Anti-social behaviour

I am so sorry Stephanie that you have to endure this any longer. My love and prayers are still coming. I will be in touch asap. 

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((( Steph and family )))))))))))))))))))))))))))))                      

I do know how you feel Steph, as we had simialt next door for a few years from a single mum's son who was only about 8 and had turned into an urban terrorist---fence, house, car repeatedly damaged by him and his friends. The Hosuing Association finally moved them out, but the police didn't do a thing to stop it.

A friend at work also had similar from a boy of about 10 terrorising his wife and young daughters---every day endless abuse from him and his idiot mother. Even helping him move house, this kid watched us all the time, and eventually built a barricade across to road to stop us leaving. When we moved all the junk from the road, he ran off to his mom who came out screaming for us to leave her son alone!!

Stephanie, this is awful!  I wish there was something we could do, but I will be praying that you can get the place sold and get out of there.  Don't feel that you are a burden when you tell us what's going on.  That's what we're here for, even if the only thing we can do right now is offer a bit of moral support.

If the police are complaining about being overworked, can you work thru the almighty council?  Maybe the council could take the lead in getting citizens organized to take back their streets.  That's what the Guardian Angels that Barbara mentioned are all about.  We have a block watch in our neighborhood and it's been very effective.  But I guess the reason it works is that kind of behavior will land you in jail over here.  In fact the police who gave us the training when we set up the formal block watch program in our cul-de-sac said that anybody suspicious in the neighorhood is a 911 (your 999) call. 

I'll be praying that you can get this resolved soon.  Take care, dear friend.

I  ran across this one one time, the kid told this father that asked him to leave, that he wouldn't do it, so he said leave or beat your ass..and the kid said, I'm under 18, I'll sue you...so th efather said, in that case, I might as well as beat you nearly to death then, and he meant it and when the father started coming after him, he toook off like an greased chicken whinin gfor help...burst into their neighbors house to call thw police. Police came out an dtold him ot leave immediately for his own safety while they talked ot the father and calmed him down. This much surprised him.

Can you landscape this yard of yours to close it out of of the view of everyone? I've seen them do such things on TV in home renovation shows, to improve the view from intside the house if it wasn' t the greatest looking out the windows...you know they can put slide down garage doors now across an front of an house..metal ones...that give an very simple industrial look to the property and still mkae it seem friendly....it might help with the vandalism also.In the grand murder trial I went to as an juror...that was one of the things the guy was doing all the time harrassing his neighbors. Neighbors came in and testified against him for doing it also..and told the court how he had threatened them all the time.

It's no joke having to lock yourselves away each night. I really have no comprehension of the housing area you live in Stephanie but I can empathise with your family. We have had similar events happening in some neighbourhoods. This has led to the development of Restorative Justice Models which of course to be of use to you need the local Police inputs and acceptance ....in our experience it works ... at least on some!!!

Donald J. Schmid is a federal prosecutor with the United States Department of Justice .......

In particular, the New Zealand invention of the "family group conference (FGC)" for youth offenders has been hailed as a pioneering model of restorative justice.

http://www.fulbright.org.nz/voices/axford/schmidd.html

Stephanie have you all ever thought of putting out security camera's? my friend has one and its not so expensive maybe you could catch them in the act or at least put up a sign that says security camera being used on property. I know someone else that did that and it worked they stopped robbing her and she didnt even have camera's..lol

There are some very realistic inexpensive fake cameras available from electronic hobbyists too ... 1 AAA type cell powers a small flashing LED together with a reflective warning video sign.

These may be more effective against young hooligans who may be put off in that they may be caught.