[pro2am]

Well, the last two nights it appears that a parent or two in the neighborhood doesn't know that their kids are sneaking out. My neighbor across the street had his mailbox set on fire, the pole and box, which was plastic, was burnt to the ground. They also pulled up the street sign and threw it in my yard. This morning I woke up to the street sign in my bushes, and a "for rent" sign in the front yard. After the police report was made, the officer said that a number of mailbox's in the neighborhood were broken. No others were burnt down.

Except for the arson, it's pretty harmless. Does anyone have any experience in juvenile vandalism...as in...if the neighbor(s) or I catch them doing it, can we detain them and call the cops. I'm always weary of what I can or can not do with juveniles.

We all have a fairly good idea who it is...but have no proof, until they're caught.

 

[jrm]

If you catch them in the very act (flagrante delicto, as it were), you should be able to arrest them without causing yourself too much trouble. If you arrest anybody (not just a juvenile) without cause, you expose yourself to a false imprisonment civil suit.

On the other hand, if they are neighbor kids and you know who they are, it isn't really necessary to arrest them (you can ID them). Or, you could photograph them for later identification. Either of these saves you the hassle of trying to hold them without hurting them or the possibility of a civil suit.

If you do have to arrest them, you might want to make sure you have witnesses. You also might want to avoid taking them into your house. Kids will say just about anything to get out of trouble, including making up things like you molested them or beat them.

 

[pro2am]

JRM,

I have kids of my own, so I am very aware that they will lie to get out of trouble.

My neighbor went out and purchased a wildlife camera, used for hunting or tracking deer, and is planning on putting it out after dark, and collecting before he goes to work in the morning. It's supposed to be movement triggered. He was pretty p'od about his mailbox, but he knows better than to use too much force in this situation.

You confirmed what I was thinking already. I just hope that the parents care enough that if the kids are caught sneaking out they put an end to it before somebody mistakes them for a burglar and they get hurt real bad.

Thanks for the response.

 

[merlock]

How times change....

I was in my mid-teens in the SF Bay area, and a bunch of us went to the east side hills to cause some trouble. We came across some sleeping cattle, and tried to tip one of them. :twisted:

Long story short, the rancher had been watching us...3 out of the 5 of us (I was one of them) got a butt full of salt rock. :shoot: :shock: :shattered:

I guess that wouldn't be a wise thing to do nowadays, huh?

 

[atlctyslkr]

Depending on how close you live in proximity to other you might be able to get away with the rocksalt shells. I don't think I could do it where I live. In the old days even if it was reported the good-ole-boy sherrif that showed up probably would have just laughed at the kids and took the side of the property owner. Do that now and you'll do time.