Busted some kids ringing our doorbell and running...

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Why do I feel bad now?

This is the second time in as many weeks that it's happened. We have a leaded glass front door (on its way out now, thanks to them) and both times I was sitting in front of it. So, I was in plan view, I'm sure.

Both times my husband went to the door and nobody was there. The last time I mentioned that it would have really freaked me out, had I been home alone (since he works 24/48 at the station).

This time my husband took off after them and caught four boys - around 12, I guess? - hiding underneath a neighbor's car. I heard my husband shouting at them to come out, so I went outside. He had them all lined up walking down the street.

We took the first three home (two were brothers, with a boy spending the night) and the parents were very cool about it. I explained that we were both licensed to carry handguns and that we'd told the boys how dangerous it could be to do something so stupid, no matter how harmless it may seem. Ironically, it happened to the boys parents three weeks ago.

Then we took the fourth boy home. His father was scary-mad at him. He just stood there and glared at him. The boy finally slinked his way into his house and I told the father that he seemed like a very sweet boy and that I really didn't think he meant any harm, but I just feel so bad now. I think we got that boy in some pretty bad trouble.

And on top of that, one of the boys (the one spending the night with the two brothers) was very belligerent to my husband and I'm concerned about what he could do to my house.

I hope we handled this the right way.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

Wasn't there just a thread about a Church Helper teaching the Kids the fine Art of Ding and Ditching.

And yes you did the correct thing . Now it's in the parents hands and the Police should be called if something else happens . One will break and snitch the others as you will know it was them

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Wasn't there just a thread about a Church Helper teaching the Kids the fine Art of Ding and Ditching.

And yes you did the correct thing . Now it's in the parents hands and the Police should be called if something else happens . One will break and snitch the others as you will know it was them

I must have missed that gem!

I know kids will be kids, and all I wanted to accomplish was them being too scared to do it again. I'm just worried that the one kid will get much more than that.

Oh yeah... and I'm worried the other one will spray paint my house.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

The most important point you made was how dangerous it is what they're doing. Back in the day it was pretty much a harmless prank, but we live in a different world now. I think it's commendable that you took the time to get involved to the extent that you walked the boys home. Lots of people probably would have just given them a talking to and then dismissed them to be on their way. As a parent, I would appreciate the way you handled it and giving me the opportunity to discuss it with my child. As for the mad dad, well let that be a lesson for the young lad and hopefully the guy won't be too rough on his kid.

 

[Orange County Girl]

Good for you. I hate getting Ding Dong Ditched. Especially in the middle of the night.

 

[KyraS]

Around here the kids would never Ding Dong Ditch someone they don't know! They think it's hillarious to do it to each other though. However, they usually knock on the bedroom window of the friend first and run and then if there is no response they will Ding Dong Ditch the door.

Every single parent I know (friends of my kids) has had this happen and expect it. Thankfully they don't do it in the middle of the night.

I would be mad at my kids too if they thought it was okay to do it to strangers. May have to have a talk to them anyway just to make sure they know how dangerous it could be.

 

[waltsgirl]

What time was it? Everyone keeps saying "the middle of the night" but I don't think your post said anything about time. When you said "around 12" didn't you mean the ages of the boys??

I am not sure I would have chased them and done all that, but then I am also not licensed to carry a handgun.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

What time was it? Everyone keeps saying "the middle of the night" but I don't think your post said anything about time. When you said "around 12" didn't you mean the ages of the boys??

I am not sure I would have chased them and done all that, but then I am also not licensed to carry a handgun.

It was about 9pm. Late enough for me to be in my robe. The boys were around 12. It was too late and they were too old, IMO.

The first time it happened, there was no chasing. It was the second time that my husband went walking around. It wasn't really chasing. The kids hid under a car a few houses down - so there really wasn't much legwork involved.

 

[Sleepy]

Luckily you just get a ding. Here, we get a loud nerve jolting buzz which nobody can press just once. They have to press it like an impatient person at an elevator door.

You then answer the phone (telecom system) to see if you want the person to gain entry through your gate because you can't see them from the front door. We have 4 houses in my "complex" with no indication of who lives where. So, usually when I get buzzed, there is nobody on the other end because they managed to find the right house. Sometimes it is the neighbor boys who play out on the main street and have kicked their ball inside our gate. Try getting a buzz buzz buzz buzz buzz about 8 times an hour. It's enough to make you crazy.

 

[shortbun]

I'm not sure I would have been as dramatic as taking the boys home. They are not vandals. Also, what does being licensed to carry have to do with what they did? You would shoot at someone who rang your doorbell and ran? In that case, you might consider giving up your guns as this does not seem like an offense that would require firing a weapon.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I think you did the right thing. I wonder if the parents knew the boys were out roaming the neighborhood? I have a 9 year old daughter and I would not mind if someone brought her bad behavior to my attention.

On a side note, I love the look of glass doors, and they seem really popular around here (S FL) but I would never have them because I would be too "creeped out" and feel on display. There have been times when my doorbell has rang and I look out my peep hole and see it is a Jehovah's Witness, salesperson, whatever, and just don't answer the door. I don't even care if they can hear me inside the house, if I don't know someone, I will NOT open the door. If I had a glass door, it would be a bit more awkward!!!

 

[grlpwrd]

I'm not sure I would have been as dramatic as taking the boys home. They are not vandals. Also, what does being licensed to carry have to do with what they did? You would shoot at someone who rang your doorbell and ran? In that case, you might consider giving up your guns as this does not seem like an offense that would require firing a weapon.

I agree.

I think the gun thing was a bit extreme and also the fact your dh rounded them up like that. I sure hope you all didn't take them home in a car. That would really be overstepping your bounds.

Busted some kids ringing our doorbell and running...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why do I feel bad now?

This is the second time in as many weeks that it's happened. We have a leaded glass front door (on its way out now, thanks to them) and both times I was sitting in front of it. So, I was in plan view, I'm sure.

Both times my husband went to the door and nobody was there. The last time I mentioned that it would have really freaked me out, had I been home alone (since he works 24/48 at the station).

This time my husband took off after them and caught four boys - around 12, I guess? - hiding underneath a neighbor's car. I heard my husband shouting at them to come out, so I went outside. He had them all lined up walking down the street.

We took the first three home (two were brothers, with a boy spending the night) and the parents were very cool about it. I explained that we were both licensed to carry handguns and that we'd told the boys how dangerous it could be to do something so stupid, no matter how harmless it may seem. Ironically, it happened to the boys parents three weeks ago.

Then we took the fourth boy home. His father was scary-mad at him. He just stood there and glared at him. The boy finally slinked his way into his house and I told the father that he seemed like a very sweet boy and that I really didn't think he meant any harm, but I just feel so bad now. I think we got that boy in some pretty bad trouble.

And on top of that, one of the boys (the one spending the night with the two brothers) was very belligerent to my husband and I'm concerned about what he could do to my house.

I hope we handled this the right way.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

I'm not sure I would have been as dramatic as taking the boys home. They are not vandals. Also, what does being licensed to carry have to do with what they did? You would shoot at someone who rang your doorbell and ran? In that case, you might consider giving up your guns as this does not seem like an offense that would require firing a weapon.

From the OP I got that she wanted to let the kids know that you never know what kind of weapons are in a house or who will react in what way when they're messed with.

I explained that we were both licensed to carry handguns and that we'd told the boys how dangerous it could be to do something so stupid, no matter how harmless it may seem.

I don't see anything in the first post that indicates she felt like maybe it would be OK to wing one of the kids if they ran. She seems a bit remorseful just telling the father of the one.

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

Maybe it just hasn't happened to me enough yet, but I don't see the HUGE big deal about kids ringing doorbells and running. It happened to us a few months ago, just neighborhood kids doing it and running. I stepped on the front porch and yelled something like "ya, ya--you kids are funny. Go home" And they did.

I don't think I would go chasing neighborhood kids around the neighborhood and rounding them up just for ringing a doorbell.

If they egged the house, or rolled the yard--sure.

Did you know the neighborhood kids that did this? I also certainly hope you didn't drive them home in your car. If I was hell-bent on telling the parents I would have had them walk home and I would have followed behind them.

Sorry, but I would be worried about "pay-backs".

 

[MushyMushy]

I think it was great that you told the parents. Who wouldn't want to know if their child was up to mischief?

I think you did the right thing. I wonder if the parents knew the boys were out roaming the neighborhood? I have a 9 year old daughter and I would not mind if someone brought her bad behavior to my attention.

On a side note, I love the look of glass doors, and they seem really popular around here (S FL) but I would never have them because I would be too "creeped out" and feel on display. There have been times when my doorbell has rang and I look out my peep hole and see it is a Jehovah's Witness, salesperson, whatever, and just don't answer the door. I don't even care if they can hear me inside the house, if I don't know someone, I will NOT open the door. If I had a glass door, it would be a bit more awkward!!!

Two of our doors are glass and they made me really paranoid the first several months we lived here because I'm the type who won't answer the door when strangers come knocking. I've since gotten used to them, though. The front door has a long blind covering it. The side door that everyone uses looks right in on the recliner where I sit. I used to think that you could see straight through to the recliner, but I've noticed that, in the daytime, you can't see into the house at all because of the reflection in the glass. I still don't know about nighttime.

 

[shortbun]

I think it was great that you told the parents. Who wouldn't want to know if their child was up to mischief?



As the mother of a 12yo boy, I WOULD want to know but I would NOT want someone insinuating that kids could be shot for ringing doorbells. Sorry but I think that's very radical. IMHO, anyone who thinks they might shoot at someone ringing their doorbell should not be a gun owner. I'm FOR responsible gun ownership and use. This would fit neither. My sister belongs to the NRA and she agrees with me. She says children's pranks are not a reason to fire a weapon, nor threaten the possibility.

 

[friend of pooh]

While the OP may be a responsible gun owner, not everyone is. I think that is what she was trying to explain to the kids. If they are Ding Dong Ditching her house and they are strangers, they most likely are doing it to others too. You never know how some people will react.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Hmmm. I read the OP several times, just to make sure. All I got out of it is the some boys were playing Ding Dong Ditch

I live in the same close knit neighborhood where DH and I grew up in, as do probably 75% of the families here do (our neighborhood is like Mayberry, stuck in the middle of a big city ). We used to play ding dong ditch, and actually, it would probably make me smile a bit to know that kids were playing the "old fashion" games that we used to play, instead of sitting inside playing video games.

I really don't think its that big of a deal to go chasing the kids down the block - who knows maybe one of them could have gotten hit by a car, and then what?

 

[eh24fan]

We had some kids do this 3 times in one night a week or so ago. The first time was annoying, but ok, fine, it's only 8:30pm. They were being funny, ha ha. SO opened the door, no one there, but then they told on themselves by yelling "Merry Christmas" from their hiding place. LOL Then at 10pm they did it again. No longer funny guys. It's late, we have kids and it's just annoying. So SO decided to go out and sit on the side porch to scare them if they did it again. These kids were probably about 12 years old by the way. The 2nd time they did it we answered the door again and I yelled out that if they did it again the cops would be called. I'm home alone most nights because he works 2nd shift and I'm not dealing with this crap. So anyway, after sitting out there about 20 minutes I told him to come in because it was too cold out there and they were gone. HA As soon as he got inside they did it to the back door!!! He was so mad. LOL He took off after them and boy did they run! I called the cops and they were looking for them too. They haven't been back and I doubt they will be.

 

[PolyAddict]

Hmmm. I read the OP several times, just to make sure. All I got out of it is the some boys were playing Ding Dong Ditch

I live in the same close knit neighborhood where DH and I grew up in, as do probably 75% of the families here do (our neighborhood is like Mayberry, stuck in the middle of a big city ). We used to play ding dong ditch, and actually, it would probably make me smile a bit to know that kids were playing the "old fashion" games that we used to play, instead of sitting inside playing video games.

I really don't think its that big of a deal to go chasing the kids down the block - who knows maybe one of them could have gotten hit by a car, and then what?

This is also very common around here also and we do not consider it a big deal, the kids only do this to friends of theirs and it never happens later than 10pm and these are teens. One of my co-workers gets "forked", they put hundreds of plastic forks in her lawn. Now thats a little over the top.