WIBU to call the police on non-emergency number because of a group of teenagers?

[Coffeedrinker34]

A group of teenagers (14 years ish I guess) are sitting on the stairs of my property, they smoke and are noisy and tried to intimitate me when I told them that I need to get past them to enter my building. I asked them politely to leave and told them that they are on private property, but no success. I managed to walk through them to get into the house. They don't look dangerous or aggressive, more like silly teenagers trying to be cool and impress each other. Mixed group, girls and boys. WIBU to call 101? Would they even care?

Are they actually intimidating you? Most likely they are just trying to get a reaction out of you. Carry on with your life and they will soon move on.

I wouldn’t be calling the police unless you are actually I intimidated.

Calling the police would likely make this worse if the police actually came out. They sound annoying but harmless, I’d just pretend I wasn’t bothered by them being there at all, theyl soon move on.

Ok I'll give them a pass. It looks like I'll have to clean some cigarette stumps and empty bottles from my doorstep tomorrow morning and I'm still not impressed, but for now I'll just close the curtains, turn on some music and pretend they're not here. Hopefully this won't become a frequent meet-up.

depends, are they on steps you personally own? Are they very close to your front door? It doesn't sound nice

If they’re on your private property and they won’t move then yeah, I’d call 101

Put on some Val Doonican @Coffeedrinker34 see how cool they'll look then

Go out there and bustle about amongst them/sweep up/pull weeds. Invite a neighbour to do the same. It won't be a cool place to hang out if you try to engage them in conversation.

Wait a minute - on your actual front doorstep?

Or the outer steps of a building you have a flat in?

Moments like this I always think of my lovely dad, whose advice to me was always "Nobody wants to touch crazy".

He'd have gently advised you to play the Pink Panther theme song through a boom box on your shoulder at top volume, cover yourself in jam, put on a pirate hat and throw croissants up in the air as you shuffle very slowly toward them, maintaining VERY intense eye contact...

do you have a ring doorbell or similar?

I'd do this too. Like when I worked in a pub and customers wouldn't leave at closing - I'd just go clean up right next to them. They'd soon leave.

Please report this.

We had anti social teenage thuggery .
Endless reports on the local Facebook group.
Local police were contacted and advised the neighbourhood to report everything.

Local police have been proactive in attending areas of congregation and are active in clamping down on this behaviour.
Getting in touch with your local community's FB page will help to swell numbers reporting this.

It might help in getting CCTV cameras installed.

It all helps.

😂😂😂 I love this

@Coffeedrinker34 I'm loving the thought of blasting the local teans with Paddy McGintys Goat 🐐 🤣

Sorry OP that was for @HelloSquire

I would absolutely report this, I’m quite surprised that posters are saying to just ignore them.

Its not about them just sitting on your doorstep, it’s them refusing to move and bring intimidating.

The police here (Met) would be far too busy and the best you might get is that word would be had on the off-chance they're passing.

Get CCTV, the teens won't like that.

Is it shared access? If not and its literally your front door step get cameras/signs/gate, how did they get in?

I think this is exactly the sort of thing 101 is for - dunno if you'll get much of a response, but it's worth a try

My fiance came home and said now would be a good time to wash the stairs 😂

For those who were asking...it's a house with 3 flats - basement flat, raised ground flat (which is mine), loft flat. Basement flat uses their own side entrance, my flat and the loft flat walk up to the entrance door (10 steps), then a front door with 2 further doors behind it. Because I'm on raised ground floor, they are right next to my window. They are sitting on the stairs leading to the entrance door of my flat and loft flat. So technically not my property but still private property and an entrance only used by 2 flats. Hope this makes sense.

Play that high pitched noise that only kids and animals can hear, should get rid of the little gits . I think there are apps that do it now.

I would definitely ring 101, our community police officers say that calling in anti-social behaviour enables them to adjust where they are patrolling.

My town currently has a terrible problem with youths gathering like this, unfortunately it has gone further with serious vandalism and criminal damage and assaults on other teens. Breaking up this group may prevent trouble in the long run.

The police won't do anything, or if they did they'd probably arrest you.

They aren't actually doing anything though... they're just hanging out.

Do you have a local youth centre? If you do get the staff to approach them and encourage them to hang out at the centre instead. Teenagers are allowed to gather just as adults are. If they're being aggressive or abusive then sure report then. But if they're just trying to find a place to meet their friends then I wouldn't be reporting. I'd put a bin out for the butts and ask them to leave the place tidy. Why are they there- presumably one of them must live there or nearby?

Open your window and put that music on from a Mars Attacks that killed the aliens