kids terrorising elderly people

newcook

Hi all,

I really hope someone has some suggestions! My friends grandparents are having issues with some little brats in the area – over the last few nights they have stood outside my friends grandparents house shouting abuse at them (for no reason I might add) and have smashed their fence. They also tresspass onto the garden.

My friend has stayed at his grandparents for the last few nights as they are terrified they are going to be broken into by these little sods – they only seem to disappear when my friend goes to approach them.

Last night they called the police (who arrived 3 hours after being called) who said they cant do anything as there is no evidence so my friend said he will record it on his phone only to be told that if he was to do this he could end up in trouble himself as its kids!!!!

My friend and his grandparents are at a loss what to do – does anyone have any suggestions please?!!

PasturesNew

I'd stick up cctv in the garden, with recording. It's not good. My parents were being terrorised 15 years ago.... teens. I bought a video recorder and staked out the house until they came past the next night - and got the video, phoned the police, showed them the footage. Never had a moment's trouble since.

newcook

I suggested this to my friend but he said when he told the police he was going to film them that they said he could end up in trouble himself for filming kids!!

BJV

Sorry do not have any suggestions but wanted to say so sorry. It would be one of my worst nightmares to have this happen. Not to feel safe and secure in your own home.


The only thing I would suggest it to take photos and keep calling the police. Surely if you keep calling they must take notice eventually.


Again so sorry.

Mojisola

newcook wrote: »

I suggested this to my friend but he said when he told the police he was going to film them that they said he could end up in trouble himself for filming kids!!

So are all the cctvs illegal because they film children?

I suspect that whichever officer gave that advice was wrong.

Set up a good cctv covering the front garden.

https://www.problemneighbours.co.uk/cctv-privacy-and-the-law.html

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/tvp_domestic__advice_leaflet.pdf
"It is perfectly legal to install CCTV to protect your property against intruders and trespassers, subject to any Planning and other considerations."
"The right to respect for private and family life means that your CCTV cameras should be sited so that they only observe activity on your property and not your neighbours."

moneyistooshorttomention

Mojisola wrote: »

So are all the cctvs illegal because they film children?

I suspect that whichever officer gave that advice was wrong.

Set up a good cctv covering the front garden.

www.problemneighbours.co.uk/cctv-privacy-and-the-law.html

I'd agree with this.

My suspicion is that its a particular police officer being a bit too "politically correct" (or perhaps, to be more accurate, "scared of his own shadow") and I would ignore him and set up that camera anyway.

If scaredy-cat policeman tried telling me off, then I would be straight off to his superior officer (or, if need be, there must be some sort of "consumers of police services" type body it would be possible to go to I would have thought??) and saying that I had every right to take photos in my own garden and those children wouldn't be having their photos taken in the first place if they weren't trespassing.

I wouldn't hesitate to set up a camera if this sort of thing were happening to me and they could consider themselves lucky if that was all I did....

dandelionclock30

As above ask the police for a copy of their complaints procedure and put in a complaint.Theres also the crime commisioner for their area that they can bring it up with.
If failing that they still dont do anything then the parents need to contact their M.P and the Police have to answer to him/her.
Get them to set up a CCTV and record all incidents and tell them to keep on reporting incidents to the police.
They are supposed to act when vulnerable people are being harrassed.

duchy

You can film what you like on your property.
You are filming your property.
If you target a personal camera AT a child it becomes targeting a child.
So a CCTV camera filming your property is fine .......the kids are a by product not the specific target.

BucksLady

A few years ago, an elderly man living a few doors away from parents, became the victim of abuse from some local children. When he was out tending his garden they would shoot at him with water pistols. One day my mum found him outside crying, which was so sad. My parents told his son who caught the kids in the act one afternoon. The following day he presented himself at the school which the children attended and explained the situation to the Head Teacher. He had taken a number of photographs and the children were identified. The children admitted to their crime, the parents were called in to discuss the matter, and the poor man received an apology. There has been no trouble since - thank goodness.

I haven't a clue about the 'legality' of the son taking the photos - but his course of actions worked for his dad.

pmlindyloo

Have they spoken to the parents of the children? Surely this must be the first step?

atolaas

I had problems with the local "yuff"...I called 101 to report the problem to the police. At my last flat, I had a high window in my lounge. The kids had found that they could look in through the window from the car park space above. They then decided to take pics of me in my lounge with their camera phones. At the time I'd not long come out of hospital and had my right leg bandaged from knee to toe (its a long story that I don't want to go into...I'm fine now) and as a single mum in my 30's I found the whole experience very intimidating. I can't praise the community liason officer who came over to see me enough. He was in my home for ages calming me down and assuring me that he would sort the matter out. He even called me a couple of weeks later to make sure that there had been no further incidents and there hadn't been.
Call 101 and report any further incidents. Your local police should have a good idea of who the local troublemakers are and they will be able to have a "quiet word". If you are reluctant to take photos or unable to install CCTV, look out for any distinguishing features these trouble makers may have. All I had to do was to mention that one of the kids harassing me had really gappy buck teeth and the officer knew exactly who I was talking about. Good luck to you and I hope this gets sorted soon xx