Bike Thief - WWYD?

[Karalea]

Yesterday morning I am just getting ready to get in the shower and looked out the bedroom window to see why my dogs are barking in the backyard. I see a strange kid (13-15) walking along the edge of my fence towards the house behind me. He reaches over into the backyard of the house directly behind me, grabs a bike, and rides off on it back towards my next door neighbor's house.

I quickly run to a window on that side of the house and see him next door with the bike! He and the boy who live next door are already starting to take the bike apart for parts for their bikes!

Here is where I am conflicted and not sure if I handled it right. I threw on some clothes, drove around the block and told the backyard neighbor some kid just stole his son's bike and where they were with it. The neighbor came over and confronted them and called the Sheriff. They did not press charges and got the bike back with an apology.

Should I have confronted the kids myself, called the sheriff myself or knocked on the door next door and told the parents their kid's friend just stole a bike?

Basically after I told the neighbor what I saw, I took my shower and went about my day. The deputy never came over and asked what I saw.

What would you do?

 

[phillmolly]

exactly what you did!!

There may have been a reason the boy took the bike so I would have gone to the owner just to let them know and left it up to them.

 

[Tink888]

Yesterday morning I am just getting ready to get in the shower and looked out the bedroom window to see why my dogs are barking in the backyard. I see a strange kid (13-15) walking along the edge of my fence towards the house behind me. He reaches over into the backyard of the house directly behind me, grabs a bike, and rides off on it back towards my next door neighbor's house.

I quickly run to a window on that side of the house and see him next door with the bike! He and the boy who live next door are already starting to take the bike apart for parts for their bikes!

Here is where I am conflicted and not sure if I handled it right. I threw on some clothes, drove around the block and told the backyard neighbor some kid just stole his son's bike and where they were with it. The neighbor came over and confronted them and called the Sheriff. They did not press charges and got the bike back with an apology.

Should I have confronted the kids myself, called the sheriff myself or knocked on the door next door and told the parents their kid's friend just stole a bike?

Basically after I told the neighbor what I saw, I took my shower and went about my day. The deputy never came over and asked what I saw.

What would you do?

I think you did the right thing and handled it correctly. It was the neighbor's bike, you told him right away and he handled it and was able to get the bike back.

You did good!

 

[minkydog]

I think you handled it perfectly.

 

[Mixie]

I might have called the cops myself, but I agree with what you did, too.



I tend to call the cops myself because a lot of my neighbors are older/retired and I tend to be the sole 'neighborhood watch' person.

 

[Darth Boeder]

I would have called the cops either before letting the neighbor know or one my way. I think you handled it well. The less involved is better.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would have done what you did. Good job!!!

 

[Karalea]

I feel better now since most of you would have done the same.


I really didn't want to get too involved but there was no way I was letting it go.

I do have to live right next door to the friend of the thief and since he watched his friend steal the bike, he is just as guilty in my opinion. Things are awkard enough with this family since this is the same neighbor who stole part of my brick landscape edging to use as a fire ring a few weeks ago. Tensions are already high without another incident.

 

[Kimberly]

I think you handled it perfectly. Hopefully there will be no other occurences. I cannot stand theives, regardless of age.

 

[jen0610]

I feel better now since most of you would have done the same.


I really didn't want to get too involved but there was no way I was letting it go.

I do have to live right next door to the friend of the thief and since he watched his friend steal the bike, he is just as guilty in my opinion. Things are awkard enough with this family since this is the same neighbor who stole part of my brick landscape edging to use as a fire ring a few weeks ago. Tensions are already high without another incident.

Did the neighbor's kid steal the bricks or was it one of the adult neighbors?

If it was the kid, then there is a history of larceny and needs to be watched.

If it was an adult in that house, any wonder where the kid got his morals on taking things that don't belong to him.

Either way, if you see the kid stealing anything else, do not hesitate to call the police. This kid has been taught that it is just fine to take (steal) what you need from where ever they see it.

 

[pyrxtc]

Yesterday morning I am just getting ready to get in the shower and looked out the bedroom window to see why my dogs are barking in the backyard. I see a strange kid (13-15) walking along the edge of my fence towards the house behind me. He reaches over into the backyard of the house directly behind me, grabs a bike, and rides off on it back towards my next door neighbor's house.

I quickly run to a window on that side of the house and see him next door with the bike! He and the boy who live next door are already starting to take the bike apart for parts for their bikes!

Here is where I am conflicted and not sure if I handled it right. I threw on some clothes, drove around the block and told the backyard neighbor some kid just stole his son's bike and where they were with it. The neighbor came over and confronted them and called the Sheriff. They did not press charges and got the bike back with an apology.

Should I have confronted the kids myself, called the sheriff myself or knocked on the door next door and told the parents their kid's friend just stole a bike?

Basically after I told the neighbor what I saw, I took my shower and went about my day. The deputy never came over and asked what I saw.

What would you do?

I think what you did was right. Did not confront the kids and give them a chance to hide it, tell the owner, let them bring in the cops and deal with it that way.

 

[OceanAnnie]

You handled it perfectly.

I feel better now since most of you would have done the same.


I really didn't want to get too involved but there was no way I was letting it go.

I do have to live right next door to the friend of the thief and since he watched his friend steal the bike, he is just as guilty in my opinion. Things are awkard enough with this family since this is the same neighbor who stole part of my brick landscape edging to use as a fire ring a few weeks ago. Tensions are already high without another incident.

Did I read that right? Is this a "thieving family"? That would be the pits.

 

[horseshowmom]

I feel better now since most of you would have done the same.


I really didn't want to get too involved but there was no way I was letting it go.

I do have to live right next door to the friend of the thief and since he watched his friend steal the bike, he is just as guilty in my opinion. Things are awkard enough with this family since this is the same neighbor who stole part of my brick landscape edging to use as a fire ring a few weeks ago. Tensions are already high without another incident.

Do you mean the parent? If that's the case, no wonder their kid's a thief (I agree that he was an accomplice).

What did they say when you confronted them about your brick edging?

 

[WDWisTheBest]

I would have done what you did. Good job!!!

I agree with yours and others' assessment.

 

[pixiewings71]

You did what we would do.

 

[Metsfan520]

I would have done what you did.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I think you did the right thing here for sure. I would have called the cops if the neighbor was not home, but this way worked out better for you because you didn't have to get more involved.

Hopefully those boys were scared bad enough to never do it again.

 

[Karalea]

Do you mean the parent? If that's the case, no wonder their kid's a thief (I agree that he was an accomplice).

What did they say when you confronted them about your brick edging?

I am not sure exactly which member of the family stole the edging. I am pretty sure it was the kid as he had friends over a few weeks ago and they had a fire in the backyard. I noticed it was missing a few days after. They weren't home when I made the discovery and took it back. I did spraypaint a mark on the back of all of them just in case they go missing again.

I did speak to the "father" about it when I saw him the next morning. He acted like he had no idea what I was talking about but English is not his first language so who knows

He apologized but didn't sound so sincere. Since then his truck has blocked my driveway several times and trash such as plastic water bottles and soda cans have been thrown in my yard.

We just moved into this house in May and thought it was such a nice neighborhood.