Kids constantly knocking on door!!

[babyoda]

I’m a little embarrassed to write this but for the last couple of months (since the evenings have been lighter) the kids that live on my estate keep on knocking on my door. It started as every now and then, then once a week, then a couple of times a week, then every day and some days it’s even 2/3 times. I never answer the door because they just knock and run and I think if you react, it makes them want to do it more?

They aren’t doing it to anyone else and I’m wondering if they’re doing it to me either because I’m a young woman who lives alone (my husband died in December 2021) or maybe because I’m young they’ll think I find it funny? I don’t really know what to do about it, I’m just dreading the 6 weeks holiday when they are at home all day.

I don’t know if it’s worth speaking to the parents as one of them literally watches her child knock on my door from her window. I have a ring doorbell (and cameras) so I have it all on video.

I hate confrontation and making a big deal out of something. I also worry that the mum might take it the wrong way and then spark off something even bigger. I just want to be left alone. I feel like it wouldn’t be happening if my husband was still here.

I keep spending time at my parents house because they are driving me mad and then I think maybe I’ll just rent the house out? But I love my house, it has so many memories for me and my husband.

I think they are of primary school age, can’t be totally sure on their exact age but they def aren’t teenagers.

Any advice please?

I would open the door (even if I had to sit there for an hour waiting) and take a photo of them. The kick out of it is that you don’t answer, or they know that if you were to answer they would be long gone. Say you will pop it on Facebook, if they do it again, to ask parents if they know whose children they are. If they continue, then pop it on Facebook (with faces covered - just to protect yourself), but it would be obvious if you know the children.

You could also let the school know, this happened in my kids school a couple of yrs ago & HT had a big chat at assembly about it, culprits were also identified by ring footage & showed to HT so the individuals & parents were pulled in for a chat as well. It soon stopped, kids were made to go cap in hand & apologise to the home owners who were elderly

Perhaps she could use one of the images from her camera that she has.

@EstellaHanclay usually I’d agree but the OP is being repeatedly targeted and no other neighbours are. It crosses the line from harmless prank to harassment and it’s causing her distress. I personally would speak to the parents before the police, but I think this is more than kids being kids.

Hi all, thanks so much for your messages! Just to answer some questions. They are definitely knocking and legging it, they aren’t standing waiting for me the answer. I have got a ring doorbell already that records motion so I have plenty of footage of them already but am averse to posting that footage (as I think it may be a safeguarding issue) I could however blur their faces?

I think what I’ll do is open the door before they even knock (this will mean sitting watching the ring doorbell from about 4pm - 10pm) and hopefully get them just before they knock and ask them politely not to do it anymore or I’ll tell
their parents. If it happens again I’ll tell their parents/post on our local group if I don’t know where they live. If it happens again I’ll go to the school (will the school care if it’s during summer holidays?).

I don’t really want to go to the police as they are just kids and I also saw someone had commented saying that if you report to police you have to declare when selling a house? So I want to try avoid that but will use it as a last resort. L

My husbands step dad is quite scary looking so I could ask him round lol and a couple of my husbands friends are coppers so could ask them to pop round too. I just can’t be bothered with the drama and hassling other people over this so will try and resolve it myself.

I feel very vulnerable as it is and this is making me feel even more so. My home was the only place I felt ‘safe’ after my husband died so it’s annoyed/upset me that they have taken that away from me too.

Thanks all again, will let you know how I get on.

Don't answer the door, just speak to them through the Ring camera, put it on live and as the approach the door yell at them I am watching you! Lots of people seem to thing that the camera only works when you press the doorbell. It doesn't. My other Ring cameras have a siren button, I wish the doorbell one had this option too.

Fab idea, thank you!

As a parent i would absolutely want to know if my children were doing this.

Please tell the parents.

Noise cancelling headphones for you after you have checked the house is totally locked up with you inside.
Draw the curtains at the front of your house to make your house look as boring as possible
They will definitely get bored unless you leave them even a scrap of information they can latch onto (its like deterring mice who are after food etc)

Maybe point a non functioning camera out the window so they can see it?

@Annaishere police complaint? Seriously? Did you never play 'knock down ginger' as a kid? No idea why it was called that.
Take the battery out of your door bell and ignore them. Tell any friends or family to message you when they're at the door. If they're knocking, rather than ringing your doorbell, open the door and tell them to go away and tell them you're going to speak to their parents.

I cant believe some people are justifying this.

It's bloody annoying and makes you jump when it's repeated times in a night

No it's not okay just because you were a pita as a kid 🙄

Could try speaking to the children and tell them the truth. Be nice say hi i really wanted to speak to you and ask a favour. Tell them you're on your own and why and and when they ring you get stressed and scared and please could they stop. You're sure they understand that it's mean. They may well stop. Most kids are pretty fair minded.

Stand by the door and open fast when they approach then shout at them.

Put marmite on your door knocker.

Sit out of sight in your garden and yell when they approach.

Print out pictures of them doing it and make funny masks out of them that you put up in your windows or hang in your bushes.

So much fun to be had. Or yes, I'd talk to the parents. If you approach it with a 'I know it doesn't seem that bad, but' attitude then I can't imagine they'd get that worked up about it.

If you have a front garden gate, that might deter them too as harder to get in and out.

Sorry about your husband.

If you know some police officers personally, ask them to call to your door and go outside pointing at their general direction.

Bring them in forca cup of tea.

You can be sure your neighbours will notice their presence.

If you have a ring doorbell answer through that and loudly say stop knocking on this door! I can see you and if you don't stop I'm calling the police. If parents are around hopefully they will hear and act. If not ring the non emergency number and get someone round

The comment about declaring police involvement if you sell the house isn't true, OP.

Recording of a dog barking somehow linked to the ring doorbell/knocking ought to do it

Perhaps a Ring doorbell will act as a deterrent or allow you to compile evidence to support talking to the mother/ police. It will also allow you to see if someone is legitimately at your door.

She still has a ring doorbell

You cannot be serious!

Where I live (SE London) this game is called "Knock Down Ginger" and the fun is summoning someone to the door and running off before they open it, leaving them peering up and down the street.
I finally cured a local child of this by going to the door on the first knock, not opening the door, putting it on the latch so it could be opened really quickly and easily, then waiting.
Sure enough, she couldn't resist a second try, at which point the door opened far faster than she anticipated, and I stepped forward and asked her what she wanted.
She gazed in saucer-eyed horror, as I asked again, in the tone of one baffled by pointless and irrational behaviour, why she knocked if she didn't want anything?
She scuttled off into the block of flats opposite, and after that had trouble catching my eye on the street, no longer the anonymous japester.
I don't have a ring doorbell (yet) but a spyhole lens is cheap and easy to install.

I did but not constantly and the same door. This is antisocial behaviour. I would contact the parents and council first though

They are doing it to other people OP. We've had the same problem. It turns out they've been scaring an elderly lady as well as plaguing the rest of the estate. They nearly crapped themselves when I said I had photos. It stopped for a bit but now cover their heads and do it. My neighbour is apocalyptic over it. Council and everything.

Print the photos off and knock on the door. Tell them if it doesn't stop you'll be asking a policeman to have a word as they're doing it to other people as well and everyone has had enough.

Sorry OP neighbour problems are so so difficult. I've had a couple and its not as easy as "just go and talk to them". Its very difficult.

You can set motion detection alerts on your ring so you get notified when -well -motion is detected at the front door.

You can set this to alert on alexa too. (And In fact this is how caught burglars trying to steal my car at 3am!- pretty terrifying)

I would then go out and tell them firmly (with the ring in live so its recording) "please stop knocking on my door, please go back home now. Bye. "

Record how often its happening, kids involved. Its ASB its spoiling the quiet enjoyment of your own home. If this doest work then call the police and ask them to call round to discuss. The sight of a police car will have an impact.