Kids pool hopping

[3DisneyBuggs]

I can't believe kids have the nerve to do this again. Last night at 10 I was watching TV when my dog starts barking out the front window. I look out and see a bunch of kids with bathing suits walking by. I run to my back door ,throw the light on, and walk outside. One boy was in my yard already walking to the deck steps. He was surprised when he saw me and the spotlights. Outside of the fence I saw the heads of the other kids waiting. I was not very nice and said what the **** are you doing here. Get out or the police are coming. He mumbled that he thought it was his friend's house and left. MY DH was coming home with my DS and they drove around the neighborhood and he spotted the kids 2 blocks away> He told them not to go into people's pools.

This happened last summer too I'm sure by the same kids. One of my neighbors down the block chased them out of his pool and around the neighborhood. We have to go back to locking the gates at night and I hate it. A 6ft fence should keep kids out. Its another 100 degree day and Im hoping they don't come back tonight.

 

[JoiseyMom]

I can't believe kids have the nerve to do this again. Last night at 10 I was watching TV when my dog starts barking out the front window. I look out and see a bunch of kids with bathing suits walking by. I run to my back door ,throw the light on, and walk outside. One boy was in my yard already walking to the deck steps. He was surprised when he saw me and the spotlights. Outside of the fence I saw the heads of the other kids waiting. I was not very nice and said what the **** are you doing here. Get out or the police are coming. He mumbled that he thought it was his friend's house and left. MY DH was coming home with my DS and they drove around the neighborhood and he spotted the kids 2 blocks away> He told them not to go into people's pools.

This happened last summer too I'm sure by the same kids. One of my neighbors down the block chased them out of his pool and around the neighborhood. We have to go back to locking the gates at night and I hate it. A 6ft fence should keep kids out. Its another 100 degree day and Im hoping they don't come back tonight.

Wow..that would scare me. THe danger it presents to these kids. Do their parents have any idea what they are doing? DO the kids realize that tespassing is against the law? How old were these kids? Do they think no one was home?

 

[okeydokey]

Honestly, the next time they come back, let them sneak in the pool and let the cops catch them in the act. Then maybe the lesson would stick.

 

[minkydog]

Honestly, the next time they come back, let them sneak in the pool and let the cops catch them in the act. Then maybe the lesson would stick.

Absolutely. You need to play hard ball with these kids. They' are going to keep pushing it hoping that you will at some point relax and let down your guard. The local police can quickly disabuse them of that notion. And lock your gate immediately! I'm surprised that's not a condition of your homeowners insurance. You have a big old "nuisance" feature in your backyard (and it's not the neighbor kids!) Another thought: put up motion detector lights around your pool. And you might think about cameras. I'm not kidding. If one of those kids dies in your pool, their parents will sue the socks off you!

 

[Kimberly]

Have you looked into a pool alarm? Your neighbors might hate you if you have any seabirds/ducks flying into your pool that set it off, but it's worth it. The one in my pool is loud enough to sound like air raid sirens.

 

[WDSearcher]

Honestly, the next time they come back, let them sneak in the pool and let the cops catch them in the act. Then maybe the lesson would stick.

Will the cops do anything if you don't have a "No Tresspassing" or "Private Property" sign up? I mean ... I know it's implied that "my home / my property / only show up if invited", but without it posted can the kids really be arrested for trespassing? The gate was unlocked, it's not posted ... I'm not saying the kids should be allowed, but just wondering what the cops would do other than say "get out"? And then, well ... if the kids are looking for trouble, they've got a whole 'nother reason to target "the house where they called the cops."

The whole "what the F are you doing here" response seems a bit much, IMO, since this is the first time these kids have been seen. Saying "This pool is not for public use" while watching them leave would have been just as effective, wouldn't it?

And really ... the OP put the lock on the gate for a reason, right? Seems like it would solve the problem to just use the lock YOU put there.

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Great idea about the cops. Minkydog, my pool is not a "big old nuisance". My yard has a 6ft fence and homeowners insurance doesn't require it be locked. I don't even think the lock would keep the kids out anyway. We were away last weekend, with the gates locked. Our neighbor called to say their kid's baseball went into our yard and they heard glass breaking. The kids climbed the fence to get the ball but didn't see what broke. DH had left a Snapple bottle on the table and that's what broke.

 

[Disneylanding]

We had this SAME thing happen to my family a couple years back! This pack of 5-6 17/18 year olds would sneak in our pool late late at night early in the morning. Our lights were ALWAYS off so it looked like we were never home but realistically 3 of 9 people in the house are insomniacs and up ALL night so someone was always awake, anyways...We made the 'mistake' of pressing charges when we called the cops and had the cops 'catch them in the act'. They ended up coming back and pouring soap in the pool and TONS of kool aid in the pool. Turning the pool a grosssss black-ish color. It had to be drained and the bottom and walls were stained and had to be repained...total PAIN.
When the cop asks you if you would like to press charges ehh I'd tell him No. You just wanna scare the kids. Kids can be SO revengeful and just plain MEAN. They will know you mean buisness if the cop comes and they know YOU had the choice to press charges on them or not. Of course it's entirely up to you and DH if you chose to press charges or not i'm not saying all kids are the same but i'm just giving you a heads up with my story. Good luck to you!!

 

[3DisneyBuggs]

Some of these responses are so great. A private property sign- really?? I think everyone knows a private home is just that- private. Should stores post a sign saying payment is not optional? I mean, there is a price tag but how do I know I have to pay? Sheesh

 

[mamacatnv]

Some of these responses are so great. A private property sign- really?? I think everyone knows a private home is just that- private. Should stores post a sign saying payment is not optional? I mean, there is a price tag but how do I know I have to pay? Sheesh

Remember we live in a society that sues (and wins with lots of support and justification) over coffee that is too hot. Seems stupid, but people's attitudes never cease to amaze me.

Reminds me of the summer I was 16......oh man, what a summer that was and I turned out okay,,,,,,,however, I would so kick my kids patootie from here to china and back if I caught him doing something similar, but still, it kind of made me smile at first. Kids oh and I support your what the F response, that was reasonable IMO even if DH frowns at my language!

 

[WDSearcher]

Some of these responses are so great. A private property sign- really?? I think everyone knows a private home is just that- private. Should stores post a sign saying payment is not optional? I mean, there is a price tag but how do I know I have to pay? Sheesh

If you go back and read what I wrote, I was just asking what the cops could do if it did get to the point of pressing charges. Could they actually charge "tresspassing" if there were no signs indicating otherwise? Legalese being what it is, I'm thinking most lawyers would fall back on the "there wasn't a sign posted saying they couldn't be there, and the gate was open" defense.

(And in the example you used, the price tag IS the sign that says "this is what you pay". A better example would have been an item in a store that doesn't have a price tag. Even without a price tag, we all instinctively know that there is a price associated with the item. But in any case, I was simply asking the question, not saying you were in the wrong for not having a sign. Sheesh.)

However ... if you locked the gate and THEN the kids came in and used the pool, you'd have a rock solid case, since the place was locked and they, presumably, broke in. A locked gate is also a sure-fire way of letting kids know they're not welcome, at which point they CAN be arrested for trespassing. Either way, lock the gate, solve the problem. Seems pretty simple.

 

[minkydog]

Great idea about the cops. Minkydog, my pool is not a "big old nuisance". My yard has a 6ft fence and homeowners insurance doesn't require it be locked. I don't even think the lock would keep the kids out anyway. We were away last weekend, with the gates locked. Our neighbor called to say their kid's baseball went into our yard and they heard glass breaking. The kids climbed the fence to get the ball but didn't see what broke. DH had left a Snapple bottle on the table and that's what broke.

I don't mean your pool is a nuisance to YOU. It's what they call in insurance circles "an attractive nuicance." In other words, it attracts negative attention just by virtue of the fact that it *is* a pool.

 

[hereyago]

Lock your gate to protect your hind parts. And it would be nice to have oh, a remote control shark,snake,etc. just for kicks in there, sorry, I am in a goofy mood. I like the pool alarm too, motion lights a scary voice telling them to get out.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Great idea about the cops. Minkydog, my pool is not a "big old nuisance". My yard has a 6ft fence and homeowners insurance doesn't require it be locked. I don't even think the lock would keep the kids out anyway. We were away last weekend, with the gates locked. Our neighbor called to say their kid's baseball went into our yard and they heard glass breaking. The kids climbed the fence to get the ball but didn't see what broke. DH had left a Snapple bottle on the table and that's what broke.

Don't be offended my the word nuisance, a pool and trampoline ect are often referred to (insurance) as attractive nuisances, meaning they attract people, and the owner must deter this "attraction"

ETA: Just spoke with DH(insurance agent), even with the fence and a lock you could be held liable if anyone(invited or not) were to get hurt. Using a lock(everyday all year) MAY reduce your liability. You really need to talk candidly with your agent about your liability and what you can do to lower it. Fence, check, lock, needs to be an all the time thing, motion sensor lights, probably a good idea. Also ask you agent if having the police issue a trespass warning helps you out in proving that you tried to keep them out. Again all policies/carriers are different so call yours and ask specifically about these kids sneaking in and your liability.

 

[chabs]

I would take the opposite approach. Tell them that they're more than welcome to swim in your pool but they have to help maintain it-come over and vaccum it once a week or mow the lawn.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I might be in the minority here, but I wouldn't think it's the biggest problem in the world. What's wrong with letting the kids swim in the pool on a hot day? Yes, I understand they weren't invited but I wouldn't lose my [stuff] over it either. I'd just ask them to leave (as in no confrontation, profanity, or mean-ness) or invite them to stay for a little bit.

I remember as a kid, anyone who treated us (kids) like actual people, even if we did something wrong, got treated with a LOT more respect. Anyone who would have called the cops or had been a total jerk would have had to pay for that later. I never did it, I didn't need to, there were plenty of other takers on that. I just can imagine my friend Jimmy, in his 7th grade form, egging someone's car just because they were a jerk to him. Or sort of the opposite, skipping a person's (who treated him nicely) house in a TPing stint.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Actually it is kind of a big deal. They are sneaking in after dark(10pm) to use a pool in her backyard. If they slip and fall or dive in and hit their heads or in anyway get hurt their parents can sue her for a lot of money. The OP needs to find a way to make this stop, even if it wasn't a liability problem, do you really want teenagers playing around your back yard when your trying to go to bed.

 

[buckler]

Lock your gate to protect your hind parts. And it would be nice to have oh, a remote control shark,snake,etc. just for kicks in there, sorry, I am in a goofy mood. I like the pool alarm too, motion lights a scary voice telling them to get out.

I guess my sense of humor is even worse...my first thought was stocking the pool with piranhas.

 

[sunnyday123]

When I saw the title, I swear the first thing that popped into my head was, "A thread about just kids pool hopping at the resorts!?"

That would annoy me. I should probably apologize to the people who's pools I hopped.

Do you have motion detector lights? How about a big dog?

 

[princessmom29]

Will the cops do anything if you don't have a "No Tresspassing" or "Private Property" sign up? I mean ... I know it's implied that "my home / my property / only show up if invited", but without it posted can the kids really be arrested for trespassing? The gate was unlocked, it's not posted ... I'm not saying the kids should be allowed, but just wondering what the cops would do other than say "get out"? And then, well ... if the kids are looking for trouble, they've got a whole 'nother reason to target "the house where they called the cops."

The whole "what the F are you doing here" response seems a bit much, IMO, since this is the first time these kids have been seen. Saying "This pool is not for public use" while watching them leave would have been just as effective, wouldn't it?

And really ... the OP put the lock on the gate for a reason, right? Seems like it would solve the problem to just use the lock YOU put there.

Yes they can be arrested. it is YOUR HOME. They have no right to be there. I don't see how that could even be a question. I would equate it to breaking into my house and rading the fride. You are using someone else's stuff without permission. In many states, the is what's called a "castle law" that allows a homeowner to shoot someone they percieve a threat in thier home as well. In rural areas especially trespassing has become very serious business because proplerty owners can be held liable for anything that happen to the idiots while they are on the property. My FIL frequestly has to call the sheriff. They have 1,000 acres with a couple of ponds, a creek and a gravel pit.