I Have Officially Lost Faith In Humanity...

[SteyrAUG]

So this afternoon I see a couple kids who look to be about 12 years old cutting through the backyard next door. Knowing that they are going to continue into the yard behind me by climbing my fence I step outside to yell at them for climbing my fence (that is my job).

One kid had already made it over (white kid) and one was in the process (black kid) when I yelled at him about climbing on my stuff. I was momentarily stunned when he said "Sorry sir" as he continued over the fence. "Sir", especially when combined with an apology for a inappropriate action is generally not in the vocabulary of most kids in my zip code (sadly).

I watched them as they stopped in the back yard behind me, made a phone call (I will never get used to the idea of 12 year olds with cell phones) and then walked out onto the street in front of that house and climbed into a car.

And I thought nothing more of it until I saw the police car two doors down about a half hour later.

Turns out these two 12 year old kids climbed in a window of a neighbors house and stole a laptop computer, jewelry, an ipad and a host of other portable electronic doo dads.

I didn't notice anything in the hands of the kid climbing the fence but it could have already been handed over and their coats had lots of room to conceal things.

Turns out another neighbor saw the same two kids walking into the back yard of the house that was broken into but simply assumed they were retrieving a ball or something like that.

To make matters worse they went in during a 45 minute window while the neighbors went to get lunch which suggests much more than a spur of the moment opportunity crime and they entered a house that has a very large and aggressive doberman (which the neighbors sadly confined to a bedroom).

Now I know kids take crap, pretty sure I did at that age. But this isn't taking something out of the yard, this is also way beyond stealing another kids bike off the lawn. These little bastards are going after big stuff and they don't seem to be afraid of very much.

I'm positive the adult (or adults) that are involved in training them have told them nothing serious can happen to them given their age. And fuck me if that isn't mostly true. Not only will the courts do virtually nothing IF they happen to get caught, even a home owner is limited to the actions he can or would be willing to take.

I'm 99% positive I couldn't drop a hammer on a 12 year old that wasn't holding a weapon. I'm not ever sure I could kick the snot out of the little bastards. I'm not even sure what I can do legally to detain them if I did see them again. It's one thing to man handle or rough up an adult criminal to convince him to sit still for the cops. But even if you hold a kid down and sit on him you might be asking for trouble.

The worst part of all is these kids are probably headed nowhere but downhill. To be pulling this crap at that age doesn't offer much hope for the future.

Worst of all, talking to the responding officers I learned they have hit about 8 houses in this neighborhood.

[mhanna91]

I know this doesn't pertain to the exact point you were trying to get at with your post, but I don't think I could ever drop a hammer on ANY unarmed person whether they were in my house or not (as long as they weren't coming after me or anything). No object in my place is worth taking a human life over.

Anyways, I'm sorry about what went on in your back yard. It is a shame. But don't let 2 dumb kids shake your faith in people. Kids have been doing that sort of thing forever. They just happened to do it to your neighbors this time.

[chadbag]

You probably don't remember what sort of car it was either that picked them up, do you?

Obviously their "handler"

[mhanna91]

Originally Posted by chadbag

You probably don't remember what sort of car it was either that picked them up, do you?

Obviously their "handler"

Good point.

[warpigM-4]

well Not dropping the hammer on a kid but back in the 90's i worked as a undercover Loss prevention dept in a department store and had a 13 year old put up a pretty big fight when i stopped him before he got to the door .I body slammed his ass and hand cuffed him until the police arrived .I felt no shame in what I did as it was my job .all over a few video games and a watch.Play dumb games ,win stupid prizes

[HES]

A rock and a hard place, that's where you are. I dont envy you and I hate the SOBs that corrupt you boys like this. They are the true enemy of society. Now as to what you can do? You got it already. You can't do shit. Oh sure you can make sure you have your house locked, security system armed, keep an eye out for your neighbors, even have a camera handy. You can get involved with your local scouting, boys / girls club, big brothers organization. But at the end of the day what can you really do? Yeah ain't impotence a bitch. But don't let it get you down. Like Viagra, you can fight this impotence. If you only reach one soul in 100 then you have done more than thousands of others.

[SteyrAUG]

Originally Posted by chadbag

You probably don't remember what sort of car it was either that picked them up, do you?

Obviously their "handler"

White midsize, no specific make or model. It didn't click till I saw the cops.

Originally Posted by mhanna91

I know this doesn't pertain to the exact point you were trying to get at with your post, but I don't think I could ever drop a hammer on ANY unarmed person whether they were in my house or not (as long as they weren't coming after me or anything). No object in my place is worth taking a human life over.

Anyways, I'm sorry about what went on in your back yard. It is a shame. But don't let 2 dumb kids shake your faith in people. Kids have been doing that sort of thing forever. They just happened to do it to your neighbors this time.

If I have a grown up IN MY HOME he is going to be shot at the first opportunity. Just because you don't see the weapon right now, doesn't mean they are unarmed. I assume everyone who breaks into my home came to play.

And I honestly don't think 12 year olds have been doing things quite like this forever. I never knew any when I was that age.

[SteyrAUG]

Originally Posted by warpigM-4

well Not dropping the hammer on a kid but back in the 90's i worked as a undercover Loss prevention dept in a department store and had a 13 year old put up a pretty big fight when i stopped him before he got to the door .I body slammed his ass and hand cuffed him until the police arrived .I felt no shame in what I did as it was my job .all over a few video games and a watch.Play dumb games ,win stupid prizes

Don't blame you a bit. I'm just pretty sure I couldn't get away with the same kind of thing if I happen to encounter either of them again. At this point what I really need are some badass 14 year olds that I can sick on their asses. But the only 14 year olds I know are in school (which of course was my other clue that I missed today).

[Mac5.56]

Not completely sure humanity is fucked, but, this country is totally screwed.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Just take comfort in the fact that these little douche bags will be changing your bed pan and administering your daily dose of life extending meds at the home in your "golden years".

I agree that our civilization needs a hard re-boot.

[M4Fundi]

In Cape Town in the old days it was safe as long as you stayed in your area. The kids run the streets now. I had one pick my dates wallet out of her purse. I chased him down and tackled him preparing to give him a good beating. He could not have been older than 5, yes 5 years old So, I started to spank him when his gang started peaking around the corner down the street and I didn't feel like getting in a gang fight with armed teens and pre-teens, so I gave him a lecture and sent him back to his troupe of jackals I really did stand there dumbfounded as to what do you do with a 5 year old pick pocket Heart Breaking!

[warpigM-4]

I noticed the other day on tv that they brought back a new version of"scared straight " were they take troubled kids into the jails they are getting younger and younger Stealing ,drugs,sex and beating on their parents it is a sad state when I see this.
knowing this is the future of the USA we are truly fucked .I know not all are this way But we will see a huge rise in crime and other BS to come

[RogerinTPA]

Criminals have always used younger kids to conduct the act, knowing that the criminal justice system is effectively powerless to do anything to them. They are adapting to minimize the risk of the consequences. Then when the little shits turn 18, the records are permanently sealed, then life begins a new. Some will spout, "I'm only a kid or I'm only X years old" over and over again to drive home the point to LEOs.

[QuietShootr]

I think it's cute that it took you this long to lose faith in humanity.

[Clint]

This is what happens when there are no consequences for people's (bad) actions.

Parents should teach personal responsibility and be held accountable for it.

[CarlosDJackal]

I would have called 9-1-1. Let the responding Officer sort out whether these guys were just cutting through people's yards because they were too lazy or stealing. The fact that a car showed up to pick them up after one of them made a call and you confronted them should have been a clue.

For some reason a lot of people are unwilling to call 9-1-1 but have no problem taking the time to complain how" the cops wouldn't have done anything anyway". I've made that call on drunk drivers and aggressive drivers. I don't often see the results, but once in a while I will and I am convinced I did the right thing.

FWIW, I used to interview convicted burglars on their MO and have taken those lessons to heart.

[kartoffel]

Originally Posted by CarlosDJackal

For some reason a lot of people are unwilling to call 9-1-1 but have no problem taking the time to complain how" the cops wouldn't have done anything anyway". I've made that call on drunk drivers and aggressive drivers. I don't often see the results, but once in a while I will and I am convinced I did the right thing.

I agree. Not that I want people to abuse 911 or tie up the police with petty complaints. It's just that in this day and age where common sense, politeness, and even plain old intimidation fails to work on some morons, you can fall back on throwing the Law at 'em.

Couple weeks ago I came across a 2-man tree trimming crew, with their bucket truck set up smack dab in the middle of a narrow county road, right at the crest of a hill. They had no orange lights on, no traffic cones, no nothing to warn drivers. Dipshit with a chainsaw nonchalantly waved my vehicle around their truck without ever considering that there could be traffic coming the other way. Before risking a head-on collision, I read them the riot act: either (1) close the whole road with proper signage, (2) get coordinated team of flagmen to direct traffic safely around your "lane closure", (3) or if your POS truck isn't gone in 15 minutes when I return from the store, you'll be explaining it to the county Sheriff.

Lo and behold, tweedle dee and tweedle dum had moved their bucket truck by the time I made the return trip.

[Gramps]

Originally Posted by Moose-Knuckle

Just take comfort in the fact that these little douche bags will be changing your bed pan and administering your daily dose of life extending meds at the home in your "golden years".

I agree that our civilization needs a hard re-boot.

Is this, what we have for a "CIC" already? Along those lines.

Shame on me. (sorta)

[Honu]

Sadly a 12 year old can pull a trigger with less thought than a adult ? And the outcome is the same !

Live in Central America kid criminals are the majority of criminals I saw especially in Guatemala little glue sniffing vermin !

Sadly one has to be careful doing things to these punks though

As mentioned kids will be used and have been since forever !

[armakraut]

Never too late to abort.