Kids throwing rocks at windows nearly everyday. Won't stop.

Kids throwing rocks at windows nearly everyday. Won't stop.

Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes

Sorry for the lengthy post, but I've run into something I haven't had to deal with in the past. Not sure if there's much else I can do, but wanted to post what's going on here to see if I'm missing anything.

About a month ago 2 kids (maybe 14 years old) who get off the school bus 2 houses down, started throwing rocks at one my rentals. They've been doing it at least 1-2 times a week in broad daylight around the same time. So far they've shattered an 8 ft picture window (it's currently boarded up). 2 storm windows, and another bedroom window. On top of that, they put holes in the siding every time they miss a window. Tenant swears she's done nothing to provoke them. She did say she thinks it's intentional because it's happened to neighbors in the past. She also said an older guy came to her house around the time this started asking for money and she turned him down. His kids perhaps?

So far, I installed a solar Ring camera facing the back of the house (they have snuck around there in the past). She also just installed a Vivint? Security system where the doorbell sees the bus stop and the front of her property. There are also sensors on her doors and windows now. We have at least 6 police reports filed and video of them running away when they saw me sitting on the front step. Nothing of them throwing the rocks yet because each time they see someone now they run away. They always have covid masks on too. The city assigned a detective, and I thought this would be an easy thing to resolve since we know they get off the bus (some days) at the same time/spot. Unfortunately, this keeps dragging on and they continue to harass this tenant and destroy the property.

Should I tell the tenant to let them throw a couple rocks so we can finally get them on video?

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Austin, TX · Member since 2019 · 5k+ posts · 5k+ votes
4y

Why not try hiring a private detective to follow the kids home and then turn them into the Police (file a lawsuit against the parents, and a restraining order against the 14 year olds).

You only need to find the home of one, and he will Rat Out the rest under the (perceived) "third Degree" questioning by the Police Officers.

They might still throw rocks, but at least you can get a handle on it some what.

Maybe a witch lives there, or a monster, or a ghost--who knows--it's kids..(???)

Good Luck!

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  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Alex Henry

    We have.. I've posted numerous responses talking about the detective and the dozens of reports filed thus far.

  • Flipper/Rehabber · Wellington OH (Cleveland) · Member since 2021 · 23 posts · 15 votes
    4y

    Okay so why aren’t the police doing anything about it, I’m not trying to be an ***, I just generally don’t understand why the police haven’t done anything? Also you could always file an insurance claim, and the insurance company might hire PI’s if it keeps happening. It looks like your from canton it’s not to far from me. I also know that canton is a bigger city then most suburbs around here but they still have a pretty decent police department.

  • Rental Property Investor · Portland OR · Member since 2018 · 2k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    4y

    can you get storm windows and hopefully they will protect the real ones?  I think your best bet is motion sensitive cameras and lights - and if you have a house across the street put them there too so you can get two angles. 

  • Daniel SmythPro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Rockford, IL · Member since 2019 · 471 posts · 342 votes
    4y

    @CJ M.

    Kids do that. I did that too.

    Not proud of it, but one lady upset me one day as she yelled at me for walking on her property to pkay in a dirt pile.

    This is why I measure what I say to the young in the neighborhood.

    That is probably why this is happening. Nothing can be done now but to install quality cameras and discuss with the police in person, what they can do to help mitigate things.

    You have to remove emotion. As well, kids can be talked to.

    Record the people in the act so well that you and the police can identify the people tossing stones and in the vicinity. Find where they live and ask to meet with parents and show the video. It's best not to accuse the kids first. Ask the parents if they will watch the video and help you find out who the kids are.

    WLk softly, but with purpose, politely.

    Good luck!

  • Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 1 vote
    4y

    @CJ M. Just a thought - have you looked into security window screens? Not sure they could outfit that picture window and it would change the look of the house to have screens on there but they wouldn’t be damaged by a rock. I think there may be a few companies that do them - but here is one:

    https://www.wynstanusa.com/

    Best of luck. What a crappy situation.

  • Investor · Vancouver · Member since 2021 · 165 posts · 137 votes
    4y

    Catch them like pokemon, and give them a spanking, then release into the wild

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Alex Henry

    When I asked what is taking so long I've gotten the following:

    1. We don't know who they are yet or what school they go to.

    2. We will be reaching out to the schools to find out who is on the bus...but schools aren't always cooperative with our requests so we may need to get a court? order.

    3. There are only 2 adolescent detectives in Canton.

    4. This is happening exactly when there is a shift change everyday and there are only 1-2 officers available at that time.

    5. Canton PD is short staffed overall

    6. There's not enough video proof yet that they've done anything (we just got cameras up a week ago).

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Rebecca Riedy

    Thank you, I will contact that company

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Mary M.

    Fortunately, they are doing this in broad daylight. I thought about adding a camera to the property across the street, however I want to avoid causing alarm with that tenant. Last thing I want is for them to move because they get concerned. Also, I think I can get most angles covered with cameras on the house in question.

  • Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 75 posts · 40 votes
    4y

    Curious as to what area of town this property is in

    I hear of this happening a ton south of 30th St on the north side

    Not really sure what else you could do aside from parking along the street nearby when you think it happens and see if you can see anything yourself

  • Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 1 vote
    4y

    @CJ M. Another quick fix idea - you could purchase some cheap patio umbrellas and have them strategically open and aimed to the side to cover the windows during just those times that this happens? The kids might get bored and move onto the next person who refused that guy his protection payment. You might find them online - I doubt you’ll find them in the stores right now or even ask around and borrow some for the short term until you find a better solution.

    I found that Budget Blinds also does those security screens in addition to a number of other companies. It might be prohibitively expensive, I don’t know.

  • Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 1 vote
    4y

    @CJ M. And for all of these big ticket items, there may be some Black Friday deals that could help save you some money on surveillance gear or security screens.

  • Member since 2021 · 4 posts · 1 vote
    4y

    @CJ M. I just found what looks like another awesome option - again I have no idea how cost prohibitive it is but check this out:

    https://www.armorcentric.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAv_KMBhAzEiwAs-rX1PLGQCydmbBZa05cv_rqn0yRXuD8ZRYJmFPGvXQE4EhtFpvgbCZakBoCEAwQAvD_BwE

    It looks like it is a clear film that is applied to the windows and hardens into a bulletproof, blast-proof (and therefore certainly little rock throwing kids-proof) shield. Made in So Cal but looks like it can be shipped and applied by any contractor. If it is reasonably priced, I may just do this to every place I buy. Break in proof. Nice security feature to offer your renters.

    I do not know this company and am not affiliated in any way - just Googling around options!

  • New to Real Estate · Lawton, OK · Member since 2017 · 12 posts · 3 votes
    4y

    Sorry if this response has been added already. Why not just wait at the bus stop and offer $100 to a kid getting off the bus to tell you who threw the rocks? Then offer $100 to the kid to stop throwing rocks and then perhaps explain to them the cost of repairs and the repurcissions of their actions if you took it far enough. I was one of those kids, we threw rocks at each other, at cars, at houses. It was just another day and something to do. It wasn't until we actually hit a car when we realized our mistake. We weren't thinking of any consequences, the same as many kids/teenagers. 

    Edit: If you're worried about incentivizing the other kids to throw rocks so you'll give them money to stop, I think that's taking it a bit far, but you could ask the kids to make sure nobody else throws rocks as well when you pay them initially. This problem doesn't seem like a difficult one to solve, imo. Good luck!

  • Garland, TX · Member since 2015 · 4 posts · 2 votes
    4y

    @CJ M.have the police take the video to the school and see if the principal or teachers recognize the kids. Then they can contact the parents and let them know they have evidence from security cameras to prove it is them and the owner will be pressing charges for all future vandalism. My kid pulled a fire alarm on a dare and cops did that to find out who he was😳 lesson learned quickly

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Kristi Dunn

    We are working on getting better video. Since the cameras have been up,, someone has been outside each time the bus shows up,, so they do not walk down the street. With the video and photos we have now, the kids are at a distance, and have hoodies and covid masks on so it's hard to identify them. We are just trying to identify who gets off of the bus at that location right now.

    Friday seems to be their most active day as others they aren't even on the bus. With Good Friday being this week, I think next Friday I will sit outside in my car and just record them getting off the bus.

  • Investor · White Haven PA · Member since 2014 · 363 posts · 221 votes
    4y

    First off I'm going to make the assumption that your property is in a C or D neighborhood. Meaning it's lower income and has some crime.  Most of the people giving advice here have probably never owned such a property.. I own several rentals in Baltimore city and had the same problem. 

    For those that don't know most of these areas are like the wild west. 

    1. Police are under staffed and unless it's a violent crime like murder they consider you a nuisance asking them for help.. They will always take a report and then continue to say they are looking into it.  In other words the police won't help.

    2. The Parents even if you can find them probably won't help either.. No unless you can present consequences of their child's actions that will affect them. "I have video of your kids doing the damage. If another window breaks in my house I'm seeing you AND your landlord for all the past broken windows" 

    3. Kids will grow tired of doing this but it may take a while and cost you a ton of money. 

    What did I do? I hired to biggest "KID" on the block as a security guard for my vacant house.. I told him that the house was going to be vacant for the next 6 months while work was being done and some kids were throwing rocks and breaking windows. If he could watch the house and make sure nothing happened to it I would pay him $50 at the end of every month as long as there was no damage to the house.  Worked like a charm. (Cost me $300 total) . Kids are not afraid of a 40 year old landlady but those 7th graders are scared to death of the big kid in the 8th grade.

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Ray Slack

    You are spot on! I actually have been paying someone $10/day to watch the property around the time the bus drops kids off. I have another guy who said "I'll make sure this stops" for $X. Again, I'm trying to be smart, safe, and of course legal with anything I do.

  • Rental Property Investor · NJ · Member since 2020 · 60 posts · 16 votes
    4y

    Sounds like a very rough area. Those are areas I stay away from, if I go to the area to check up on it, I may get shot because somebody thinks I am collecting cash rent. We have those areas here in New Jersey like Greenville, Paterson, Newark.

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Mark Berge

    C- area

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    Quick update, as the tenant just called me. I guess she saw one of the kids leaving the Mini mart up the street from her, so she followed him home. As the kid saw her he ran to his front porch and started screaming obscenities at her. The neighbor who is from my understanding a very big guy and also had a very large dog with him, started telling the kid that's not how you talk to a lady. The tenant said she explained the situation about the windows, and the guy said hes going to tell his parents.

    The plan for next week is to continue to try and get the bus number along with videos of the kids getting off it.

  • Rental Property Investor · NJ · Member since 2020 · 60 posts · 16 votes
    4y

    Where do you think the kids are getting the rocks to throw at your rental property? If they are nearby, you may want to go out there with a garbage can and pick them up and put them in the garbage can. That should make it harder for the kids to have ammo. Unless they are bringing them in their backpacks which I find it hard to believe. The rocks are probably nearby?

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Mark Berge

    They are usually pieces of the road/asphalt. Not sure where they are getting them, but the one day they saw me (before running away), they were reaching in their backpacks for something.

    There also have been some limestone pieces found from a neighboring driveway.

  • Rental Property Investor · NJ · Member since 2020 · 60 posts · 16 votes
    4y

    Have you tried talking to the neighbors? Do they have the same problem? If they did, how did they solve it besides putting bullet proof glass in place?

  • Rental Property Investor · Canton, OH · Member since 2017 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    4y

    @Mark Berge

    One neighbor had the same problem. Said they eventually just stopped...but he's let the bushes and trees completely overgrow the front of the house so they couldn't even hit the windows now

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