Posted on 05/26/2006 7:16:26 AM PDT by 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:
Arsonists Caught on Tape
Sacramento City fire officials are looking for two men caught on tape setting a house on fire.
A home surveillance camera recorded the incident May 12 in the early morning hours at a home on the 8100 block of Center Parkway in Sacramento. The video shows two masked men throwing a flammable substance on the home, then throwing an incendiary device at it.
By the most recent incident, the victims had installed a surveillance camera system, which caught two men in action. Still, the fire caused extensive damage to the garage and landscaping. Fire investigators estimate the damage at $15,000.
The victims declined an on-camera interview, but did tell News10 "this is no way to live." Fire officials say they don’t know why this family, which consists of a couple and their two young sons, has been targeted. Anyone who recognizes the arsonists or knows anything about the case is encouraged to call the the Sacramento City fire Department arson hotline at (916) 433-1659.
http://www.kxtv.com/storyfull2.aspx?storyid=17589
Good thing you didn't know me when I was growing up - I remember people like you though! :) My advice: Let it go. It's a phase that will pass. They'll lose interest if people stop reacting. It's the thrill of the reaction and not getting caught that make them want to keep doing it.
Install the Scare Crow motion sensor water sprinkler.
http://www.nixalite.com/scarecrow.aspx
I could hook you up with something that'll be loud enough to wake the dead and bright enough to turn all the nearby streetlights off.
Great advice---and I actually tried that. I live in northern MA, and around here, you can only buy fireworks legally in NH. So I called up all the fireworks purveyors in southern NH and of course I got "we don't sell those," "I don't know what you're talking about," etc.
Places like Cabelas and Gander Mountain sell cameras which record deer movements at all hours. I'd assume they work with motion sensors, and they're not expensive.
The night vision on it work ok but if you can also set up a motion light too it would help.
Now I do not recommend that....unless your life is in danger.
Use a video cam...catch the little darlings in the act....
Should they retaliate, use your imagination.....go to the next step....
This isn't an attempt to be humorous - call Homeland Security about terrorists practicing planting IED's.Make it serious before someone get maimed. Local LEO's aren't going to take it seriously.
It may be a phase thing that will pass . . . but it's been going on for four summers in a row now . . .
As most are saying, cameras work. You could even get a disposable with flash. Sneak up on them, say "cheese" and pop the flash in their faces. Security cameras don't work that well unless you spend a lot of money, especially if there is poor lighting or if some distance is involved.
Someone may have mentioned this already, but I'd water the lawn from 19:30 to 21:00.
BTW, I'll bet these little pranksters are located somewhere they can observe the explosion and the reaction.
Excellent! :-)
Give this guy a ring.
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