Ball in my garden and the rest

[texol]

We have lived in our house for nearly 4 years, lots of the local kids (unpleasant types) play football in front of a bank of garages that back onto our garden, many times the ball comes flying over (upto ten times a day). Most of them just climb over the garages down our fence and retrive the ball the more polite ones knock and ask, last year we had beer bottles, stones, lumps of concrete, a 4ft fence post, a football sized piece of wound up wire and even an empty full sized fire extinguisher thrown into the garden, i have three small children who will be on the recieving end one day. We have had 2 garden gnomes broken and an ornamental bird bath stolen, my gaden is very secure and is only accessable via a locked gate. I have informed the police on many occasions but just get fobbed off with the usual keep a record get some i.ds, never once has one called to investigate. I have done nothing to provoke these kids. My question is what more can i do and how does the law stand as regards balls in gardens?

[Ethel]

A very difficult situation. Do you know the children?

Could you speak to the parents? It would be very difficult for the police to deal with, as it could be different children at different times causing the problems.

Are your neighbours having the same trouble? Who owns the garages? Would they be able to make it impossible for children to access the garage roofs? (rooves?)

Try speaking to your local council for advice.

[texol]

It is a whole gang of kids, maybe 20, yes the council own the garages but i just get the tumbleweed when i try to speak to them.

[Mamjet]

Cheeky little tearaways! Why not buy them some goalposts, and perhaps a proper football, so that they will think twice about kicking the ball into your garden?

[texol]

Cheeky tearaways and the rest, buy em some goalpost, o yeah cos they deserve a treat like that for the criminal damage they have done to my property, (sigh) Britain today.

[Mamjet]

Ok then, why not try and get your 3 children to infiltrate the gang and work from within to bring down the system?

[fagidill]

I am afraid you will have to move, to avoid RIFF RAFF!

There's even one on here, Isn't there Mamjet

[Mamjet]

Riff raff is a plural so no, there can't be 'one' here.

[texol]

Its such a shame, i was hoping for some answers here, seems the answerbank should now be the P take bank.

[Mamjet]

Why not move house? I don't mean move into another house, I mean move your house brick by brick to another area?

[texol]

Result - after numerous complaints to the council they have decided to put up large metal gates in front of the garages.