Kids hanging around our estate (who don't live there)

Shary Bobbins

Hiya,

Without coming across as the neighbourhood grouch, we've had teenage boys hanging around our estate over the last few months and not really sure how to basically tell them to eff off. The only connection they have with the estate is that they're pals with the son of the couple who rent the house next door. But even if he's not at home they're still hanging around.

They don't make me nervous but I'm getting a bit concerned about what they find so fascinating about our estate, why they seem to be hanging around so much and what they're getting up to when they are - especially when we're all at work during the day and they're on mid-term and the like. It's the same three or four of them all the time - I'd say it's boredom or something along those lines but it's not an excuse. There's a field behind our garden (we're on the end of the block and no houses behind us) with a small ditch running between the field and the back fence of us and the semi next door, and they're running in and out of that tonight setting off bangers - they were setting them off on Saturday and I asked them to stop because it was really unsettling our cats :mad:. We've also adopted a couple of feral cats who are outside all the time so dread to think what it's doing to them. They can set off all the bangers they want but not sure why they can't just basically f*ck off and set them off somewhere else.

Live in a small community town so was going to approach some of the neighbours to see what they thought. We do have one Garda stationed part-time in the town and he's very community-orientated (not heavy handed so we're not talking arrests or anything like that) - I think this is a bit much but at the same time he'd probably know them/their families and might be able to gently discourage it.

Has anyone experienced anything similar; suggestions also welcome! Thanks!

djimi

Maybe Im reading this wrong, but bangers aside (which you are going to get everywhere at this time of year) I dont really see what they are doing wrong apart from just being there?

drumswan

Mind your own business

Qualitymark

And did they stop setting off the bangers? If they did, I'd say they're ok.
When I was a kid we used to have dens in secret places - we thought we were mad daring and adventurous, but we were good kids really.

Shary Bobbins

Pays to talk. Gave one of the neighbours a shout. Turns out they've actually been having serious problems with them over the last few months with trespassing among other things.

And as for the 'Mind your own business' comment. It is my business when teenagers who have no connection to the estate where I live are constantly loitering around my house and at the back of my garden for absolutely no reason.

No problems with them setting off bangers and can appreciate the time of year, but setting them off a stream of them for the best part of an hour in my front garden three days after I asked them not to is just plain rude in my book. But hey, that's just me.

Thanks.

Pabmac

Do you have a residents association you could have a word with?

Cd_doe

You mean there are members of the public hanging around public areas??

They are entitled to go where they please. As long as they aren't causing trouble you should just forget about it

Shary Bobbins

Sorry lads, didn't mean to snap, just getting pissed off with them and really was hoping for some constructive advice here! It's been every single bloody day and night for months. Was hoping the short nights would see an end to it but nope.

No residents association, pabmac. Although it's not restricted between me and my neighbour - it seems others on the estate have also had problems with them (including minor property damage) so me and my neighbour said we'd keep each other updated to see if we need to get heads together with the others to take it further. Trying not to get heavy as they're all young enough (early to mid teens) but it's starting to become a real issue and not just with me. If they were living on the estate then you'd almost say fair enough but that's not the case. Neighbours have had words with them but it's made no difference.

Oh well, see what happens. Am glad it's not just me - at least I know I'm not imagining it!

D3PO

I was reading and reading waiting to find out what anti social behavior was going on ..... seriously OP get a grip.

Shary Bobbins

Damage to more than one property on the estate is only one aspect.

Ok, if this happens to any of you then come back to me. Obviously hasn't to date and hope it doesn't, or you'd understand more. Maybe it's the way I worded the original post. Either way, its not pleasant.

Thanks anyway.

djimi

If you want to make a complaint then you are going to need to start putting together a log of genuine issues caused by these kids. You werent at all clear in the first post what they were actually doing wrong, but by the sounds of it there has been issues. If its more than just kids being kids then get some evidence together and go to the Gardai for advice.

Qualitymark

Maybe talk to a few more neighbours and seek consensus, discover whether there really was damage to any specific houses, or if gossip has turned "you never know that houses might be damaged" into "I've heard houses could have been damaged" and "houses were damaged, you know!"
If you find that there actually has been damage and it's recent and it is likely to have been caused by these children, maybe get together with neighbours and go to your local community garda, and ask him or her to liaise with the kids?
But be wary (I speak from experience) of believing vague descriptions without hard evidence.

Scortho

Shary Bobbins wrote: »

Damage to more than one property on the estate is only one aspect.

Ok, if this happens to any of you then come back to me. Obviously hasn't to date and hope it doesn't, or you'd understand more. Maybe it's the way I worded the original post. Either way, its not pleasant.

Thanks anyway.

Surely if private property was damaged then it should be reported to the gardaí?

zl1whqvjs75cdy

I really don't see the issue here. They aren't doing any harm so let them off. I would however be very careful about trying to get them to **** off. They will almost definitely do their best to annoy you as much as possible if you do that. Groups of young lads can be awful dickheads.

Shary Bobbins

Thanks. First post obviously wasn't clear enough so sorry about that.

Speaking with our local Garda did come up last night as he's very community-orientated given that the town is so small. Just wanted some ideas as to what else we could try before getting to that point. Unfortunately it's not just talk; neighbours are even padlocking side gates to stop them getting into gardens etc while we're all away at work (there is proof of this) as another side to this is if that if something happened on our property such as falling and breaking a bone (even though they're trespassing) then it's the houseowner who'd be held responsible.

Think the best course of action for now is to monitor it over the next few weeks (hopefully the change in weather will deter them) and if it continues then we'll have to have a residents meeting to see how best to move it.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Scortho

Shary Bobbins wrote: »

Thanks. First post obviously wasn't clear enough so sorry about that.

Speaking with our local Garda did come up last night as he's very community-orientated given that the town is so small. Just wanted some ideas as to what else we could try before getting to that point. Unfortunately it's not just talk; neighbours are even padlocking side gates to stop them getting into gardens etc while we're all away at work (there is proof of this) as another side to this is if that if something happened on our property such as falling and breaking a bone (even though they're trespassing) then it's the houseowner who'd be held responsible.

Think the best course of action for now is to monitor it over the next few weeks (hopefully the change in weather will deter them) and if it continues then we'll have to have a residents meeting to see how best to move it.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Best thing to deter them is security cameras on your property. Even the cheapo ones that you can get in aldi from time to time.
Mightn't stop them hanging around the estate, but should stop them trespassing on your property

terryduff12

Go to the guards that's what there are there for tell them there being a nuisance around the estate

Qualitymark

terryduff12 wrote: »

Go to the guards that's what there are there for tell them there being a nuisance around the estate

(Making sure first to assure yourself that they actually are, so you don't slander them.)

Scortho

Qualitymark wrote: »

(Making sure first to assure yourself that they actually are, so you don't slander them.)

How would you slander someone by reporting loitering?

Qualitymark

Scortho wrote: »

How would you slander someone by reporting loitering?

I don't think loitering is a crime any more.

You'd slander someone by insinuating that he'd damaged property.

djimi

Id say the best thing might be for your Garda to have a quiet word with these kids and tell them to stay out of peoples properties. If it is a case of kids just messing then a telling off from a Garda should put the fear of god into them.

If they ignore a Garda then you have bigger problems, but at least you will know what you are dealing with.

djimi

Qualitymark wrote: »

I don't think loitering is a crime any more.

You'd slander someone by insinuating that he'd damaged property.

You can approach them without actually accusing them of anything. Just being in peoples gardens is enough to get the Gardai involved, and it sounds as if the OP has proof of this.

Scortho

Qualitymark wrote: »

I don't think loitering is a crime any more.

You'd slander someone by insinuating that he'd damaged property.

Fair enough on the crime part.
However reporting suspicious activity by a gang of youths is hardly slander. If a guard came up to me and my friends when I was younger and told us to move on, then Id move on. I wouldn't be going all guns blazing and saying thats slander.

I would report criminal damage to the guards and if they asked any suspicious activity in the area and I said yes theres a gang of youths hanging around the place, not from the area, that can hardly be slander. Its suspicious activity and up to them to investigate surely?

Decuc500

In my area, mainly during the summer, there would be kids who don’t live in my estate hanging around in the green areas, drinking and being very loud (I mean shouting from one end of the road to the other, using obscenities etc). It’s basically the don’t s**t in your own backyard mentality. They wouldn’t dare do it where they live because their parents might catch them. I personally think this is completely unacceptable. I have called the guards in the past and so have some of my neighbours and the guards do move them away.

It’s a slightly different situation to yours because underage drinking was involved in my case. But you’re entitled to peace and quiet where you live and if kids (and non local kids makes it even more annoying) are upsetting that you have a right to complain.

the_syco

Shary Bobbins wrote: »

There's a field behind our garden (we're on the end of the block and no houses behind us) with a small ditch running between the field and the back fence of us and the semi next door

I'm thinking that this may be the reason that they're in your estate. From around the age of 6 or 7, to around the age of 16-18, I spent a lot of times making huts in the field behind my house. Maybe look into making access into the field not as easy. BE WARNED however, that you cannot be seen to have blocked it, or they'll just target your house.

As for not playing in their own estate, it could be a mix of "not sh|tting in ones back yard" and having being already told off by someone.

littleredspot

Shary Bobbins wrote: »

Without coming across as the neighbourhood grouch

I've waited the whole thread, giving you the benefit of the doubt, but every post you've made suggests that you are.

Why haven't you spoken to your next door neighbours? It's their child that is friends with the others, surely that would be the first port of call if they are causing actual damage? Or does the fact that they are renting have anything to do with it?:rolleyes:

I can only guess that you didn't grow up in a town/estate otherwise you'd know that of course exploring and hanging out in other estates is what young teens do. It's totally age appropriate. They didn't just randomly arrive en-mass to terrorise you. They call into their friend and hang around. Next thing you know they'll be kicking a ball around on your street:eek:

If there's a field beside you and not elsewhere that would be another great reason to play there. We spent many a day at that age building dens and bridges in the fields near my home (and crannogs when we learnt about them in school!) Just as we also played nick nacks and chasing through other peoples gardens. It used to be called an idyllic childhood. Now people like you worry about insurance claims.

cali_eire

D3PO wrote: »

I was reading and reading waiting to find out what anti social behavior was going on ..... seriously OP get a grip.

Hey now ... there is no need to be so dismissive of someone's concern - if you feel that way simply don't respond, your sentiments add nothing here except rudeness in my opinion. Boards is awesome but sometimes my fear is with responses like that it will stop people from contributing for fear of a slap down.

I have lived in some rough places in my time including where there were regular gangland crime with regular shootings and so I wouldn't consider myself timid or easily unsettled but youths setting off bangers and more at my back fence would fall into anti-social activity in my book and piss me off. Good luck to the OP and I hope a solution is found quickly.

Brown Bomber

Shary Bobbins wrote: »

We've also adopted a couple of feral cats who are outside all the time

I'd honestly much rather live beside this family with child + friends than you with your wild cats urinating everywhere.

aknitter

We've had this problem this summer and obviously a lot of you here have not dealt with it. As they are 'entitled' to do what they want in a public place, so too is the OP entitled to have his house and garden left in peace.

OP be careful, they saw us not taking the crap they were dishing out and started throwing stones at our house (we have 2 small kids & a teenager). We went to the parents - we knew some of the kids from our estate who were playing with these toe rags from another estate and that seemed to put paid to a lot of it. We also did not close our blinds and sat inside the window looking out - no teenager is so confident that they'll do something with you watching.

As many people here have pointed out - public place and people using it, turn it around on them, you go for a walk in their estate- make it obvious, my husband did this. I won't say its over but its stopped for now.

djimi

aknitter wrote: »

We've had this problem this summer and obviously a lot of you here have not dealt with it. As they are 'entitled' to do what they want in a public place, so too is the OP entitled to have his house and garden left in peace.

Any criticism of the OP stemmed from their initial vagueness with regards the problems caused. Kids hanging around an estate or playing in a field (even if they are setting off bangers at Halloween) is not really antisocial behaviour, and annoying as some people might find it they dont really have much cause for complaint as kids are entitled to be kids, so long as they are not really bothering anyone.

If there are further issues with trespassing and property damage as is now being suggested by the OP then obviously further measures have to be taken. But there has to be good reason to take action; you cant just move these kids on because you dont want them in the estate.

aknitter

djimi wrote: »

Any criticism of the OP stemmed from their initial vagueness with regards the problems caused. Kids hanging around an estate or playing in a field (even if they are setting off bangers at Halloween) is not really antisocial behaviour, and annoying as some people might find it they dont really have much cause for complaint as kids are entitled to be kids, so long as they are not really bothering anyone.

If there are further issues with trespassing and property damage as is now being suggested by the OP then obviously further measures have to be taken. But there has to be good reason to take action; you cant just move these kids on because you dont want them in the estate.

They are bothering people, the OP and his neighbours. other posts have clarified the initial vague one and there is trespassing and damage being done to property. These are not kids but teenagers.