FREEPER ADVICE NEEDED - HOME GROWN THUGS TERRORIZING NEIGHBORHOOD!

26 May 2006 | 54-46 Was My Number

[54-46 Was My Number]

Pinging the collective wisdom of Free Republic here . . .

The Issue

Punks are setting off "Bootleg Cracker" fireworks outside my home -slash- my neighbor's homes, beneath city-owned trees that line the sidewalk. These are the evil devices:

Now, they may not look like much in this picture, but they're about the size of a can of Pringles potato chips, and inside, they're stuffed with 200-250 firecrackers fused to go off within 2 to 3 seconds. So what you get is one big, elongated explosion, and since the city-owned trees are no more than 10 yards from our homes, what you get is one big, elongated explosion that sounds like it's coming from your living room.

And the little bastards are smart, too. Using cigarettes as delay devices, they place these things beneath the trees and are long gone when they go off. We've yet to catch someone in the act of leaving one behind . . . and since we can only rouse the cops to come to our neighborhood after one of these things goes off, there's nothing they can do to stop it from happening again.

It seems to happen between 1930-2100, intermittently, throughout the late spring, summer, and early fall. I would love to camo-up, hide out, and ambush these guys, but short of that,

I ask you, Freepers:

• Anyone out there ever have a similar problem? If so, what did you do?
• I'm thinking about setting up a security cam. Any recommendations?

[HEY4QDEMS]

Purchase a fake surveillance camera, the ones with the blinking red light and position it so they can see it.

Unless you want to catch them, then purchase a real one and position it where they can't see it.

[b4its2late]

A barking dog would most likely deter them. A well trained german shepard will scare the living daylights out of them.

[dakine]

You're no Patton...

[Wolfie]

....and tell them that you'll give them instructions on how to make it as long as they agree to take their act somewhere else.

Only if your umbrella liability insurance is paid up, of course.

[Bikers4Bush]

Had something similar. I got a school calendar and figured out the days they were off and then did survelance the night before.

You could also try to find out where they are buying these things and ask the clerk there to get a license plate number.

It worked for us.

A camera would be very wise.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

SafeGuard Night Vision Security System

[Wings-n-Wind]

The shape and size of this looks like one the Pink Panther's "pype bimb" to me....

I would set up a cheap & easy remote cam with date/time stamps...
Get the pix... Call the cops

[Xenalyte]

Hooligan advice needed ping!

[AnAmericanMother]

The night-vision game cameras are surprisingly cheap. I believe you can get them with motion detectors and all sorts of bells and whistles.

Mount them well above eye-level (so they don't spot them), be sure to conceal them carefully (no shiny case visible), and have multiple cameras from different angles.

When I was younger, my personal inclinations would have run more to dye bombs and booby traps . . . but now I'm older and (I hope) wiser, and you don't want to get yourself in trouble instead of them.

[YouPosting2Me]

Plant a few Whomping Willow Trees...

[ahayes]

I was thinking a 20 gauge and rock salt. Aim for the rump.

[54-46 Was My Number]

You're no Patton...

No shit, Sherlock---I don't have a division, and I do have a day job.

[michigander]

Using cigarettes as delay devices

Massachusetts Tobacco Control Program

[54-46 Was My Number]

That's not bad at all---and pretty cheap, too. Much thanks!

[painter]

My 12 and 20 yr old sons would love to have some of those.

[Tired of Taxes]

My folks have trouble with vandalism (slashing tires, destroying property, etc.) from the kids in their neighborhood. The cops can't/won't do anything about it, either.

A security cam system was too expensive, so they put a camcorder in the window to record intermittently. Of course, the kids caught on to the red light flashing in the window and knew to stay away.

[dakine]

" I do have a day job."

That sucks....

[54-46 Was My Number]

Seriously . . . if you know who these kids are, your best bet might be to confront them in the right way. Detonate an explosive device in the neighborhood far more devastating than theirs, and tell them that you'll give them instructions on how to make it as long as they agree to take their act somewhere else.

I like the way you think.

[Concho]

Have you called the Gestapo?

[Go Gordon]

Video tape