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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I confiscated a random kids laser pen, but I don’t know who his parents are.

53 replies

Staffielove23 · 10/04/2023 13:46

The local kids on our road are becoming a nuisance. For example, shining laser pens through our windows, knocking on our door at half ten at night and running away, etc. I don’t know which house they belong to, it’s two boys upper side of primary school age. We’ve previously been out to ask them to stop and they always apologise and say it won’t happen again, so last night when they got me in the eye with their stupid laser I was pretty angry. I marched out with my torch and basically demanded they give it to me or I’d follow them home and speak to their parents, I said their parents can come by and collect it in the morning. So now I’ve got their laser pen (303 green light and very powerful) but no sign of their parents so far. Not really sure what to do now.

OP posts:
Questions97 · 10/04/2023 13:47

Bin it.

PriamFarrl · 10/04/2023 13:48

Keep it. If the parents turn up then tell them what happened, I doubt they will though.

Xiaoxiong · 10/04/2023 13:48

Put it to one side and if they haven't come round in a few weeks, bin it.

Oncetheystartschool · 10/04/2023 13:49

Sit tight. If their parents appear you can explain why you confiscated it.

VyeBrator · 10/04/2023 13:55

Just keep hold of it and see if they knock.

Or is that too obvious?

Flossflower · 10/04/2023 14:00

Take it to the local police station. If the parents knock, tell them where they can collect it from.

Mistymoonsinastarrysky · 10/04/2023 14:01

Hand it to the police. No question that’s what I’d do then the parents can get it back if they want to.
Littlesh1ts.

Augend23 · 10/04/2023 14:02

Sit tight and then drop at the police station as suggested.

I'm fairly sure quite a lot of them are illegal now anyway because of the impact they can have on e.g. helicopter pilots.

Showersugar · 10/04/2023 14:06

Aren't they offensive weapons? I'd take it to the police station

Timeforabiscuit · 10/04/2023 14:06

In my area it would be on the local Facebook page, complete with clothing description of the kids and a neighbour posting the ring doorbell footage.

2bazookas · 10/04/2023 14:08

Call community police officer , before the kids dazzle a motorist and cause an accident.

randomchap · 10/04/2023 14:11

Find out which house they live at and shine it through their windows

Or, more sensibly, contact the local police and ask for advice

Custardbanana · 10/04/2023 14:11

I doubt the kids have told their parents that you've confiscated it from them due to embarrassment. I could be wrong of course so they may come round eventually.

BabaBooPuffinsRock · 10/04/2023 14:14

Yeah I'm thinking they might not tell their parents because they weren't supposed to have it (maybe it was mum/dad's or maybe they "found it" somewhere else) or if the parents had let them have it, they weren't supposed to be going around people's houses shining it at people.

FictionalCharacter · 10/04/2023 14:17

Bloody hell, those green lasers are VERY dangerous. We’re not allowed to use them as laser pointers at work. I wouldn’t want the parents turning up for it tbh, depending on what they’re like they might hand it straight back to their little darling. I’d hand it to the police telling them what the kids were doing with it.

BTW I’ve done an advanced course on laser safety. This is a big deal! Children should not have access to these or any other laser.

Bunnichick · 10/04/2023 14:28

Keep it and see if they turn up if ask on local Facebook group (if there is one)?

RollerCoaster2020 · 10/04/2023 14:37

Lasers are extremely dangerous especially for the eyes. Fun for cats chasing around but can blind easily. May it be worth investing 23 pounds in a Wi-Fi 4K camera with motion detection and artificial intelligence to identify humans and not be set off by animals? A company called "Srihome" sell via Alibaba I think. I bought a couple after my car was vandalized by some local yobs. It only records on detecting motion and you should be very careful it doesn't look into other people's houses or the public road otherwise you become subject to gdpr rules

ShowUs · 10/04/2023 14:42

Are you on Facebook?

Put it on the local group and say exactly what you’ve said on here.

I wouldn’t bin it and do nothing as their parents need to know what their kids have been getting up to.

It will also encourage other parents reading it to tell their kids not to do it.

IvysMum12 · 10/04/2023 14:42

If they shone the laser beam in your eyes, I would get your eyes checked.

slowquickstep · 10/04/2023 14:54

I am sure the parents won't give a stuff, after all these are parents that let their children out at 22:30. No doubt the parents are too pissed or drugged up to care where their brats are

UrsulaBelle · 10/04/2023 14:57

Bloody hell, the green ones are much worse than the red ones. No way would I give it back!

UrsulaBelle · 10/04/2023 14:59

Just for info, I’m a school science technician. We have key control on the green lasers we use in physics because they are really dangerous to eyes. Red ones are bad enough.

aholidaynotacarpark · 10/04/2023 15:03

I'd also be tempted to take it to the police station!

youshouldnthaveasked · 10/04/2023 15:08

Police station. They will just give it back to their little sh1t if you hand it to the parent

WonderingWanda · 10/04/2023 15:42

If the parents haven't turned up then hopefully that's a good sign. The boys are too scared to tell their parents about bit because they do know it's naughty and they would be in trouble. Hope they've learnt their lesson.