Small gang of 20-25 young kids starting to flex their anti-social muscles

[Archie_tect]

There's a gang of 'normal' kids, mixed age boys and girls around 11 to 13 who get together at week-ends, who are walking through our estate and starting the usual pranks like kicking a ball around slightly harder than necessary so they have to go into gardens to get it back, shouting across the street to each other, pressing doorbells and then pretending it wasn't them, and sniggering after any attempt to interact with them.

As they gain confidence and try to get away with more things, how can we nip any anti-social behaviour in the bud now... they just need some boundaries setting. We don't know where they live or why they have decided our estate is where they want to congregate but a few of our elderly neighbours are starting to get nervous....

Any advice gratefully received.

They're not from our street so we can't have a word with their parents or talk to them individually, and chatting to them in a group is impossible without getting cat-calls- the girls are the worst.

 

[Andy_R]

A smallish group (5 or 6) of adults with various gardening implements telling them to feck away off elsewhere does the trick - no personal experience of course

 

[Lullabelle]

Get a couple of rottweilers

Do you have a community support officer in your area, perhaps you could have a word with him/her, perhaps if a uniform shows their presence the yoofs may choose not to come back. I am sure a lot of it is swagger, all changes when mum finds out which is why they do this away from home.

 

[PK99]

The PCSO role specifically covers addressing Anti-social behaviour by group of youths - have a word with you local community policing team

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Neighbourhood policing meetings? Approach the local station commander directly, if you're on Twitter etc then chase up the council and local cops on there.

They do usually respond to the meetings at least, you'll likely get a spate of PCSOs or a few more car patrols for things like mildly anti social kids for a few weeks until they get the mesaage or someone shouts loudly enough for something/somewhere else

 

[TVC]

Yep, find out your local beat officer or neighbourhood policing team. We have a good team round here, they have a facebook presence, let everyone know what's going on, turn up to the parks users group etc, very visable.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Play Max Bygraves music loud..
they have a noise thing playing at shops in parts of peterborough that older people cant hear ,just kids..it works..

tho the pcso route is the way

 

[Archie_tect]

Great ideas... they aren't bad kids but they could become a problem in the next 3/4 years once they start experimenting with drinking... the PCSO idea is a good one as we don't want to focus their 'interest' onto one or two of us who try to 'mediate' and get it wrong..

 

[ufkacbln]

We had a problem with kids in the area next to our house during the summer evenings.

After a chat with our neighbours we unleashed our secret weapon....

Put the stereo on and played the superb "Murder on the High C's" by Florence Foster Jenkins at full volume

They soon moved on...

 

[perplexed]

Joking aside, as catching and imprisoning the little barstewards is probably illegal, then the PCSO route sounds the way to go...

 

[TheDoctor]

Aeiiuuuee!
Mine ears!

 

[ufkacbln]

Less annoying than Florence is the "Teen Buzz"

Originally a hearing test , then a silent ring tone, that could be heard bythe kids, but not the teachers!

Now it an annoying buzz for youngsters that cannot be heard by older people.
Used to remove teenagers from no loitering zones

 

[jonny jeez]

Agreed with teh PCSo, Whilst it feels a little like you are hiding behind the net curtains, that is one of their jobs and anti social behaviour is a big issue (along with graffiti)
If you try to deal with this directly it'll back fire on you...they'll know where you live and you know nothing about them.

good luck.

J

 

[Arrowfoot]

Best to let the Police know early before they get bolder and it becomes worse. Avoid engaging them as they are looking for a response. Do mention that there are elderly folks who are frightened.

 

[Brandane]