Ugh. Thug kid lives across the street.

PrettyPaisley · #1 02/05/11, 12:39 PM

Just found out through my stepdaughter that the 16 year old kid who lives across the street is currently in jail on a $45k bond. He burned down a vacant house a couple of weeks ago and was recently arrested on over 4 felony charges including breaking and entering into homes and cars.

I've been here 11 years and don't even recall seeing this kid. He has a sister, too and his father is always outside at 3am building something and I've never had an issue with this because I'm a night owl too. And lord knows, with children you get done what you have to get done when you can. Or maybe his father just wants to be alone!

I'm a nervous wreck about this kid. It helps I live with a police officer

but I worry that a kid that will set fire to a house will also venture up a yard into the back area where we keep our animals. We've got a fence but it's not something we lock, just close. He has to know a cop lives here but wouldn't that make a bravado filled thug more likely to show off to his friends. Right?

Should I just sit tight? I don't guess there is much I can do-I sure don't want to talk to his parents about this, even if it is public record.

texican · #2 02/05/11, 12:45 PM

Maybe no one will go on his bond... you might get lucky.

If he does get out, and you feel threatened... ask him if he'd like to go 'fishing'.

I've heard of folks going fishing and liking it so much, they never came back... they're still fishing. ...they're still catching fish, er, so to speak...

Sonshine · #3 02/05/11, 12:47 PM

It's a tough situation. We use to have a boy that was a pre-teen that lived down the road from us. He was bi-polar and his mom wouldn't keep him on his meds. One day he'd be fine, the next day he would bring things like hammers down here and threaten the other kids in the neighborhood with them. We live at the end of the road on a cul-de-sac, and a lot of the neighborhood kids would come down here to play basketball or ride their bikes because there was no traffic. This kid's mom was just as bad as he was. She was also bi-polar. She use to come down here and cuss the kids out because of some imagined offense she thought they had done to her son. She even called the cops on my son once wanting to have a restraining order placed on him. My son is borderline autistic and never leaves this area. He plays in the cul-de-sac, but doesn't venture down the road. The cops basically told her my son did nothing wrong and that since my son lives down here and they live up there that it would be best for her to keep her son closer to his home. She complained that the cop was a racist. He was a black man and my son is bi-racial. Fortunately they were one of the ones that got hit with all the foreclosures, so things have quieted down around here. It had gotten so bad that I was no longer allowing my own son to play outside. That was after her son broke his wrist. My son is a big kid, and he knows how to defend himself having taking taikwondo from an early age, but he thinks of everyone as his friend and will not fight back when someone hits him.

NickieL · #4 02/05/11, 12:48 PM

at least your thug kid is in Jail...the one across from me isn't!

laughaha · #5 02/05/11, 12:51 PM

Are his parents planning on bailing him out of jail?
Were any of his crimes violent towards people (ie were people home when he broke into their houses)?
Has any of your family ever had any problems with any of his family?
Has he ever shown ANY signs of animal abuse or liking animals?
Is he a member of a gang?

I don't blame you for being upset, I would be too! If the answers to all of the above questions are no, then I probably wouldn't be so worried that I'd take action beyond normal safety procedures (locking doors and windows, having a big dog, having an alarm system sign in front yard/window).

chickenista · #6 02/05/11, 12:52 PM

If he hasn't bothered you in the past, then he isn't likely to bother you now.
Especially now.. after he has landed in a world of hurt.

jlrbhjmnc · #7 02/05/11, 12:54 PM

Oh, dear. That is scary. Ya'll keep safe - sounds like you have an expert there with you, thank goodness. And I hope the young man gets himself together. That's very sad.

crispin · #8 02/05/11, 12:54 PM

sinc eyou live with an officer of the law I am quite sure you will be fine.

laughaha · #9 02/05/11, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chickenista

If he hasn't bothered you in the past, then he isn't likely to bother you now.
Especially now.. after he has landed in a world of hurt.

Unless he has already been tried and convicted as an adult- he is not in the world of hurt yet- he's a minor.

I do agree that if you've never had problems with him before, you probably won't.

PrettyPaisley · #10 02/05/11, 01:02 PM

I've never heard a peep from him until now. But-I did also just find out he was kicked out of the charter school he attended with my stepson for drugs. Just marijuana but still. That has to mean he has contact with some unsavory people who might be into stuff harder than that.

I don't know if the parents are keeping him in jail as a lesson or if they just don't have the money to get him out. I've also recently heard his mom is a basketcase and lord only knows what that could mean.

The crimes he is charged with are not against people just property. And choosing a vacant house to burn down is better than one that isn't vacant. I don't know the answer to the gang question or the answer to the hurting animal question. His family is good friends with another police officer who works with SO at the same office. I hope to get more info from hime once he returns my voice mail message with a call.

Recently we had been letting my 12 year old DSD babysit my girls, 4 and 1 in the evening when I had to work. Only from about 4pm-9pm at the latest, but now I'm not sure that is the best plan anymore. Well maybe it's still okay until he gets out of jail.

Glad to know I'm not over reacting too much. We always keep the house locked up tight as a drum and that includes a bar under the door knob each night because I'm just a worrywort. I only wish I could figure out how to secure my goats better. Hopefully he doesn't know they are there.

And I do feel a touch better with a cop around.

Alice In TX/MO · #11 02/05/11, 01:14 PM

Yes, you are over reacting. You didn't even know about this kid, and now you appear to be in panic mode because someone *told* you about something he might have done.

Take a deep breath.

I highly recommend getting the book, "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie, and read it several times.

laughaha · #12 02/05/11, 01:17 PM

Honestly, he'd be fairly low on my list of people to be worried about

TSYORK · #13 02/05/11, 01:28 PM

Load your gun and keep it handy. The second amendment was made for thugs!

PrettyPaisley · #14 02/05/11, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Yes, you are over reacting. You didn't even know about this kid, and now you appear to be in panic mode because someone *told* you about something he might have done.

Take a deep breath.

I highly recommend getting the book, "Loving What Is" by Byron Katie, and read it several times.

You know I tend to over react.

But he is charged so while he's not been prosecuted he is in jail. So he did do *something*.

Ardie/WI · #15 02/05/11, 01:41 PM

Don't borrow trouble.

mightybooboo · #16 02/05/11, 02:12 PM

Self limiting problem,they grow up and move away fortunately.

B & B Farms · #17 02/05/11, 02:52 PM

Strong fences make good neighbors, so do gate locks!

Allene

Alice In TX/MO · #18 02/05/11, 03:52 PM

So, he's in jail, he's never threatened you, he hasn't been convicted, and if you'll PM me your address, I'll *send* you one of the books. I know *first hand* what over worrying will do to a person.

As a former debate coach, we could get into a whole other area about whether being arrested is proof that he *did something*, but that's not necessary at this time.

PrettyPaisley · #19 02/05/11, 03:58 PM

PM for you Alice. <3

Txrider · #20 02/05/11, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

So, he's in jail, he's never threatened you, he hasn't been convicted, and if you'll PM me your address, I'll *send* you one of the books. I know *first hand* what over worrying will do to a person.

As a former debate coach, we could get into a whole other area about whether being arrested is proof that he *did something*, but that's not necessary at this time.

Yup he could have even unintentionally burned the vacant house..

I know when I was young thu.. err kid, I hung out in vacant houses and wasn't always so smart about what I did. I almost burned down my own house once when a little fire out back turned into a decent grass fire.. Of course I was only 6 at the time..

I'm kinda surprised my parents retained their sanity with some of the idiotic things I did..

If he hasn't been a terror, he likely isn't.. Cops can get pretty harsh on kids at times...