Residents around Central Florida are already submitting reports to the News 6 Neighborhood Network about kids getting into trouble—and being recorded on camera.
The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office says two teenagers were arrested after being recorded on camera kicking a front door in Maitland’s English Estates area.
It occurred before 9:00 p.m. Wednesday. The homeowner stated that a group of children were wandering in the neighborhood, and two of them approached his front door.
“It was just one swift kick,” the homeowner explained. “They turned around and did a backwards kick.”
The homeowner, who preferred not to be identified, released his surveillance tape with News 6. He stated that the incident rocked his household.
“There was a pretty loud bang. It was quite frightening. We were getting ready for bed. “We had no idea what was going on,” he admitted.
The family noticed something was wrong when their phones rang with a security warning.
“We received a signal on our phones indicating there was motion at our front door. So we went to look at the front door and the videos, and we witnessed these youngsters coming to do this,” he explained.
He also mentioned that the timing made it even more disturbing.
“I can only imagine if we had been sitting in the living room — that would have been even more jarring,” he replied.
According to a Seminole County Sheriff’s Office arrest report acquired by News 6, the door was damaged for around $300.
“You can see the dirt from it and everything, and on this side, you can see the same thing,” the homeowner explained as he showed News 6 the markings left behind. “Thankfully this is a newer door, and it’s secure and they weren’t able to push through it.”
According to the arrest report, the children fled to a nearby home following the incident. When deputies followed up and asked one youngster if he wanted to inform his father why they were there, he replied, “Ding-dong ditching.”
He was detained and charged with criminal mischief, which is a misdemeanor in Florida that involves causing damage to property worth $200 to $1,000. He was transferred to the Juvenile Assessment Center. The deputy recommended him for the civil citation program.
The homeowner said the alleged prank is no laughing matter, and the ramifications might be far more serious than an arrest.
“You don’t know if it’s a prank or if you are getting robbed, right?” he replied. “You may react in a way that causes serious injury to someone else, correct? Over a joke. It could potentially lead to someone’s death.
He claims that the absence of accountability online exacerbates the problem.
“The community — or the parents — should be informed of what the children are doing. It appears that there have been little penalties, and social media has made it so improbable that you have consequences for things while receiving a lot of likes and reactions,” he explained.
“It may go poorly. Someone could be seriously wounded. It is never a good idea to kick someone’s door. “Just don’t do it,” he said.
Earlier this month, three adolescents were arrested in Deltona partaking in a viral door-kicking challenge that had spread on social media. According to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, two 13-year-olds and a 14-year-old face charges for kicking the doors, while a third is charged with acting as an accomplice.
According to the sheriff, over a dozen teenagers have been captured kicking doors in Volusia County this year.
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