People congregating under my flat

Ellie83

I just need a good moan really. I live in a flat on top of two garages and an archaway leading to a private carpark designed for a couple of houses on our cul-de-sac.

Teenagers in our village are now using it as the new place to hang out as they are hidden from view and can therefore drink, etc. They have been seen trespassing into my back garden on several occasions by neighbours.

Yesterday, they were burning plastic bags. I even found the remnants this morning while going to work I found a condom too, which I hope they used as a balloon and not for anything else :eek:

My neighbour confronted them a day or two ago but they were so abusive that I don't fancy going there myself.

Anyhoo, there probably isn't much that can be done by posting on a public forum, but it is good to vent .

Do you know if it is possible to request a face-to-face appointment with a local PCSO?

I considered adopting a doberman but I think I would be the one scared of the dog :rotfl:

unholyangel

Are the houses privately owned? If it is on grounds of the local authority, you could contact them to see if anything can be done.

Something similar was going on along the street from my parents and the council put up padlocked gates (with the residents then given a key) to stop them.

You could call the police although this may infuriate the teens. What kind of teens are they? I know many who would react badly if they were approached badly but who would be reasonable if spoken to on equal footing.

What i mean is, if you werent abusive or threatening to them, do you think they would have a conversation with you? Maybe that you understand they need somewhere to go, but you'd appreciate it if they would at least tidy up after themselves and try and keep the noise down? Maybe even say if they leave their rubbish in a carrier bag, you'll dispose of it in your bin?

Given that you've said they were abusive to your neighbour, this may not be possible but it could just be that your neighbour has been abusive to them first.

PasturesNew

Play some hideous classical music... can you rig up a wireless tiny speaker? Or investigate one of those boxes that emits a noise that's hideous to them.

Also, let the local PCSO blokes know... they're the ones that walk about ... tell them they need to walk about where you live a bit more.

hoyles10

Ellie83 wrote: »

Yesterday, they were burning plastic bags. I even found the remnants this morning while going to work I found a condom too, which I hope they used as a balloon and not for anything else :eek:

If they have just been using them as balloons then you may have their kids hanging about in 14 years time as well

I do know how you feel though, we used to live next to a ginnel leading to some waste land then the estate behind us and we used to have kids lurking about, being a pain and smashing holes in the fences. It stopped after a couple of years when one of the neighbours and his 2 sons went and 'had a word' with them one night.

I wouldn't suggest confronting them though but I think you should be able to get a couple of PCSO's pop by a few times and hopefully the kids will get the message.

WhiteHorse

Contact local beat officer, council etc. Other ploys are possible too, depending on the locale. Large toothy dogs can be walked there, obstacles placed, external lights, etcetera.

unholyangel

Do they have to climb anything to get into your garden? If so how about some anti-climb paint?

http://www.anti-climb-paint.co.uk/

Ellie83

unholyangel wrote: »

Are the houses privately owned? If it is on grounds of the local authority, you could contact them to see if anything can be done.

Something similar was going on along the street from my parents and the council put up padlocked gates (with the residents then given a key) to stop them.

My neighbour thought of that and we are going to find out but it seems no one at the council can tell us who owns this piece of land.


You could call the police although this may infuriate the teens. What kind of teens are they? I know many who would react badly if they were approached badly but who would be reasonable if spoken to on equal footing.

I called the police, several times. And they caught them only twice. The first time, the police told the kids that there had been "complaints" and asked them to move. He didn't bother looking under the archway where a dozen beer can were spilled all over the floor. I could smell it from my open window (hence how I heard everything that the police officer said).

Second time was 2 minutes ago and the police officer told them to go and "play" in the kid's play area, telling them he was sorry to make them move but some people just like complaining for nothing!

They are verbally abusive, but they wouldn't get away with physical abuse as everyone knows them. I live in a small village of 1000 inhabitants.

I heard my neighbour spoke to them, I wouldn't have done better. But when they're drunk, I'd rather not tempt it.

What i mean is, if you werent abusive or threatening to them, do you think they would have a conversation with you? Maybe that you understand they need somewhere to go, but you'd appreciate it if they would at least tidy up after themselves and try and keep the noise down? Maybe even say if they leave their rubbish in a carrier bag, you'll dispose of it in your bin?

It's not so much the fact that they're under the arch, it's the drinking and playing with matches that gets to me. And the noise. Our bedroom is just above the archway. Being waken up at midnight by a bunch of drunk teenagers...

And now they'll know we were the one who called the police

Given that you've said they were abusive to your neighbour, this may not be possible but it could just be that your neighbour has been abusive to them first.

PasturesNew wrote: »

Play some hideous classical music... can you rig up a wireless tiny speaker? Or investigate one of those boxes that emits a noise that's hideous to them.

Also, let the local PCSO blokes know... they're the ones that walk about ... tell them they need to walk about where you live a bit more.

I spoke to the local PCSO on the phone, but given the response of the police officers the two times they caught them "red handed", I want to meet with him face to face so I can tell him how I feel. Is it possible? He is sympathetic, and tells us to report them everytime they gather there, but his colleagues clearly do not think the same.

I thought of classical music actually, I may do just that

The message about the condom NOT being used properly really made me laugh :rotfl:Thank God, I am only a tenant, so I won't have to stay here for long

Ellie83

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Contact local beat officer, council etc. Other ploys are possible too, depending on the locale. Large toothy dogs can be walked there, obstacles placed, external lights, etcetera.

I think I'll call the council as well. I didn't know you could call the council to report anti-social behaviour In my home country, the police deals with this sort of problems. Thanks for the suggestions

unholyangel wrote: »

Do they have to climb anything to get into your garden? If so how about some anti-climb paint?

http://www.anti-climb-paint.co.uk/

Yes, they have to climb over the wall, I will have to ask my landlady to see whether she would let me use it or not. I didn't know that existed, how ingenious!

unholyangel

Ellie83 wrote: »

Yes, they have to climb over the wall, I will have to ask my landlady to see whether she would let me use it or not. I didn't know that existed, how ingenious!

Quite I'm sure it was actually on MSE i first heard about it. As for the point about lights (i think whitehorse made?), having a motion sensor light might discourage them from congregating there.

Teenagers rarely want to be in plain sight when they're getting up to no good!

As for the not being physically abusive because its a small village......what about their parents? Are they the type of parents to discipline their kids or let them run riot? Maybe drop them a letter anonymously if you dont want them knowing its you?

As a teenager (and still now even as an adult!) i am more terrified of my mother than i am of the police!

ukjoel

I think you should have a medeival theme night at your flat with maybe yourself and a good DVD.

At the appointed time tip the vat of boiling oil over the balcony followed by large boulders. Then prepare your longbow and a few arrows to see off any stragglers.

Alternatively a hose may do the job.

4743hudsonj

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/p-jokes/toilet/stink-bombs.html