Nuisance teenagers scaring son. Help

[Jenny1231990]

I really don't know what to do. I no longer have any patience.
It started about 2months ago. We had a group of children knock on our door and run away. First of all I laughed it off thinking kids do these things. But it then became constant. I mean the one night it was over a 3 hour period. There were around 13 teenagers with hoods up and scarfs up around their necks. Banging on the door then standing, staring at us whenever we opened. In the end I called the police as it was frightening my 6 year old son, I also have a 8 month old and am pregnant.
Over the week it happened every night from 8 onwards. Even when the police were here they carried on. The police man walked around for around 2 hours with a dog on lead still nothing scared them/ worried them. They swore at him and ran the opposite direction.
We bought cameras and fitted them, but because they lean over a neighbours fence it's hard to see who it is or their faces.
Its not a rough area. We haven't had any problems before. We have happily lived here for 2 years and keep our selves to our selves.
Then tonight getting the babies to bed and bang on the door. I knew straight away, went to my bedroom window and they are all running up the road. I just don't understand why, and why us!
We didn't even open the door. Don't want to give them a reaction. But I know that this is going to start all over again.
Went back to give my son a kiss good night and he's in floods of tears crying.
It's not fair, the police did start patrolling the area more as once my OH wasn't here and it was constant, even i was scared I know they are young maybe 14-18 but I felt so intimidated in my own home.
Any ideas on what I can do? There used to be a teen boy who lived here but that was over 2 years ago now and surely something would have happened before then if it was to get at him. I don't know.
I'm planning to move, do I just keep calling the police if it continues?

Damn right you keep ringing the police, every single time. That is awful.

Thank you. I just don't want to come off as a nuisance myself :(
Just sick of it now. X

You wouldn't be a nuisance - you are being harassed and the police need to start doing more.

You definitely need to make a big fuss to the police,your poor little ones,that's just horrible!You won't be being a nuisance,but these youths definitely are-keep reporting so every incident is logged.

Keep a diary of every time they knock on the door and keep reporting to the police.

Call the police
Every
Single
Time.

Bless you OP you are being harassed and intimidated in your own home and that is not only wrong but against the law.

You deserve better.

Are you in touch with your neighbours? Are any of them experiencing anything even remotely similar?

Just keep.on at the police. They have to do something about this!

Do your council have an anti-social behaviour unit? Would be worth reporting it to them too. Keep ringing the police.

When the police came here. He just walked around. It didn't scare them at all. If anything made it worse. He came in an unmarked police car. We spoke to next door, an older man who works shifts and he hadn't heard a thing. Said if we needed him he would help.
Asked police if they had had any other reports and they said a group had been going around another part messing with people's electric boxes.
Thank you all. It's all gone quiet for now, I just get all upset cos I don't know what we've done.
I'm not even sure what the police will do if they do catch them.
Babies are asleep now :)

I will call them. I'm not sure what they can do. At one time it was constant. Then went quiet and it started again tonight. We don't have kids and groups hanging around here. That's why it seems so odd. We arnt even the end house. We are 2nd one in. Hopefully get them on camera one day x

I have nothing really to add that hasn't already been said but I just wanted to let you know that you aren't in your own.
In our previous house we had similar problems. We lived on a corner opposite a shop and had all sorts of issues such as them kicking and smashing our fence, climbing into our garden, kicking their ball at the house, pissing in our drive...
I had 2 cameras and they weren't at all phased by them: in fact they seemed to enjoy being caught on film.
The strange and confusing thing was that, individually, they were decent and helpful people; when dh got his car stuck in the snow they gave him a shove; when I was pregnant and fell in the ice one of them helped me up; they helped my sister when her car wouldn't start. It was almost as though, when together and one started causing problems, some kind of pack mentality took over and they thought it was tremendous fun to wreak havoc and make us feel like we were under siege.
The police did more or less the same as they're doing for you and were no help, despite us calling, reporting and logging every single incident.
The straw that broke the camel's back was when ds, 16 months at the time, was playing in the garden and someone lobbed a half-empty can of redbull in the garden. I shouted and a few came up to me; I felt so vulnerable and unable to protect my little boy We moved soon after.

I really hope you get somewhere with the police. Failing that, do you know where they live or who their parents may be? Perhaps have a word with them if you feel it'd be of any help?

I have no idea where or which area they are from. When we used to open the door they would either run or stand there staring at us. My oh tried to talk to them but we just got abuse then they took off. Police said not to give them any reaction. But even that doesn't stop it. I once, when they were out of sight went for a drive to see if I could follow them, I didn't find them, I wouldn't have got out the car or anything. Just an address to give the police to have a word. But couldn't find them. Poor you sounds like you had a worse time. Luckily we haven't had any vandalism as such. My OH works a lot and it's a few hours drive home. So i am worried if this starts again this week. I will call police again.