Little neighborhood hoodlums...

[PBratton]

If their football coach is anything like ours I would set up a meeting with video in hand.

EXACTLY what I was thinking.

[Cedar Park Dad]

I came home from vacation to find a neighbors exterior lights shot up, various planters shot up around the perimeter, and one security camera that has been shot.

I'm confused. Your house or your neighbor's?

Thats what threw me. I'm assuming the OP meant some of hisproperty was damaged, or that this was actually his property.

[MeMelYup]

I'm confused. Your house or your neighbor's?

Both. My camera, a few planters. My neighbors exterior light. The kids were out in the neighborhood for 3 hours before they walked back in the same path.. So this is just what I've found. Most homes are pretty far back off the road, not much to shoot at.

My neighbors home is a vacation home. I have some responsibility to watch and monitor while they're not home in exchange for some access.

Small claims is fine, definite win there, but just understand that it would be me seeking to make a point - that's all. What I'd lose in terms of time is worth more than what I'd get back in terms of $$. The hours I'd lose in terms of setting it all up, having someone served, and showing back up are much more valuable to me.

I'll post back when I have an update.. I'm going to stew on it a while. Obviously the consensus is make it a criminal matter.

You are not going to make it a criminal matter, it is a criminal mater. They have commited a crime.

[Oldgringo]

I'm confused. Your house or your neighbor's?

Both. My camera, a few planters. My neighbors exterior light. The kids were out in the neighborhood for 3 hours before they walked back in the same path.. So this is just what I've found. Most homes are pretty far back off the road, not much to shoot at.

My neighbors home is a vacation home. I have some responsibility to watch and monitor while they're not home in exchange for some access.

Small claims is fine, definite win there, but just understand that it would be me seeking to make a point - that's all. What I'd lose in terms of time is worth more than what I'd get back in terms of $$. The hours I'd lose in terms of setting it all up, having someone served, and showing back up are much more valuable to me.

I'll post back when I have an update.. I'm going to stew on it a while. Obviously the consensus is make it a criminal matter.

You are not going to make it a criminal matter, it is a criminal mater. They have commited a crime.

[psijac]

If their football coach is anything like ours I would set up a meeting with video in hand.

100% agree with this

[karder]

I commend you for trying to settle the problem with the parents and not getting law enforcement involved. The parents and kids should have been over to your home with hats in hands ready to make full reparations. Young men will do foolish things but it sounds like father B is providing some cover fire for his son. Exactly the wrong thing to do and a good indicator of where the problem comes from. I agree with those that say enough is enough. You did a good deed and it was unappreciated. Turn them in to the sheriff.

[Excaliber]

I would call the Sheriff and I am willing to bet these kids have caused more damage than what you experienced and I am willing to bet the S.O. is investigating this case. I would also suggest giving the football coach a heads up as well, Brownfield Texas recently lost their star quarter back due to an arrest involving the possession and USE of stolen firearms, coaches like to head things like this off before they get to that stage.

I agree.

I wouldn't go to the local eyewitness news outfit just yet........

[fickman]

You got your answer when he failed to show up to make restitution. . . even moreso considering he was at a friend's and his father was nonchalant about it.

Doesn't have money? My dad would have fronted the cash and bought up my debt. I would've then had to pay him back when I got paid. He would have taken the interest out of my hide or via hard labor in the yard until it was paid in full. Seems pretty obvious to me.

You gave the parents a chance to handle it and they declined.

[anygunanywhere]

They made it a criminal matter when they took the sight picture and pressed the trigger. I recall Andy's post recently about the bullet and the responsibility we have. These punks and their parents have a lesson to learn.

Anygunanywhere

[PUCKER]

Kind of a similar situation (involves a teenager and willful property damage/destruction) - at the office I saw a neighborhood kid jump on a car in our parking lot, smashed the hood in...went out to confront and was met with colorful language and the coward running away...that's OK, I knew where he lived, as did the police, they picked him up and brought him over cuffed and stuffed in the back of the squad cad, the cop mentioned he gave them some bad attitude too, I ID'ed the coward as the perp. He was booked, went to a judge, found guilty (I don't know too many of the details other than the most important part ------>) and ordered to pay restitution to the car's owner for damages - and whether the father or the son paid I do not know but it *was* paid. This was in Tarrant County.

[AlaskanInTexas]

This reminds me of when I was a wee lad and my friend and I got caught by a guy after we cracked his windshield throwing rocks off an overpass (I know, I know...). He calmly got our parents' phone numbers and had them come pick us up. He didn't call the police, but let our parents handle it. At the time, I wished he had called the police and had them put me in protective custody from my parents! In retrospect, I am so grateful that he left the law out of it. I got a lot more "instruction" at home than the law ever could have provided (what with the bill of rights and limitations on cruel and unusual punishment), and didn't end up with the repercussions of a criminal background.

You did an admirable thing by trying to leave the law out of it, but this family just doesn't seem to get it. Some interaction with the judicial system might be just what these lads need to get them on the straight and narrow (and hopefully wake up these parents to the fact that they are failing).

[The Annoyed Man]

The parents either don't have any control over their kids or they're afraid this will hurt their high school football career and don't want to do anything without realizing the damage they are doing to these boys by not teaching them that there are consequences to their actions. They had their chance to step up and take responsibility when confronted with evidence and blew it. Call the sheriff and give them copies of everything. Keep the originals safe and secure in case anything happens to the copies.

You hit the nail right on the head. I would bring the coach into it as well as the police, and tell the coach about the father's parental negligence. That might also get a CPS intervention going.

[C-dub]

What I'd lose in terms of time is worth more than what I'd get back in terms of $$. The hours I'd lose in terms of setting it all up, having someone served, and showing back up are much more valuable to me.

I'm sure that is true for this one incident, but what about future incidents because there were no consequences for this one? As Barney said, "Nip it in the bud!" If it isn't stopped here, it will continue to grow and could cause more damage to you and others down the road.

I don't envy your situation and glad I'm not in your shoes, but it could be me or any one of us. There are idle kids all over the place just looking for something to do.

[Hindenburg]

You got your answer when he failed to show up to make restitution

Loud and clear. Now it's a choice of choose to be or refuse to be a victim.