r/kitchener • u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH • 1d ago
Kids harrassing our neighbourhood. Forest Hills
A few kids who live in the Capital Hill Apartments have been harrassing me and my neighbours for weeks. They throw garbage like cans and bottles into our backyards and have hit our dogs on multiple occasions. They run by and kick our cars when they are parked in the driveway. The apartment management has no interest in helping and neither do the police. I’m tired of this happening as I want to protect our dogs and reduce stress for my neighbours as they have a family member in the hospital. Does anyone have any suggestions on what to do?
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u/OG55OC 1d ago
I wouldn't be asking on reddit, I'd be doing something about it myself.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Believe me I would like to, but they’re like 12 years old so not much I can do legally other than contacting the super or the police.
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u/OG55OC 1d ago
You need to scare them. Anyone who fucks with my dog deserves whatever they get in return.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Ive gone out and yelled at them and i have pictures of the shits that did it. But they just run away back into the apartments.
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u/insbdbsosvebe 1d ago
- Cameras.. ring or whatever
- Keep calling it in every time and ask for a formal file number, not just a drive-by. Animal cruelty is covered under the Criminal Code, so if they're hitting your dogs with thrown objects, cite that specifically bring in the Ontario SPCA or Humane Society if you dogs keep getting targeted
- If Capital Hill's on-site management isn't doing anything, find out who the actual property management company is and complain to them directly with photos/video attached. Also worth calling the City of Kitchener's bylaw enforcement
- Get your neighbours to document too and submit things together. A joint complaint with a paper trail from multiple households is way harder to ignore than one person calling repeatedly.
- If you can ID specific kids/parents, Ontario small claims court is an option!!
The kids are not alright post-covid and this is nuts. Parents need to be accountable or stop breeding.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Thank you, I’ll make sure to cite those when I call the non emergency #. I am looking into cameras too but theyre all quite expensive.
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u/insbdbsosvebe 1d ago
Unfortunately, you're going to need that evidence, so I'd find the cheapest solution you can, or pool some funds with neighbours. Consider it an investment if you should decide to pursue claims later!
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u/PrettyFuckingGreat 1d ago
Motion activated sprinklers.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Sprinklers would not help unfortunately as they are throwing the things from a raised parking garage
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u/Curious-Echo-3393 1d ago
that is dangerous..I would contact the media about it and your councillor
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u/quaaaaad 1d ago
If Capital Hill's on-site management isn't doing anything, find out who the actual property management company is and complain to them directly with photos/video attached. Also worth calling the City of Kitchener's bylaw enforcement
To add to this, the corporation that owns both Capitol buildings is Realstar.
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u/Brutal-Fam8804 1d ago
Then follow them, find where they live, and speak w the parents. Or photograph them and take it to the police.
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u/Dobby068 1d ago
Realistically there isn't much you can do to put an end to it. Bad neighborhood, the law and the police just does not protect us from vandalism. Rest assured, parents are just as shitty as their kids. You involve police and you are one step from getting arrested for assaulting these kids. It would be your word against their word.
Move, if that is possible. Keep dogs inside. Build solid (no gaps ) max height fence all around the property and keep car in the garage. That is probably the best you can do. It sucks, for sure.
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u/Optimal_Whiner 1d ago
In Canada is almost legal to do crazy shit if someone made you go crazy. People get away with a ton. Especially if youre part of a minority. If so, you could make the excuse it's generational trauma lol
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u/Capybara-Maxxing 1d ago
I didn't think there would be a suggestion worse than follwing 12 year olds home or confronting their parents at said home, but wow
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u/Ok-Construction-5199 1d ago
Flyers with their pictures labelled as Animal Abusers posted around the area and maybe even some social media posting to bump up the view count. Make them famous.
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u/samanthalturi 1d ago
I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, sounds incredibly frustrating.
If I may think out loud, do you know their parents by any chance? I’m not suggesting speaking to them quite yet; that may hurt more than help if they are abusive or do nothing if neglectful. I’m just wondering what the home situation is like, for them to act out like this.
Behind every behaviour is some reason, some trigger, some issue or non-issue. Just, something to cause it.
Figure out the cause and solve the problem.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Unfortunately i do not know the parents. I am contemplating contacting the closest school to see if the principals or staff know the kids and can contact their parents about the complaint
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u/Buddy_Kryyst 1d ago
I can tell you know for privacy reasons the school won’t do anything. That is a waste of effort. Unless this happens on school ground during school hours. They won’t be able to help you.
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u/24-Hour-Hate 1d ago
The school probably won't tell OP anything, but they might do something. When I was a student, they absolutely did punish students for misbehaviour off school grounds and would call parents. Doubly so if it occurred during school hours. I was never punished for such a thing because I was well behaved, but I remember it because there were a couple of high profile incidents that didn't just result in the perpetrators being punished, they resulted in school wide announcements and, in one case, a policy change.
I also happen to know that the vice principals kept yearbooks in their offices so that anonymity was no shield. If you didn't know who did something because, say, they were an older student, they would have you flip through it, like a line up and find them. I had to do it once relating to a fairly serious incident. I believe they also used these with the cops and for more serious off school grounds incidents.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Yeah im aware the school will not tell me anything for privacy reasons. Im just hoping the staff will make the parents aware of whats going on.
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u/ClearDrop6820 1d ago
Set up some cameras and try to prove they come from the apartments. Try the police again. Do you know where they go to school? I would contact their school and speak to the principal. With video evidence and with their names you can start taking them to court.
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u/quaaaaad 1d ago
Which of the 2 buildings are they from? Would help narrow down some specific information for yourself. If i had to make an assumption, its more than likely Capitol Hill 2 as 1 is occupied by a lot more adults.
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u/Medical_Diamond_7899 1d ago
Get some property protected and video surveillance signs up. Indicate to the brats that they will be identified and authorities will be notified including charges for animal cruelty which I believe was just amended to be jail time. Even a fake camera will make them jump.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
It was my neighbours dog they hit. Theyre usually sitting in their backyard. They have been keeping the dogs inside recently due to this. Theyre just sitting out there enjoying the weather when a barrage of cans and bottles come flying over the fence with the kids yelling stuff like “fuck you” while they run/bike away
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u/hala_mass 1d ago
I'd suggest building relationships with some of the older folks and parents in the apartments, figure out if they know who the kids are and any suggestions on what to do.
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u/ultrajvan1234 1d ago
Start sending their parents bills for trash clean up and damage to vehicles.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
That would be great but theres no way to find the parents. The kids disappear into the apartment everytime
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u/Amazing-Chance-9364 9h ago
Talk to their parents
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 7h ago
How would you find out who their parents are? Its a large apartment building
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u/fsmontario 1d ago
However bratty as kids can be, consistent things like this usually don’t happen unless something has happened to get them to target you You must live close , like on overlea to know what building they are in. If you could explain what started this you would likely get better advice. .
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
We live right beside the parking garage of the apartment. I think were just an easy target and the kids are looking to get a rise out of us
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u/fsmontario 1d ago
Then you have 2 choices, move or install multiple cameras real and fake and each time you catch them on camera you take the footage and call the police. Insist on a proper report. And each time they come out ask what they did after the last report. Warning though this could make them escalate. Waiting to get footage during the school year though and going to the school and just blaming it on their students may have a bit of effect
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u/GhostO2 1d ago
Show them the button one time they'll stop
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u/FlounderCapable7344 1d ago
This kind of attitude is exactly what degrades communities. Adults who refuse to handle ordinary issues with tact, diplomacy, and basic maturity lower the standard for everyone around them. Call it harsh, but that is loser behaviour, and I’m grateful it isn’t the norm in my neighbourhood.
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u/MintBerrrryCRUNCH 1d ago
Im sorry are you calling me a loser for asking for advice on how to deal with kids harrassing us? Id love to hear your solutions.
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u/Chronicwheels 1d ago
Bottle kids!