Sounds like Justice will prevail.

[Adam West]

Some of you may remember a story I told a couple of summers ago about 3 teenagers in my cul-de-sac breaking bottles while my kids and other neighbor kids were out skateboarding, rollerblading, etc.

I confronted the kids and told them to clean up the mess they made even bringing out a trash bag and broom for them to clean it up.

The ring leader became belligerent and hostile with me to the point where he started walking toward me...fists clenched as though he was about to start a physical altercation. This kid was about 6'1" and I'm guessing 175 lbs so I guess he's accustomed to bullying people around and although I'm not huge 6'0' 185 and in good physical shape can hold my own if need be. I basically told the kid not to take another step toward me or I would take it as a sign of aggression and defend myself. He backed off...I called his father and asked him to come over to pick his son up. The son called me every foul word in front of his father and to my surprise the father did not say a word about his son's rude behavior.

Then as a shocker, the father arrived on my doorstep the next morning to tell me that he talked to his son and although his son should not have been breaking bottles that I should have handled to situation in a mature manner and even called my character into question and made some remark to the effect that I should not be allowed to coach youth soccer. He also made some ignorant remark about his son being a black belt in karate.

I replied that I did ask them to clean up the mess, that his son lied to me about his identity, that his son walked toward me in an aggressive posture, and that he could feel free to talk to any of my neighbors regarding my character and told him that if that is all he had to say to me that I considered the conversation over and would let the police handle it next time rather than give him the courtesy of a phone call to come over and deal with his son in an appropriate manner.

I just found out that his son along with one of the other two boys who were breaking bottles on my cul-de-sac broke into 5 homes in the neighborhood recently stealing cash, electronics, and prescription drugs. He is now 18 and is potentially facing some serious jail time. His father not only decided to bury his head in the sand but called into question my character.

I just glad that my instincts were right and stepped in.

[Mikey]

I probably would have just called the cops in the first place without even going out there.

Kids nowadays don't understand reason and they're not afraid of adults.

You have to treat them like the thugs that they are --- nark them out to the police and let them handle it.

Great to hear he finally got what he deserved.

[LadyZod]

I call into question the character of this boy's father.

First of all, he allowed his kid to speak to another adult in an improper manner, and use foul language.

Regardless of anything else going on, that alone should have earned that boy a mouth full of loose teeth.

I'm sorry, but if I am expected to keep my dog under control at all times and I'm held responsible for his biting of someone, and this is an animal we're talking about... one with a genetic REASON to be wild and possibly bite, I expect folks to keep their children under control. You know, since they are genetically (if not emotionally) HUMAN and should, in theory, know better and possibly be easier to train, than say, a dog.

[HardyGirl]

I'm glad that punk got what he deserved. And if his father had any sense, he'd pull his head out of the sand and take some responsiblity for his son's lack of character.

[Goblin19]

Good end to the story. I just can't understand parents who don't get it.

[Vortigern99]

Especially unfortunate here is the evident fact that the father himself is responsible for the criminal behavior of his son. That the man declined to correct or punish the boy for swearing at you probably indicates a much larger pattern of silent complicitity in all the boy's misdeeds. Whether this is through cowardice -- an inability to stand up to his own son -- or criminal tendencies latent in the father himself, is not as clear.

[huedell]

Hmmm...there's no real connection to this kid facing jail time and the
actual incident with the breaking bottles----it's too bad it had to escalate
with the kid not being called on his stuff and "corralled" before these
serious break-in crimes had to occur.

So how much time will the kid actually do?

Will he be on a path to reforming?

Important questions IMO.

We'll see what the future brings for this kid.

[tay666]

I probably would have just called the cops in the first place without even going out there.

Kids nowadays don't understand reason and they're not afraid of adults.

You have to treat them like the thugs that they are --- nark them out to the police and let them handle it.

Great to hear he finally got what he deserved.

Either approach is probably better than what most people do, which is nothing.
Personally, I never call the cops. I handle things myself, and all the kids in the area know it. I don't have any problems.
Years ago I had a few minor issues, but they were handled. And when word got out, everyone decided they'd rather deal with the cop, and it was easier to just leave me, and my area alone.

Then again, I'm also the type to speak up and say something to a kid acting up in public also. Don't know how many dirty looks I have gotten from parents at stores.

[4NDR01D]

I probably would have just called the cops in the first place without even going out there.

Kids nowadays don't understand reason and they're not afraid of adults.

You have to treat them like the thugs that they are --- nark them out to the police and let them handle it.

Great to hear he finally got what he deserved.

AGREED!!
I wouldn't assume because they're "punk *** little kids", that they wouldn't use violence to either get away from you or just beat you down for fun. Who knows, maybe that next bottle goes flying through your window.
Todays kids are becoming increasingly violent, and often over nothing at all. Not only are they not afraid of adults, they're often not afraid of the police either. The average age of inmates entering maximum security prisons is 23. Pretty scary statistic.

[Adam West]

I gave the benefit of the doubt because I knew one of the kids parents who are very nice people. I didn't recognize the kid because it had been a few years since I had seen him but he was the one polite one of the bunch (and his father did rip him apart when he arrived on the scene telling his son that he is lucky I didn't call the police). The father later thanked me because he knew the one kid was bad news and despite his efforts was having a hard time keeping his son away from the other one. He said he would use the incident as an example to his son of what happens when you associate yourselves with bad apples.

Once I found out the name of the apparent leader of the group, I sort of knew the father but not really well. From my few encounters with the father, I thought like he seemed to be a reasonable person who would make sure he took care of his son but unfortunately I was wrong.

I guess since they were neighbors and had not had any previous problems with these kids, I thought I would extend the courtesy of calling the parents without getting the police involved.

Now that the arrest has taken place; I am hearing all kinds of stories regarding the havoc he has caused up on the street where he lives. I know his next door neighbor who told me that the son defecated in his swimming pool and has pulled a few other obnoxious stunts on him. He told me that he tried to have a civil conversation with the father which was met with abrasiveness and turning the tables on him like he was the problem...the same he did with me.

I'm just glad that my gut instincts turned out to be true and that I wasn't overreacting to the situation.