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Oh argh. The dipshit vandals struck again this morning. Every time, I've heard skateboard wheels on the pavement outside. I've never been able to see anyone when the vandalism occurs, but I have seen several middle-school age boys skateboarding down the street after school.
I know everyone on our street--that is, "this end" of the street, where it ended a year ago, before they extended it and put in 97 new houses, six or seven of them to an acre of land--and I know there are no kids in "our" neighborhood that age. Younger, yes, and older. But not in the 10-15 year age range. So these are kids from the new development that has its own playground, and sidewalks, and several streets of brand-new houses, with new SUVs and trucks and cars parked in their driveways.
These kids skate down our street--"our end" of the street, right. With the bumpy pavement, and the older houses, 50, 60 years old, built since WWII, some with original owner senior citizens, some with new families with toddlers, or with older teenagers. We have big yards, huge old trees, the houses are farther apart. The neighborhood grew from a rural community; most of the houses had half-acre vegetable gardens when I was growing up, some still do. Most people tend to be inside, or in their back yards, minding their own business, so there's less chance of being observed. Plus, okay, nice hill to ride down. But also, lighter population density, fewer kids out playing, so the opportunity to smash and run is much better. Too, I think there's a mindset at work here, a type of resentment. Those old people in those old houses. Why do they have to be there? They shouldn't be there. Us vs. Them, it prevails the world over. And adolescents are the most hide-bound, intractible, intolerant bunch of people I've ever dealt with. They all too easily buy into Us vs. Them.
So I see where the arrogant disregard for property comes from. And I understand the disconnect between "what I have, what belongs to me, my family, community, school" vs. "Them, and theirs." I understand the urge to destroy, the thrill of getting away with doing something wrong, even returning to compound the first act, a gleeful escalation, a demonstration of power and superiority.
But really. They did more damage to the truck's windshield. The only possible insult the poor old truck could be guilty of is being old, and dirty. It has some body rust. It's a work truck, it's used infrequenly and rarely washed. And it's parked on our property, where it edges the street. StY's car is parked there, too. These appear to be the only vehicles on "our end" of the street which are parked streetside. So perhaps these kids think the vehicles shouldn't be there. Or perhaps they're just handy, quick-reach targets that the vandals don't have to actually trespass in order to damage. Last week, there were two impact stars in the windshield on the driver's side of the truck. Sometime since then, both vehicles were egged and, night before last, the windshield was hit, apparently repeatedly, in the same spot on the driver's side, caving the glass into the cab, held weatherproof only by the membrane in the safety glass.
This morning there were three more impact stars, working their way across to the passenger's side. And my husband's car and mine, parked in our driveway well off the street, had streaks and blobs of pudding on their rear and sides, two plastic pudding cups left arrogantly in the driveway where they'd been thrown, obviously at the cars, not just "away".
No one else on the street has been targeted this way, although one neighbor in her 70s came home and surprised someone in the back of the house as she entered the front. They ran, and she never got a look at them. They'd taken some cash, but not all that was out in the open. They didn't take jewelry, the tv, the stereo, or anything else of value. But they had gone into the fridge and eaten a dessert she'd made for a church social the next day. They'd kicked in her back door to get inside. Doesn't this sound like kids again?
H thinks they're using the skateboard(s) to smash the windshield--why not? No need to carry a bat, golf club, tire iron. Just use the pointy end, or the axle, to smash, and then ride away with your hands empty.
I've called the police desk each time. Today I got the same officer I talked to yesterday, and it turns out she was with Crime Scene when they investigated the neighbor's break-in. She agrees that it sounds like kids, and that, although it isn't the crime of the century, it's likely if it isn't stopped the behavior will probably escalate. She gave me the number for the patrol coordinator's desk, to request increased officer presence. So I'll call, and we'll see what happens. H is threatening to sit out under the trees with a baseball bat, in wait. He's very angry, and he wants payback.
I don't so much want retribution, but I think those responsible should have to pay for the repairs. And I'd really like to spend some time with them, community service if you will, to help them work through their concept of "Us," vs. who "Them" really is.
I know everyone on our street--that is, "this end" of the street, where it ended a year ago, before they extended it and put in 97 new houses, six or seven of them to an acre of land--and I know there are no kids in "our" neighborhood that age. Younger, yes, and older. But not in the 10-15 year age range. So these are kids from the new development that has its own playground, and sidewalks, and several streets of brand-new houses, with new SUVs and trucks and cars parked in their driveways.
These kids skate down our street--"our end" of the street, right. With the bumpy pavement, and the older houses, 50, 60 years old, built since WWII, some with original owner senior citizens, some with new families with toddlers, or with older teenagers. We have big yards, huge old trees, the houses are farther apart. The neighborhood grew from a rural community; most of the houses had half-acre vegetable gardens when I was growing up, some still do. Most people tend to be inside, or in their back yards, minding their own business, so there's less chance of being observed. Plus, okay, nice hill to ride down. But also, lighter population density, fewer kids out playing, so the opportunity to smash and run is much better. Too, I think there's a mindset at work here, a type of resentment. Those old people in those old houses. Why do they have to be there? They shouldn't be there. Us vs. Them, it prevails the world over. And adolescents are the most hide-bound, intractible, intolerant bunch of people I've ever dealt with. They all too easily buy into Us vs. Them.
So I see where the arrogant disregard for property comes from. And I understand the disconnect between "what I have, what belongs to me, my family, community, school" vs. "Them, and theirs." I understand the urge to destroy, the thrill of getting away with doing something wrong, even returning to compound the first act, a gleeful escalation, a demonstration of power and superiority.
But really. They did more damage to the truck's windshield. The only possible insult the poor old truck could be guilty of is being old, and dirty. It has some body rust. It's a work truck, it's used infrequenly and rarely washed. And it's parked on our property, where it edges the street. StY's car is parked there, too. These appear to be the only vehicles on "our end" of the street which are parked streetside. So perhaps these kids think the vehicles shouldn't be there. Or perhaps they're just handy, quick-reach targets that the vandals don't have to actually trespass in order to damage. Last week, there were two impact stars in the windshield on the driver's side of the truck. Sometime since then, both vehicles were egged and, night before last, the windshield was hit, apparently repeatedly, in the same spot on the driver's side, caving the glass into the cab, held weatherproof only by the membrane in the safety glass.
This morning there were three more impact stars, working their way across to the passenger's side. And my husband's car and mine, parked in our driveway well off the street, had streaks and blobs of pudding on their rear and sides, two plastic pudding cups left arrogantly in the driveway where they'd been thrown, obviously at the cars, not just "away".
No one else on the street has been targeted this way, although one neighbor in her 70s came home and surprised someone in the back of the house as she entered the front. They ran, and she never got a look at them. They'd taken some cash, but not all that was out in the open. They didn't take jewelry, the tv, the stereo, or anything else of value. But they had gone into the fridge and eaten a dessert she'd made for a church social the next day. They'd kicked in her back door to get inside. Doesn't this sound like kids again?
H thinks they're using the skateboard(s) to smash the windshield--why not? No need to carry a bat, golf club, tire iron. Just use the pointy end, or the axle, to smash, and then ride away with your hands empty.
I've called the police desk each time. Today I got the same officer I talked to yesterday, and it turns out she was with Crime Scene when they investigated the neighbor's break-in. She agrees that it sounds like kids, and that, although it isn't the crime of the century, it's likely if it isn't stopped the behavior will probably escalate. She gave me the number for the patrol coordinator's desk, to request increased officer presence. So I'll call, and we'll see what happens. H is threatening to sit out under the trees with a baseball bat, in wait. He's very angry, and he wants payback.
I don't so much want retribution, but I think those responsible should have to pay for the repairs. And I'd really like to spend some time with them, community service if you will, to help them work through their concept of "Us," vs. who "Them" really is.