they fell across the roads. I guess they got bored.

One year, in my current neighborhood, some kids held some decorative rocks (the hollow kind that go over big sprinkler valves) hostage for a ransom....Took pictures of the rocks with blind folds on them and attached them to ransom notes, which they plastered throughout the neighborhood. They returned them a few days later. Humorously Annoying, but not really destructive.

I don't know where you live, but hopefully the constables/patrol are keeping an eye out.

[marykate1]

You are absolutely right! Since, these kids do not go to school they are extremely bored. We have told the constable and I guess if anyone caught them red handed they will be handed to the authorities.

[HoustonRonnie]

So, you know who the 4 are and are "sure" they're doing drugs and the cops won't haul them in? WTH? Your neighbor filed a complain? What happened with that?

If it's rampant and everyone knows who 4 are, how about you form a vigilante group and beat the $hit out of them? Okay, that won't work, but this just sounds fishy. Everyone knows who's doing it and nothing is there deter them.

Ronnie

[marykate1]

@HoustonRonnie,

If it was my home country I would have easily beat the crap out of those kids! But laws in America are very weak and they protect minors. So, if I even touch them then I go to JAIL. These weak laws are turning kids into criminals because they know nothing is going to happen to them.

[LostInHouston]

You need to get everyone in your neighborhood to flood the police with complaint calls. Assuming it is all teens, they are not very sophisticated criminals for the most part, and fairly easy to catch with minimal effort.

[marykate1]

LostInHouston is right and that is what we did. When the police was out in our street we all went to him 12-15 people and told the police about those kids.

But now the question is that EVEN if they do get caught what will happen to them. What is the worst that can happen to them since they are all minors?

[LostInHouston]

Originally Posted by marykate1

But now the question is that EVEN if they do get caught what will happen to them. What is the worst that can happen to them since they are all minors?

Depends on what they are caught with and/or what they are caught doing... also their age (16/17 versus 12/13) and their prior records.

First time petty theft and minor vandalism probably won't amount to much... but at least it gets the ball rolling. Hopefully one day our laws hold the parents of these kids accountable.

[Dopo]

If you know who they are ... just talk to them.
Talk to them respectfully (as difficult as that might be) and tell them that everybody knows what they are up, people are installing cameras and if they keep on doing that in a few days they'll get caught or shot.

Just that simple.

[marykate1]

Dopo,

I do not think anyone would like to talk to them. Their parents know what they are up to since I saw one mom taking of those kids (16-17) years old and as that kid was passing our street he gave us middle finger using both his hands.