Tonight I was watching TV when I heard voices outside. I could tell they were possible troublemakers by the way they were talking/laughing so I went to check from upstairs. Saw three lads hanging out right by my front gate acting up. Then they stole my birdfeeder and went into the park, where they smashed it up on the dog waste bin, all the while laughing and swearing.
I am 18 weeks P so obviously my hormones are playing a part, but it made me so angry that I burst into tears. I wanted to chase them down but I know better - they were the types who might come back with a brick for my window as a thank you. However I am SICK to death of scallies.
In the past year and a half we have had:
6 lads smash in our side window and try to kick our front door in (they only didn't finish the job as we drove up as they were in the process, and ran off) This then caused us huge amounts of stress getting a new window and door through the insurers, plus we had to pay the excess which was £200. Police were unable to catch anyone.
2 thieving scum kids break into our car (which we had for only two weeks) and try to hotwire it, but when they were unsuccessful they trashed it beyond repair and stole the internal part of the cd player (we had the pop out bit in the house). Again, police were unable to catch anyone even though we phoned 999 while we watched it happen (they warned us not to go out for our own safety) - police arrived too late to catch them.
We were so freaked out that we refused to get another car - not that we could afford to, as it was a banger and we got less for it from the insurers than we'd paid for it + recent repairs.
Over the 3.5 years we have been here, we've had countless problems with kids drinking and fighting in the park next to our house. Once two gangs (totalling around 30 lads) turned up and started fighting outside our house. Another time we witnessed a lad get attacked by two lads in the park, they smashed a bicycle on his head/torso. There was blood everywhere and he was unconscious.
I had to put up an almighty fight with the council and police to get them to remove a bench and picnic table that were attracting antisocial behaviour on Friday and Saturday nights. It's helped but I'm still on edge every summer and I have to call the police out a lot.
There are constantly lads riding scooters and quadbikes in the park, tearing up the grass and riding dangerously.
To anyone who says that we should be giving all teens a chance and that they get a bad rap in the press, I beg to differ. I think some of the kids round here are just beyond help and frankly, a waste of anyone's time. I don't care if you're poor and bored, it's no excuse.
I am so angry that I can't live in relative peace and safety without worrying about who is going to be coming by our house. I am so angry with myself that we were stupid enough to take a chance on a house in a mixed/up and coming area. It is a beautiful house - 3 bed victorian, original features. We have tried hard to make it a wonderful home but my heart just isn't in it.
I am so angry that these kids aren't being disciplined and raised to be decent. Everytime I walk round the local precinct I see some terrible examples of parenting.
I am also angry for some of the locals who I know are decent people - retired couples, nice families - who are trying to live a decent life. Unfortunately we are all affected by this group of antisocial yobs, and nothing ever seems to change despite all the antisocial behaviour projects you hear about.
And we can't move - we tried already last year and put the house on the market - but the market had slumped and we would have taken at least a £10k hit on what we paid for it, which we just can't afford.
I really, really don't want to be here. I certainly don't want my child to grow up around them so we need to be gone before they start school. I pray we will be able to sell in a year or two but I bet we will be lucky to break even, and we'll be back to square one on the property ladder.
Anyhow, I just really needed to rant. Thanks for listening.