What a day
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Posts: 345
What a day
I just wanted to rant and rave for a bit if I may.
Its amazing how quickly a good day can be ruined. I had the afternoon free so I took my little boy swimming and met my wife afterwards for a coffee. It was great and things genuinely felt relaxed and fun. Like a little taste of whats to come if I can remain sober.
We got back to our house and I put my some to bed for a nap (his is just over 2 yrs old) and I was upstairs on the computer with my wife downstairs when I heard a huge thumping sound from the front of the house. I went to see what it was when there was a massive bang from my sons room and he started crying. Somebody had smashed the window! When I looked out I saw five teenagers running into the house opposite laughing.
We moved to our street two years ago to get away from inner city living in London. It is so tranquil and we have lovely neigbours. Then a year ago a family moved in opposite and life has just become hell. Constant vandalism, shouting in the road all night, police in the street every night, fighting etc. This is the first time we had been targeted and I dont know why. I ended up storming over to their house with my wife and son chasing after me to have a go at them. I dont know why I even tried really, with people like this its pointless but when your 2 year old is showered with broken glass it does something to you.
It was stupid of me to go over there. Nothing came of it actually, they had all done a runner except the oldest kid who lives there and when he opened his door he just denied anything and said the house had been empty etc. I told him I knew he was lying and I had phoned the police (I had) but he just laughed. The fact is, what can the police do? I kept my cool though which is something I'm proud of.
The kids in this house (and their mates) are running wild. For a while things were better. Their mother was looking after them while the father was in prison but now he has been released and thrown her out and moved back in. Since then everything has gone downhill. I saw them climbing on the roofs of other peoples houses the other day throwing the tiles off. They have smashed the windows on three of four houses. One of them has been putting dog sh** through the letter box of a house where someone they know to be homosexual lives. They let the tyres down regularly on the car of a black family that live in my road. So basically a homophobic, xenophobic, racist crime ridden family - all the things I detest most in human beings. And I live next to them.
I feel so sorry for people who live in areas where they are surrounded by people like this. I live in a very nice, affluent area and only have this one family to contend with and it is too much. Out local government bought the house a few years back as part of a plan to relocate problem families from large estates. The idea was that if you took them away from bad areas and placed them into a more constructive enviorment they would be positively influenced. Now we have a road full of boarded up windows, vandalised cars and destroyed gardens (for some reason, oiver a period of time they have pulled most peoples plants up from their front gardens and thrown them up and down the road). Everybody deserves a second chance in life but this family seem determined to throw it away and take everybody down with them.
The police have just been and I have given a statement. Not much they can do though since I only saw kids running into the house, cant identify any of them and can only assume that one of the boys living there was involved. At least I did something though! Most people have been scared to come forward for fear of becoming a target.
Oh well, feela bit better having a rant about it. I am insured so I can get the window replaced. My main worry now is that I am going to have my window broken every other day by these `people` and their friends. The police said thats unlike but i'm not so sure ..
Bugger
Its amazing how quickly a good day can be ruined. I had the afternoon free so I took my little boy swimming and met my wife afterwards for a coffee. It was great and things genuinely felt relaxed and fun. Like a little taste of whats to come if I can remain sober.
We got back to our house and I put my some to bed for a nap (his is just over 2 yrs old) and I was upstairs on the computer with my wife downstairs when I heard a huge thumping sound from the front of the house. I went to see what it was when there was a massive bang from my sons room and he started crying. Somebody had smashed the window! When I looked out I saw five teenagers running into the house opposite laughing.
We moved to our street two years ago to get away from inner city living in London. It is so tranquil and we have lovely neigbours. Then a year ago a family moved in opposite and life has just become hell. Constant vandalism, shouting in the road all night, police in the street every night, fighting etc. This is the first time we had been targeted and I dont know why. I ended up storming over to their house with my wife and son chasing after me to have a go at them. I dont know why I even tried really, with people like this its pointless but when your 2 year old is showered with broken glass it does something to you.
It was stupid of me to go over there. Nothing came of it actually, they had all done a runner except the oldest kid who lives there and when he opened his door he just denied anything and said the house had been empty etc. I told him I knew he was lying and I had phoned the police (I had) but he just laughed. The fact is, what can the police do? I kept my cool though which is something I'm proud of.
The kids in this house (and their mates) are running wild. For a while things were better. Their mother was looking after them while the father was in prison but now he has been released and thrown her out and moved back in. Since then everything has gone downhill. I saw them climbing on the roofs of other peoples houses the other day throwing the tiles off. They have smashed the windows on three of four houses. One of them has been putting dog sh** through the letter box of a house where someone they know to be homosexual lives. They let the tyres down regularly on the car of a black family that live in my road. So basically a homophobic, xenophobic, racist crime ridden family - all the things I detest most in human beings. And I live next to them.
I feel so sorry for people who live in areas where they are surrounded by people like this. I live in a very nice, affluent area and only have this one family to contend with and it is too much. Out local government bought the house a few years back as part of a plan to relocate problem families from large estates. The idea was that if you took them away from bad areas and placed them into a more constructive enviorment they would be positively influenced. Now we have a road full of boarded up windows, vandalised cars and destroyed gardens (for some reason, oiver a period of time they have pulled most peoples plants up from their front gardens and thrown them up and down the road). Everybody deserves a second chance in life but this family seem determined to throw it away and take everybody down with them.
The police have just been and I have given a statement. Not much they can do though since I only saw kids running into the house, cant identify any of them and can only assume that one of the boys living there was involved. At least I did something though! Most people have been scared to come forward for fear of becoming a target.
Oh well, feela bit better having a rant about it. I am insured so I can get the window replaced. My main worry now is that I am going to have my window broken every other day by these `people` and their friends. The police said thats unlike but i'm not so sure ..
Bugger
Coffee Drinker
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Lobstah Land
Posts: 1,122
If I were in your shoes I would buy a video camera today. It will be impossible to deny.
I am so sorry that you are mixed up in this terrible mess.
Prayers, Ted
(oh and just to make you feel a little better...)
I am so sorry that you are mixed up in this terrible mess.
Prayers, Ted
(oh and just to make you feel a little better...)
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Madison
Posts: 131
I am so sorry that you hve to deal with this. I hope your 2 year old is ok! i have a four year old and let me tell you, you handled it better than I would have. congrats! My prayers go out to you and your family.:praying
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Posts: 345
Thanks guys,
Unfortunately our experience is far from unique. We seem to have an epidemic of petty crime right now in the UK.
The kids father just came accross. The police had called on them and told of my complaint. I actually felt rather sorry for him.
He told us that he had hoped life would improve for them here away from the sink estates of London but within a year his wife had a lover who she became pregnant with and then made up a story about him threatening her with a gun. Hmmm, I read about this in the local paper because it went to local magistrate court. When they searched his house they found a silencer and a rifle. He was locked up for a couple of months. He said she planted them. Maybe or maybe not but either way something aint right!
Anyway, he seemed to want to give us his life story as a way of explaining how he lost control of his boys. You know what though, I dont subscribe to blaming the parents entirely for the way their kids turn out. Kids get out of control for a variety of reasons and although parenting is vital, sometimes there is nothing that can be done.
How ridiculous that his kids smash our window and then I end up feeling sorry for him and wanting to help. He seemed like a totally broken man. He also smelt of booze and looked like a drunk. His eyes looked like mine used to until I stopped drinking. Tired and hurt.
He promised to tackle his kids etc. I just told him to try to get them to understand the consequences of what they do and also ask for help with them. He said he had been left with his oldest two who were `the worst ones` and that having grown up on the street he knows how it all works.
I guess there is two sides to every story. It took some courage for him to come over though and I respected him for that. From my point of view though, all that matters is that my boy is safe and my wife is confortable in her own home. If these problems persist we will move.
I feel better about it now
Writing about problems really does help!
Unfortunately our experience is far from unique. We seem to have an epidemic of petty crime right now in the UK.
The kids father just came accross. The police had called on them and told of my complaint. I actually felt rather sorry for him.
He told us that he had hoped life would improve for them here away from the sink estates of London but within a year his wife had a lover who she became pregnant with and then made up a story about him threatening her with a gun. Hmmm, I read about this in the local paper because it went to local magistrate court. When they searched his house they found a silencer and a rifle. He was locked up for a couple of months. He said she planted them. Maybe or maybe not but either way something aint right!
Anyway, he seemed to want to give us his life story as a way of explaining how he lost control of his boys. You know what though, I dont subscribe to blaming the parents entirely for the way their kids turn out. Kids get out of control for a variety of reasons and although parenting is vital, sometimes there is nothing that can be done.
How ridiculous that his kids smash our window and then I end up feeling sorry for him and wanting to help. He seemed like a totally broken man. He also smelt of booze and looked like a drunk. His eyes looked like mine used to until I stopped drinking. Tired and hurt.
He promised to tackle his kids etc. I just told him to try to get them to understand the consequences of what they do and also ask for help with them. He said he had been left with his oldest two who were `the worst ones` and that having grown up on the street he knows how it all works.
I guess there is two sides to every story. It took some courage for him to come over though and I respected him for that. From my point of view though, all that matters is that my boy is safe and my wife is confortable in her own home. If these problems persist we will move.
I feel better about it now
Writing about problems really does help!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Flint MI
Posts: 4,455
I CANNOT SCREAM IT LOUD ENOUGH VIDEO CAMERA!!!!!!!!!!
I hated living in London was so happy to go down to South End on Sea! Take it to the police if they get enough evidance they have to use it ask others in your area to do the same!
I hated living in London was so happy to go down to South End on Sea! Take it to the police if they get enough evidance they have to use it ask others in your area to do the same!
Community Greeter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Upstate New York
Posts: 51,569
Just when you think the world's a better place
Octo, I SO feel for you. I had a taste of dealing with irrational imbeciles this summer, since we live in a condo in a resort town & many different types of people came and went. One group thought it amusing to throw a vacuum cleaner & kitchen chairs into the swimming pool. When that was reported, they let the air out of the tires of the people who complained & broke their windshield. We hardly slept all summer & I always was afraid to call the police because of possible repercussions. Sure enough, one night when the beer drinking and loud music, yelling, etc. went on until 5:00am we called the police. The next day I found broken beer glass stuck in the ground underneath our rear window, in a pattern that could not have been accidental. It was placed in a row with all the sharp parts up. I KNOW it had been deliberately placed there in the hopes of our puppy cutting her paws, since that's where everyone knew we walked her. We were so tolerant of everyone, & there was no real reason for anyone to resent us - just as with you and your family. We are only here until we can find a house, but still - it's a bad feeling to wonder every day if things will go bad again. Unlike you, though, I used the incident to grab a beer (this was before I found SR) and feel sorry for myself! (My specialty)
Do you have any sort of civic association, or could you band together with neighbors and go to the police over the vandalism as a group?
Do you have any sort of civic association, or could you band together with neighbors and go to the police over the vandalism as a group?
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: on the moon
Posts: 944
That's bad. They don't sound like very nice people at all. I think allot of youngsters don't have anything to do nowadays. Years ago kids would play with their train sets and scaletrixs and radio controlled cars. Now they're all very much influenced by videogames that they seem to think that they can do in real life what they do in the videogames.
I think you should have told the lad across the street just that. If he had the minimum concious he would have taken heed.
I hope they calm down so you can have a peacefull and stress free life.
Originally Posted by Octoman 
Everybody deserves a second chance in life but this family seem determined to throw it away
I hope they calm down so you can have a peacefull and stress free life.
No more merlot, more mamma
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Hills, Ct
Posts: 2,139
I feel for you Octo..thank God your boy is ok.
I live in ,well, you can call it a city. We had some trouble with the folks next door Friday night, I called 911, read in the paper the next day there was a fight and someone was stabbed. Poor A, she lived in the country with one stoplight and she refers to where we live now as "da hood".
Nothing we can do about it until we get back on our feet and are able to move.
I'm on VERY friendly terms with the cops!
Karen
I live in ,well, you can call it a city. We had some trouble with the folks next door Friday night, I called 911, read in the paper the next day there was a fight and someone was stabbed. Poor A, she lived in the country with one stoplight and she refers to where we live now as "da hood".
Nothing we can do about it until we get back on our feet and are able to move.
I'm on VERY friendly terms with the cops!
Karen
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Omak WA
Posts: 1,049
We had our car stolen a few years back. The officer told us that if it isn't found within seven days...it is usually not worth finding. On the sixth day we went out of town to buy another car. The next afternoon of the seventh day, the officer called and said he had found the stolen car. 
It looked like teens had it because it was full of Dairy Queen cups and wrappers. The key was in the car.....& it was our daughter that had set the key down outside and the kids found it .....it had the name KIA on it and of course there was a white KIA Sportage sitting in front of our house. No damage was done so we just sold it...for about one half of what we paid for it about four months before that.
It was learning a hard lesson for our daughter....she still leaves her car keys around in a different place every time she comes to visit. :sorry
My husband does the same....he loses his keys and wallet at least once a month and relys on me to find them.
kelsh
It looked like teens had it because it was full of Dairy Queen cups and wrappers. The key was in the car.....& it was our daughter that had set the key down outside and the kids found it .....it had the name KIA on it and of course there was a white KIA Sportage sitting in front of our house. No damage was done so we just sold it...for about one half of what we paid for it about four months before that.
It was learning a hard lesson for our daughter....she still leaves her car keys around in a different place every time she comes to visit. :sorry
My husband does the same....he loses his keys and wallet at least once a month and relys on me to find them.
kelsh
same planet...different world
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
hellooo Octo-mannn....
where's that cape when you need it, huh?
One thing I noticed, that I haven't seen you say anything about - you didn't need to drink to calm down. You didn't even mention that you wanted to.
how freakin' cool is that one?
somtimes - we only get that one. Thing, I mean.
I lived upstairs from practicing meth addicts - I know about chaos at home.
I finally had the pleasure of their moving out last month.
Took all kinds of prayer, even from people here at SR - but they ARE gone.
And another thing I saw in your story -
Your son ... had a sober dad to 'rescue' him from the glass in this incident.
And you saw yourself ... in that man's eyes.
You're doin' it, Octoman .... and we're still here!
*prayers*
where's that cape when you need it, huh?
One thing I noticed, that I haven't seen you say anything about - you didn't need to drink to calm down. You didn't even mention that you wanted to.
how freakin' cool is that one?
somtimes - we only get that one. Thing, I mean.
I lived upstairs from practicing meth addicts - I know about chaos at home.
I finally had the pleasure of their moving out last month.
Took all kinds of prayer, even from people here at SR - but they ARE gone.
And another thing I saw in your story -
Your son ... had a sober dad to 'rescue' him from the glass in this incident.
And you saw yourself ... in that man's eyes.
You're doin' it, Octoman .... and we're still here!
*prayers*
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: CA
Posts: 302
Hey Octo - thats awful. i hope things get better ive lived in my share of neihbrhoods with kids like that. karma has a funny way of returning the favor to people like that. one day they will mess with the wrong persons home or property. i hope things get better for you but the important thing is your family is ok.
but the important thing is your family is ok.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: London
Posts: 345
Thanks for the comments everybody. Its amazing when I mentioned this how many people have had similar problems with anti-social youths. Its so sad.
Wildkatz - I am looking into getting video cameras. The only thing is the policeman said that to be of any real use they have to have very high resoution which are fairly expensive. I'll see what we can afford but in the last three months off the drink I have began to make inroads into some fairly hefty credit card debts and this would put us straight back to step one. Then again the window will cost $300 so I supose in the long run it may be worth it.
Barb - You re so right about the drinking. Its really odd that last weekend when I had no reson to feel down I had a nightmare dealing with my drink cravings and yet last night when it hit the fan I never crossed my mind. Three months ago I would have lost the plot and then got totally drunk and failed to deal with the situation. Looking at the way I dealt with it I feel proud. I saw it for what it was - a sad lost man with some uncontrollable kids and I think my response was the right one. My wife said this morning she was amazed I didnt mention drink too. She said she didnt say anything last night in case I had just `fogotten` but I actually never thought of it. I am getting somewhere, I can see that now.
Wildkatz - I am looking into getting video cameras. The only thing is the policeman said that to be of any real use they have to have very high resoution which are fairly expensive. I'll see what we can afford but in the last three months off the drink I have began to make inroads into some fairly hefty credit card debts and this would put us straight back to step one. Then again the window will cost $300 so I supose in the long run it may be worth it.
Barb - You re so right about the drinking. Its really odd that last weekend when I had no reson to feel down I had a nightmare dealing with my drink cravings and yet last night when it hit the fan I never crossed my mind. Three months ago I would have lost the plot and then got totally drunk and failed to deal with the situation. Looking at the way I dealt with it I feel proud. I saw it for what it was - a sad lost man with some uncontrollable kids and I think my response was the right one. My wife said this morning she was amazed I didnt mention drink too. She said she didnt say anything last night in case I had just `fogotten` but I actually never thought of it. I am getting somewhere, I can see that now.
same planet...different world
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Butte, America
Posts: 10,946
can't help the redneck, LOL
oh, okay. geyah. it was just a thought ...
can't run well in heels, anyhow. It's an aquired skill.
Actually - Octoman - you hit it on the head when you said about the parents asking for help. Many "bad" parents - don't know they're bad parents - and if they DO ... they try to hide it just like an addiction or alcohol.
Instead of asking for help. There's tons of stigma about it over here, anyhow - but you'd think that if tyey're in some kind or relovating program ... that would have been included or something.
oh, okay. geyah. it was just a thought ...
can't run well in heels, anyhow. It's an aquired skill.
Actually - Octoman - you hit it on the head when you said about the parents asking for help. Many "bad" parents - don't know they're bad parents - and if they DO ... they try to hide it just like an addiction or alcohol.
Instead of asking for help. There's tons of stigma about it over here, anyhow - but you'd think that if tyey're in some kind or relovating program ... that would have been included or something.
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