<p>We had a pair of “kids” who roamed our semi-rural neighborhood in the early morning hours taking items from unlocked cars. They returned every few months. Neighbors divided into three groups: Group 1: Let the police handle it. Group 2: Passive has failed … let’s try something proactive. Group 3: Eh, why bother … the punks will move on. There was no overlap between groups. </p>
<p>Despite this obvious obstacle to collective action, I suggest speaking with some other neighbors to see what suggestions they have. They’re being affected too.</p>
<p>Locking mailbox, high fence, drive your kids to school. Bullies will find other targets when your kids are not around but won’t stop when he is near your kids.</p>
<p>^^ I’m not sure evidence of sapling abuse and mail theft is pertinent. The OP is clearly convinced. And as a prior posted indicated, NOT disclosing this “issue” might be basis for invalidating a sales contract (should the new owners also “perceive” that the neighbor kid is a problem … which is gonna be hard to refute, given multiple police reports by the OP).</p>
<p>We caught him stealing the mail. I caught him leaving the yard after cutting down the saplings. We even caught him when he broke our window. We are only assuming he is the one who broke the lights because we caught him breaking the window. We have caught him climbing the fence, which happens to be a 6 foot wood fence, to get in to our yard. We told the police we saw this happen and they said his word against ours. Tomorrow, I plan to speak directly to the police chief. Yet, I doubt anything will get fixed. </p>
<p>I would like to know how to make the fence difficult to climb. The cross bar is on his side. Once in the yard, he exits through a side fence where the cross bar is on our side. The gate is locked with a padlock. Someone mentioned making it painful to climb…I think it would help if we could make it painful across the top.</p>
<p>I don’t see any evidence that the neighbor kid is obsessed. Delinquent, sure … but not obsessed. </p>
<p>OP - I trust your version of events. Here’s the question you need to answer: Is the kid simply a petty annoyance? Or is this a situation you want resolved? If the latter, realize that you’re not effectively working toward a resolution. The police have said they won’t pursue the kid based on He Said/She Said. You’ve said you don’t have working cameras to gather the evidence you need to move the police to action.</p>
<p>If he’s a minor and continues to be unsupervised at night, call child protective services and file a neglect complaint. You can also file a harassment complaint on behalf of your younger child…you would do this with the police.</p>
<p>I’d be curious to know if the lawyers here think this is a good example of when simply writing a lawyer letter to such a neglectful set of parents would be effective? As in, "just to inform you that I have been retained as counsel by your neighbors concerning several issues of concern…and list them all. Then urge them to act to resolve them so further actions aren’t necessary.</p>
<p>You don’t have to prove anything via the police – yet – just make the parents aware that you have hired legal counsel. Would that take, what – an hour of a lawyer’s time, to hear out your concerns, then send them a letter? It might be worth it. </p>
<p>I’m no lawyer; I just admire their mighty powers.</p>