Effing teenagers this Halloween

[GoodForTheSoul]

We've lived in this house for quite a few years now, do Halloween every time. We do a mixture of opening the door and leaving a bowl in our decorated porch. Most of our neighbours do the same and there's never been any issues. Until this year.

After beig cleared out a couple of times pretty early in, I did some watching from the upstairs windows. And I've noticed gangs of teenagers (easily about 16) go through the street both knocking on doors and emptying any bowls they came across... Then running off and returning a few minutes later, trying to sweep through any refills

There's realy no point to this thread other than me having a rant. As I've said above, this has never been an issue so it made me wander if anyone had a similar experience this year? Are teenagers these days really so bored/badly mannered to spend an evening doing this?

Us and next door took all our sweets in and only opened the door to genuine trick or treaters for the rest of the night. It would be a shame for the little ones to miss out (walking around in this hideous weather too) because others are so selfish.

Rant over

We've been really lucky here, no grabby teens whatsoever. Rather adorably the older kids we encountered whilst out and about made sure my DD (nearly 4) was front and centre if we all happened on the same doorstep at the same time and were even sneaking her sweets from their own buckets. We did have some right grabby twats a couple of years back though and I told them off when they took handfuls and made them put half of it back!

The teenagers round our end have apparently been trying fireworks at cars & have literally set something on fire 😣

The actual trick or treaters have been lovely though. Only the smallest who don’t know any better ones took more than one.

@Crossfitwidow bellwhiffers! 😃

I just had a bunch of lads hammering on my door who then looked very sheepish when I told them to clear out before they woke the baby. Funny they were apologetic... but they could easily be intimidating to someone vulnerable. 10 or so lads in dark clothing.

Every local Facebook page for a good radius round me has complaints about teens who are not even local in many cases taking all the sweets and literally just tipping the lot into large carrier bags. There has been threatening behaviour when challenged, and some ran bikes into people who were walking with small children.

Last night a group of teens went round a large estate destroying pumpkins and decorations, I don’t think it is just a few behaving badly in some areas.

Similar here, smashed eggs all over the village, and 2 of the bins on the rec were set on fire.

Fairly nice village in the SE. Little shits.

We had a teenager / young adult at the door tonight … on his knees. Trying to make out he was a young child …ffs…. Like we born yesterday …!!

Same here, nice request this morning on the estate FB group as to who wanted visitors and who didn't.
This evening lots of upset people who have had their big bowls of sweets emptied in 5 minutes including 1 lady who has even had her mixing bowl taken!

We had lots of teenagers, so polite. We had a crazy amount of trick or treaters all were lovely, said thank you and wished a happy Halloween. I ran out of sweets at 7 and took the pumpkins in and no more knocks. Can't believe I handed out 100 pack of haribos. I guess kids missed out last year so bigger this year.

someone stole our pumpkin!

There's a post on my local Facebook group of a parent coming along and emptying the whole bowl of sweets into their child's bag - ring footage has been put up & it's astonishing

@RightOnTheEdge

There have been loads of complaints about teenagers on our local Facebook page tonight. Hammering on people's windows and running away, throwing eggs on people's windscreens as they are driving, ripping down the lovely art that the local yarn bombers have just put up around town and now reports of a group of them swearing and arguing with police.

Yep similar here too. Little shits.

I'm shocked that you're shocked this has happened

My friend's son would do this - grab an absolute shitload. Thing is, he isn't a bad or nasty teen, he would share if there was someone standing there to share with. He just lacks some impulse control really and doesn't think beyond what he sees. I don't think I would be too stressed by someone grabbing a lot because I'd prefer that to the egg that we got on our windows when my dc were babies. There was a big bush by the window so I never was able to reach it and clean it. Luckily we've had new windows since and dug up the bush as it was too big and close to the house.

I also wonder whether some kids who aren't allowed sweets or whatever get a massive stash and keep it under their beds to last for months!

I just buy mini packets of things, and don’t leave them outside. When they knock I offer the bowl but say they can take one.

Yep for the first time ever in my very quiet village there seem to have been problems. Egging the retirement houses and vandalising the scout hut are the bigger ones, pulling down peoples decorations and smashing their pumpkins on the lesser scale. I personally experienced far ruder and greedier kids than in previous years.

Plus two towns relatively nearby have had the police issue disbursement orders.

We've never had any problems here. Had a couple of groups of young kids knock early this evening, then we went out trick or treating ourselves with our 2 DC & 2 of their friends. The other groups we saw were all toddlers to primary age with their parents.

We left the bowl outside and when we got home there were still a few sweets in it.

Oh for goodness sake OP please stop stereotyping young people.

Compared to the shit middle aged men are getting up to at the climate conference at the moment, what teens do pales into insignificance.

You don't want to lose the sweets just don't bloody well put them outside the door.

Problem solved.

Why shouldn't teens go trick or treating? You are a bunch of meenies

I tell them to only take one each, I'm not made of Haribo!

They were all fine here but I do find groups of ten or so teenagers a bit intimidating I'm afraid. Not sure why they can't just come in twos and threes, I suppose they just sort of meet up and stick together as they go round.
It's more noticeable how the teens don't really speak to you too, just screeching at each other.

It was all very civilised round our way. Little ones were out at 5 and then I’d say a few groups of teens up until about 6.30 who were all very polite. We turned our light off around then and weren’t disturbed. Every group said thank you, no-one took more than one item.

We had to restock twice as we had so many. The worst was actually a child around 4/5 who took a massive handful of sweets (despite me saying one each) and then ran away when I /his mum asked him to put them back. The teens all said thank you and were very polite... Which is highly unusual for this area!

It was absolutely pissing it down where I live last night ,we had two knocks on the door early n and that was it ,my teen sat in his bedroom warm and comfortable .

Yes, we had exactly the same here. There was a group of about 15 marching around the estate scaring the younger ones (&me if I'm honest) chanting and hammering on all doors. Total thugs

I had 100 bags made up and answered the door with a giant cauldron full. Every single child and teenager took 1 only and said thankyou.
Was a lovely night. All bags gone!