Should I Call the Police on Neighborhood Kids Harassing My Family?

A 23-year-old woman is dealing with a neighborhood nightmare that started with a simple “not interested” on a school walk and spiraled into months of targeted chaos outside her family’s home. It’s not just annoying stuff either, we’re talking milk cartons, blasting sound through open windows at 1:30 a.m., and even “WANTED” signs taped to their doors and windows.

OP says two boys, around 9 to 11, have been harassing her mom and sisters for over two years after her 13-year-old sister stopped talking to one of them. The behavior ramps up again and again, from throwing garbage in the yard and scaring the cats, to body slamming and kicking the door, to pouring out milk like it’s a prank show with real consequences.

And the part that makes it feel truly unhinged is what one of the boys whispers at her open window, right after midnight.

Original Post

I (23F) and my family (mom and sisters) have been being harassed and overall being targeted by two boys in the neighborhood (approx. 9-11 yrs) for the past couple years.

It began after my younger sister (13F) stopped talking to one of the boys on their walk to school and at school. We assumed that he and his friend would stop after a couple weeks but it’s been over two years at this point.

It’s just been annoying most of the time, throwing garbage in our yard, running through the yard to scare our cats sitting in the windows, blasting music towards our house, etc. Last year, the two boys began running up to our door and body slamming and kicking the door once a day for two weeks.

We asked them politely to stop as it could damage the door/door frame and said that if they did it again we would talk to their parents. They stopped messing with us altogether for a couple months after that then the usual shenanigans resumed minus the kicking/body slamming the door.

However within the last couple months (starting when school ended for the summer), the kids have begun throwing milk cartons from the local lunch in the park program at our house and/or opening the cartons and pouring them in the yard near the door. They’ve also been leaving a speaker near open windows and blasting random sounds and music at all hours of the day and night and tapping on the windows during the day.

Over the weekend, the boys printed out “WANTED” signs with a picture of one of them on it and taped them to each of our windows and both the front and back doors. We took them all down but kept one as evidence of what happened.

Then last night around 1:30 am, they were out throwing things towards the house, hitting the street signs with metal poles and blasting music and weird sounds towards the open windows. We’d assumed they had stopped after a while of them finally being quiet, however one of the boys came up to my open window, face on the screen, and whispered menacingly “you’re on the FBI watchlist”.

It obviously scared the s**t out of me and I said “wtf dude, leave and don’t do it again”. Then the other boy did the same exact thing at my window.

I got up and asked my younger sister if they’d also done it to her, she had her window closed so we assumed they didn’t try talking, but she said she heard tapping on her window. My mom went outside to see where they were or if they were still in the yard and saw them sneaking back to under my window again.

My mom told them if she caught them doing it again that we would call the police and make a report. We also will be talking to their parents later today when they get home.

Ideally, we don’t want to call the police, but I honestly don’t think they’d stop even after talking with the parents. I think the police telling them to stop might scare them off enough to where they stop bothering us entirely though.

Addressing the harassment faced by a 23-year-old from neighborhood boys aged 9 to 11 requires a nuanced understanding of the motivations behind such bullying behavior. These children may be acting out to establish dominance and control, a behavior often rooted in their social contexts. The article highlights how children frequently reflect the aggression they observe in their environments, suggesting that their actions may stem from learned behaviors rather than inherent malice. This perspective encourages a deeper examination of the underlying factors at play, including familial influences, peer interactions, and individual psychological traits. By moving beyond simply labeling these boys as troublemakers, the community can adopt a more comprehensive approach to resolving the issue, fostering a healthier neighborhood dynamic.

Comment from u/aj_alva

Comment from u/SorryAd6335

After OP took the “WANTED” signs down and kept one as evidence, the harassment didn’t just pause, it shifted into the next level of late-night noise and thrown objects.</p>

Being the target of harassment can have profound psychological effects, especially on young adults navigating their formative years.

Comment from u/IamIrene

Comment from u/ScaryButterscotch474

Impact of Harassment on Mental Health

When harassment escalates to a point where it becomes overwhelming, involving the authorities may become a necessary course of action for the safety of all parties involved. Such actions could inadvertently exacerbate their behavior, leading to further complications. Before taking the more drastic step of involving law enforcement, it may be more beneficial to engage parents or community leaders in a dialogue. This approach allows for a constructive discussion aimed at resolving the issue without escalating the situation unnecessarily, fostering a sense of community responsibility and support.

Comment from u/Not_Serial_Murdering

Comment from u/Fickle_Card193

Once the boys resumed “shenanigans” after the door-kicking stopped for a couple months, the family started realizing polite requests were not actually landing anywhere.</p>

It's important to consider the psychological impact of involving law enforcement on the children who are behaving aggressively.

Comment from u/kaleidoscope_view

Comment from u/ShelbyJo_

Involving Authorities in Harassment Cases

Being the target of harassment can have profound psychological effects, especially on young adults navigating their formative years.

This is similar to the boyfriend who snapped after his friend ate the girlfriend’s meal again.

Comment from u/Forsaken_Pick3201

Comment from u/Antique-Agent-2992

When school ended for summer, the milk cartons from the park program and the speaker blasting through open windows made it clear this wasn’t random mischief anymore.</p>

To effectively address the ongoing harassment within our community, it is crucial to consider implementing a structured approach that encompasses immediate, short-term, and longer-term steps. Immediate actions could include thoroughly documenting all incidents of harassment and reaching out to the children’s parents to openly discuss the existing concerns. This initial communication can help raise awareness and create a collaborative environment for addressing the issue.

In the short term, ideally within 1-2 weeks, it would be beneficial to organize a community meeting. By bringing everyone together, we can create a united front against harassment and build a supportive network.

For longer-term solutions, projected over the next 1-3 months, consider forming a neighborhood watch or a community group specifically focused on youth activities. Such initiatives can provide positive outlets for children, thereby fostering a sense of belonging and community engagement that ultimately reduces instances of harassment.

Comment from u/Status_Signature6334

Comment from u/nurseasaurus

Ultimately, fostering a safe neighborhood environment requires a collective effort and a deep understanding among all community members.

Comment from u/nutsmasher42069

Comment from u/top_fed2017

That’s when the 1:30 a.m. incident hit, with the boys throwing things at the house and one of them leaning in to whisper “you’re on the FBI” at OP’s window.</p>

Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.

Comment from u/attorneydummy

Comment from u/SeamStressed1

Comment from u/LivinRightNBeinFree

Comment from u/Plus_Ad_9181

Addressing harassment, particularly from neighborhood children, requires a nuanced understanding of the underlying dynamics at play.

This is the kind of escalation that makes you question whether “neighborhood kids being kids” is even the right label anymore.

For more “blindside” level fallout, see what happened when a married woman paired up with a male friend and left her husband stunned.