Late at night, when the kids kick his front door, it sounds like, “thunder crashing into our house in the middle of the night,” said Alan Casey.
The Ladner resident has had enough of the pranks that have been taking place every week or every few weeks, on and off, for the last two years, adding up to dozens of times.
“It’s a TikTok trend, is what the police told me,” said Casey.
The so-called prank involves a group of half a dozen or so kids kicking the door, then taking off into the dark of night.
Casey said he’s called Delta police several times but not much has happened, although they advise him to upgrade his security and say they’ll step up patrols.
“It’s mind boggling,” said Casey.
He said he knows who it is but points out he cannot do anything about it.
The last time was on Friday, Oct. 11, when one of the kids did a donkey kick twice into the door, and broke it, near where the deadbolt is located, and then lit a firecracker and tossed it on to the porch. His infant child was sleeping upstairs.
Casey said he had given up calling police, saying that no one has followed up and he hasn’t heard of any pro-active enforcement.
And even if he catches them, there’s nothing he can do, he added. “I pay taxes in this city. I just need to see something."
Recently, he’s been calling police every day, he said.
According to Delta police, five such incidents have been reported at the address, with the complainant saying the actual number of such incidents was closer to 40 and that on one occasion, one of the youths was caught by the complainant.
“The youth was apologetic and was turned over to a guardian by our officers,” said Acting Insp. James Sandberg.
Delta police describe the pranks as Nicky Nine Doors or Ding Dong Ditch.
Sandberg added that in his experience, residents get targeted when kids get a reaction.
“If you chase the kids or yell at them, you may become a repeat target,” he said.
He said it’s not a widespread problem, with eight such incidents reported in South Delta this year, and rarely is permanent damage reported.
Officers do investigate such incidents as criminal matters but he’s not aware of any charges being pursued.
