Did i do the right thing?

Former Member

The other night i was watching some TV when i heard two bangs, i looked outside and didnt see anything.

A few minutes later i heard another bang and this time some glass smashed (but wasnt loud enough to wake up the street) i then peeked and seen two scumbags (thats what they are) hiding behind my back garden wall in a dark alley. Still watching i saw one of them then run to the car, making the smashed window bigger and then grabbing a bag out, then run off down the alley.

Now i know that, what i saw was wrong and what i did was wrong but at the time i was thinking of my safety and my property. As seen in the media you see how kids then start ganging up on you and your house, smashing windows to your house and car, stealing and abusing.

Did i do the 'right' thing by watching/looking at the kids and not shout out to move them away/give away my position.


When i woke up the smashed car had allready gone, also upthe road there was also another smashed car.

These people make me sick,

Former Member

Did you call the police when it was happening? If you didn't, I'd say you didn't do the right thing! Granted it's not your responsibility to put yourself in danger by doing something useless by yelling at them, but by calling somebody could have saved other people's property. My windshield, along with mailboxes (cuz I'm the only retard in the neighborhood to not be in a garage) got all smashed last summer. If I had known somebody had seen it and just sat there and stared I would be well pissed off! But that is knowning that the police are around and always near by and when I noticed and called they were at the door in about 5 minutes and I know I would have been on the bottom of the priority list.

JsT

I think you should have at least reported it to the Police at the time - I woulda given a general shout too if you could do so without putting yourself in any danger.

Former Member

Did you do something wrong by not personally intervening ? NO. Why get involved with some scrote who could easily be carrying a weapon just for the sake of a bag.

I would of lurked in the shadows and got a good eyeful and then phoned the police.

Former Member

I've been in a very similar situation, except it was my car. I was watching tv one evening, heard a noise outside and looked out to see four kids getting in my car.

My car wasnt worth anything either to me personally or really financially so the idea of running out and confronting them didnt occur to me, but I was straight on the phone to 999 and they put out a call to cars out that night.

If you had phoned the police (I'm assuming by your post you did not) then they could have done the same, given a call out to police cars to be on the look out for kids of that description.

Former Member

I would have shouted at them from my house after calling the police. Chances are you might not have been the only one to notice it so the neighbourhood needs to look out for one another, it's the best way to stop mindless vandalism.

I think the only thing you might have done 'wrong' was if you didn't call the police, but again people have done worse so I wouldn't worry about it.

Former Member

J wrote: »

It's sttrange, I think kids are like this because of a break down in community - the same thing that people are affraid to get involved in when it comes to incidents like this.

I mean, there has always been vandalism, but I agree in a sense that mindless destructive vandalism can occur when there is no sense of being watched i.e. by peers or guardians or neighbours. I mean kids are kids but my dad would never have been openly cheeky let alone violent around anyone in a position of authority (i.e. adults) because he would have got a smack. I personally have and personally would intervene in confrontations because why should one person have to face the brunt of it themselves. I wouldn't place myself in danger but you do not have to do so to present a 'united front'.

Maybe that's idealism though, and really I should lock myself away because if it's not happening to me then it's not my place to get involved.

Former Member

If you see a crime being comitted then always ring 999. Sometimes you'll get a delayed police response, other times a pretty much instant one. I've lost track the number of times people have reported something to me that occurred when I was literally a couple of streets away, but they've left it 24 hours before they did. Then they complain the police never do anything.....

The police can only really fight crime with the support of the locals, yes you might be waiting ages for a response, othertimes you'll be waiting seconds/minutes.