to ask how you would handle this antisocial behaviour?

[NannyHJ]

A few weeks ago (not Halloween) we woke up to find the front of our house, and vehicles on the drive, had been egged. We cleaned it up and hoped it was a one off. Now, for the past two nights, we've suffered similar, with eggs and vegetables .

Our house is one of a pair of semis, our neighbours are lovely and they haven't had a problem up to now, although their house is a bit better protected from the road. Both of us have good size front gardens, so we're not right next to the road. We're semi rural and the only other nearby property is directly opposite ours and it's a specialist, small unit residential home for kids between 10 and 17 who have high risk behaviours or are particularly vulnerable. There have never been issues before beyond the odd bit of rowdy behaviour which we ignore. I believe they're providing a really valuable service.

So, although I have no proof that the offender is living opposite, it's a fairly safe bet. I really don't know how to handle this, as popping over for a chat could easily raise hostility, but I'm beginning to feel a bit threatened. WWYD? (And I've already made my own joke about gathering up the evidence to make egg and chips so you needn't do that.)

Probably also doesn't want them to get anymore convictions, or to have to answer questions herself. By bringing it to their attention they will hopefully now keep a close eye.

Could you get some lights for the outside of your house so that they light up when someone approaches, and then get a CCTV camera to record what's going on? I'd want to know!

Years ago I managed a high risk home and we had restricted windows so they used to use the fire escape that I couldn't lock. I think she might be trying to protect herself from upper management and the kids living there. I'd set a camera up overnight pointing out a window.

We've looked at the legal situation if we put up CCTV. The thing is, nobody (up to now) seems to be coming onto our drive and we couldn't legally point it towards the house over the road. I can't see that there's much point.

flossietoot - my instant reaction to the "assault charge" comment during the 101 call was that those kids probably have enough on their plate and I wouldn't want to add to future problems. I absolutely don't want to cause trouble; I just want it to stop. I've never in my life felt vulnerable in my own home before and it's horrible.

Absolutely. The added charges are a waste of time, but if it was me I would say 'I am so sorry this has happened to you, I can't say for sure that it was one of the young people in my unit, but we will investigate and will speak to the young people about anti social behaviour and why it isn't acceptable and will make sure our log books are up to date so we know exactly when everyone is in for the night. We want to work with you as far as possible to ensure this doesn't happen again, so please let us know if you have any further concerns' and I then would do a bit of restorative justice/ empathy work with the kids.

Could it be an ex resident of the unit revisiting old times?

She did say she would speak to the residents flossietoot (which seemed a bit pointless if she was so certain none of them could be responsible).

I reckon I'm just feeling a bit pathetic tonight because I'm on my own. I think I'll put something loud on Netflix and try to forget about it.

You can set up a web cam to the boundaries of your own property though? How close do they need to get, presume within that range?

Get it logged every time OP. We had a similar thing (in our case a pair of pensioners ) and the police said to phone in and log it. On a practical side wash the egg off the car immediately as it damages the paint. In our case it started with eggs, progressed to fruit and veg and then a pellet gun. They must have spent a fortune over the years and the food wastage really bothered me too!

I said the same about the wasted food woesinwonderland. We're gathering it all up and putting it on the bird table . Probably end up with rats.

A sensible person would get a WiFi camera and set it up in a window to catch them. I am not a sensible person and would therefore be lying in wait at the upstairs window with a bucket of piss.

I think, with a good arm, they could hit our house from inside their garden Lorelei76.

I did also mention to the manager that I'd logged the latest incidents with the police and that they'd advised me to call and ask for someone to attend if it happens again. I hoped that might encourage her to do something proactive if she was just fobbing me off.

If it is any consolation- I don't think you yourself are at any risk- they aren't doing this for malicious reasons, just a bit of sport!

She also should already have a good relationship with the police, and the police will know who is in there and what their previous form is.

If you have a spare phone or iPad you can download an app called Presence for free (I'm an iPhone/iPad user) which sets up one unit as the camera and the other you can watch it from.
I've been using it for our dog indoors and it's good, it's motion activists and records too. Worth a try I reckon at no cost?

Actually, that is a bit reassuring flossietoot. I've been telling myself the same thing, that it's just mischief.

It has to be them, surely. If you're pretty much rural and your lovely neighbours are not doing it, then who else could it be? Kids don't travel far to throw eggs. I'm sure the manager wishes they were all indoors by 10pm but it doesn't make sense that the house of behaviourally challenged kids wouldn't do this.

Re CCTV pointing at the other property, wouldn't it fall under "apprehension or prosecution of offenders" or "prevention and detection of crime"?

TBH Lovewineandchocs, I have a feeling that the police would take a pretty dim view of a CCTV camera pointing directly at a residential home where vulnerable kids are living.

Ooh, DH is home.

Have you got a crime ref number? If not, you were just having a nice chat...

Yes, I thought that. Was thinking with my Data Protection hat on but realised the issue about vulnerable minors after I posted. I hope the behaviour stops. Glad your DH is home.

Yes luciole15. I specifically asked her to log it and was given a ref number.

Hi OP
I really feel for you. I've experienced this before and it took over my life. I'm not trying to scare you but please be careful. The finale was when the hooligans threw a brick so hard through the window that it smashed my coffee table and went flying into a wall and took a chunk out of it. I was so lucky that my kids were not in the room. Please please take some precautions. They are doing this as they want a reaction from you. Think about putting lights and a camera...even if it is a dummy camera. The incident shook me to the core and I still won't sit on the sofa I front of the window at night out of fear. Reading your post just bought it all back and I just want you to be safe. I'm really sorry if I have worried you more now...just keep yourself safe.