ASBO's - Is Enough Being Done?

We watched another programme the other night about people being terrorised in their own homes...both parents and a daughter had ASBO's but seemed totally unbothered about it We both said that we would never let someone or a group of people treat us like that..ok Clive hated his previous next door neighbour, and she him, but the police were never involved and there was nothing physical...just verbal abuse and he was capable of giving her as good as he got.

Yesterday there was an almighty thud on one of the windows...we both rushed out to see a snowball sliding down one of the side garden window, by the time Clive had managed to get his trainers on and slip and slide round to the side of the house there was no-one to be seen...but one of our neighbours came out and said there was a gang of youths throwing snowballs at windows and they had done the same to her but she was too scared to confront them. Clive muttered a few choice words but we thought nothing of it.

A few hours later there was another sound, exactly the same..Clive was on the phone and I was in my slippers but I didn't let that stop me...I was out like a shot and there were 8 youths, aged about 18-19 bombarding our house and Janes (opposite) with snowballs, and they were aiming at the windows. I shouted at them to stop, they laughed at me, one of them swore and said that I should go indoors as I was only making things worse for myself That was it..I'm not being spoken to like that for protecting my property, they all then started throwing snowballs at me and the cars, one of them hit Clives Supra which set the alarm off..at which point he came shooting out of the house and chased them...I have to say that he was that angry he would have pinned one down as he shouted at me to call the police and I know he would have held onto him until they arrived...I know its not the right thing to do but I'm certain this youth would have been sporting some sort of minor injury to teach him a lesson.

I called the police, (they are setting me up my own hotline direct to them ), more because I was worried about Clive catching up with them and knocking someone over, or them all turning and doing something to him, than I was about the windows. Anyway, they took the incident seriously until I said that Clive was walking back up the road...then it was a case of here's an incident number and give us a call if they come back

I know its not a matter of life and death, but upon talking to the neighbours it happens every year when there's snow and they are all too scared to confront the youths. They don't live around here by the way, they live on a not quite so nice part of town which is across the road, down the underpass and a bit further on, Clive chased them to the underpass but they split up and he then slipped on the snow so he gave up.

I popped round to another neighbour just after it happened - his house is the other way round to ours and his garden backs onto the side of ours so he actually faces the road that they walked down. He said he had words with them too, he had been clearing his drive and they threw snowballs at him and his kids, just missing his 4 year old daughters head

We spent last evening wondering whether they would come back with reinforcements...I said that I would have thought he had scared them off but he thinks that they probably think its an even better game to get someone so riled that they chase them down the road.

This got us to chatting again about the programme, if the police cracked down harder on those that make life unpleasant for others, would silly things like this be less likely to happen?

I think theres a high chance they will be back, clive chasing them has just added more fun,

I do think if he caught up with a group that large at that age that clive would come off worst {or he would round this way } not sure what they are like down your way.

I think its best just to ask the police to attend, try to get some photos or similar,

or if clive is really so wound up by them, have cctv fitted to the house.

good luck hun, stay safe

ETA: Dont be to surprised if they are younger than you first thought, I would be very surprised at youths of that age doing that sort of thing, they may be a lot younger, in that sinario clive could end up the wrong doer if you see what I mean.

let the police deal with them, its there job.

Thanks Shona...I thought they were about 15 ish but Jane and Clive both said they thought they were older. I was really worried that Clive could come worse off, but people just see red don't they, and when he's like that I just can't stop him..it would be the same if someone broke into the house whilst we were in it, he would act first and think about it later. He does so much work for the police that I know anything he does wrong would go against him workwise, but he just feels he has this moral obligation to protect his family, friends and his property.

We have got CCTV at the unit which we will be bringing to the house in the next couple of months, until then we shall just have to keep our fingers crossed. It is a really nice area and I suppose it was just a bit of a shock to have it happen.

Clive has gone off now to walk to the unit, he said to call the police if they come back...Jane is also at home today so we would be able to support each other..I think I would try to get some photos of them this time, without them knowing that I've seen them, and call the police if they start throwing snow at the windows...maybe just a quiet word in their ears would be enough to stop them doing it .

Hopefully it was a one off and they won't be back

First - it`s nothing new. Gangs of boys making nuisances of themselves have been documented since records began, from medieval apprentices running riot to the teddy boys of the 50s.
At worst it could have been a broken window if you`d ignored it and an injury or court appearance if you hadn`t. So it`s probably best to grit your teeth and draw the curtains...and go and see the community policemen the next day.

I understand what you're saying...and with hindsight it probably does seem that we made too much of it..but where does one draw the line and let youths think this is acceptable behaviour and that its whats expected of them? Are these the kids/youths that turn into the adults that think what they want to do is always the right thing to do and b****r anyone that gets in their way?

I used to play knock down ginger as a child...a bit norty of me but it was "the norm" and I do feel embarrassed about it now. However, it wasn't ever my intention to deliberately cause damage to someones property or injure someone, which could so easily have happened with our other neighbours little girl, had that snowball hit her full pelt in the head.

Surely, if people aren't prepared to stand up for themselves then these mischiefmakers will continue to upset people and never learn that what they are doing is wrong.

I sound like I'm on my soapbox and I don't mean to...I really would like to see what other people think..the programme that I had referred to had the policeman in charge saying that no-one had been killed etc., so it was almost as if it didn't matter that these poor people were terrified to leave their homes..and almost as scared to remain in them.

I get what you're saying.....

We were in the car the other day, it was snowing really heavy, two lads thought it was funny to pick up snow balls and throw them at the car infront of us (we were all at stand still) he started to laugh, so I opened my window and said don't even think about it, he told me to get a life LOL I felt silly afterwards and probably shouldn't have said anything, but it really annoyed me, we were all trying to concentrate and get home safe.........

I really don't know where we should draw the line, if we are out and someone's swearing around our kids, my Hubby doesn't like it, but I always tell him to leave it, and not say anything.......Sometimes it's just not worth it x

I understand how you feel. At first glance it does sound a bit trivial, but it's the way the youths of today treat people that gets me. Ok, we all did things as kids that we probs think were stupid in hindsight, but as I say, it's the malicious way they treat other people nowadays. If we were caught doing something, we were told off and that was that!! But kids now, hurl abuse, and snowballs lead on to other things.

Yea, I think you have to stand up for yourself today. Youths have this idea that they can do and say anything they want as they know the law, in most cases do not do anything about them. They have no fear of the bobby on the beat or think nothing of going to court.

Asbo's are not working, the wear them like a badge of honor!!!

We were being terrorised a few years ago by one little runt in particular..throwing eggs at window etc. That turned into robbing from my son's car. We made a big deal about it, called in the police. Everytime that lad got so much as a hundred yards from my house I would be out, or in view,so he knew I was taking no prisioners.

It's so frustrating that you can be hurled abuse by some little runt and you can't do a thing about it. I understand how angry this makes you. You see years ago you could go round to their parents and they would give them a clout. If you do this now, you just get a gob full of abuse from them.

I would ignore the snowballs, they will get fed up if you don't retaliate, but if it gets to stones or more malicious actions then get back onto the police.

It's this ethos of "Oh leave it, just ignore them" that gives them free reign to do what the bloody hell they like. I saw that programme and felt so sorry for the couple and her sister. It's a terrible way to have to live and why should they? It's just not fair, that no brainers can get away with treating people any way they see fit. That guy they interviewed couldn't even string two sentences together...Neandathal!!!!
xxxx

I agree with Shona as to Clive being alone when he ran after then, these things end up with someone getting a good kicking and often its the person who is innocent.

Here its gangs of girls, and sometimes I wonder if they are worse, 2 years ago we had a few new houses built on some waste ground round the back of us, and they congregate round there, its a cul-de-sac and how those poor residents put up with them god knows, they scream,drink,mess about throw cans,swear at the residents, and when the boys join them, the girls become worse.

I had to go round in the summer as one of the cans landed in our garden, the boys just mooned about but the girls give you ''''real mouth''''
We haven't stopped them from coming but the police move them on and (I am not suggested anyone does this by the way) but I caught hold of one of the girls (one of the ringleaders) when she was alone and made a couple of suggests to her in her shell like ear.
Now if they get mouthy and me or Pat walk round they move....but they do come back later at the moment the cold weather has kept them away, but I daresay we will get repeats when the better weather comes.

Half an hour ago Clive came rushing down...another snowball had just been lobbed at the patio doors..he ran out of the house telling me to call the police.

He has rang me on the mobile, there are 6 of them and as they are walking down the street they are lobbing snowballs at people getting out of the cars, walking out of their houses etc. He has given me a description of what they are wearing and I have told the police that he is about to make a citizens arrest and that they better get down there soon otherwise I dread to think what will happen...I can't do anything other than tell them that I'm frightened..I can't get them there any quicker.

I asked Clive to slow down and have a think about what he is doing, I asked him to talk to the chap that he saw getting out of the car and getting hit with snow, hoping that would take some steam out of his sails. He rang me back, the chap confirmed what he had seen but he hasn't tagged along with Clive to give him any support or difuse the situation. I have begged Clive not to do anything stupid..I'm so worried he is going to end up getting hurt but he has this red haze over his eyes and he is adamant that he is going to hold onto one of them until the police get there.

any news hun, I hope clive is ok, he really needs to cool down.