Problem Drunk Neighbor & Girls

[Reich7]

We used to have a nice neighborhood her in Illinois.

On October 31, 2000 we had a woman move into the house across the street from us with her two teenaged daughters. One is 15 and one is 17. The mother used some teenaged boys from the local private school to help move into the house. That next morning my yard, my neighbors yard, and her yard were littered with beer cans and empty beer cases.

The drinking, the blocking of our street, urinating in the street, loud music, trash, continued through the winter. My neighbor and I called the police several times but nothing stopped the behavior. In February 2001, after my neighbor and I called the police, three of the teenagers came to my front door to confront me. One of the teens is a star running back on the state champion football team. We had some words and I told them to leave my property. However, my wife works at the shcool and I told the football star to come in and talk to me. He was amazed to see my wife and apologized. Later that night the woman came to my house on the arm of one of the teen boys drunk as a skunk. She apologized and said none of this will happen again.
Unfortunately it continued and got worse during the summer.

This summer after a huge party, I filed a formal complaint on her for contributing to the deliquency of a minor, loud music, lewd behavior, etc...with the police department. To this day, nothing has been done and the teenagers continue to drink at the house. It appears that now, the police will not even respond to our calls and if they do, they drive by. I have also had discussions about this with the local NOPT officers and they assured me they would stake the house out and arrest someone. This never happened.

This past summer I spoke to the father and asked him to come over and observe what is going on. He declined and said the exwife would file stalking charges on him. I also took pictures of trash and vomit in front of my house and sent it to the Dean of Students at the school. No help there either.

The kids now do what they please at the house and if I look out the window, they taunt me. I do not respond. We are talking sophomores, juniors, and seniors in high school!

Is there anyone out there that can give me some advise? We are watching our nice neighborhood go to the dogs and can't stop it. We feel because many of the officers went to the school they refuse to take action against the woman and the kids. What can we do?

Thanks much!

[SkySlash]

My parents live in a nice suburban neighborhood in Texas. Something similar, but not near as bad took place.

The entire neighborhood literally banded together and drove them out.

We researched all of the city codes that applied to our area. We then researched every state code in regards to property. We made a list of these and made copies for every neighbor except the one that everyone wanted gone.

We called the city or the state, every time we saw a violation take place on that persons property, and we videotaped it just to make sure it was documented.

If their grass got 1 centimeter too long, we reported it. If their inspection sticker was out and the vehicle was in the street, we'd have the city cite it and then tow it. If they made noise, we reported it. All the neighbors were in on this also and they also reported everything they saw that was on their list.

In the end, they ran up almost $10,000.00 in citations with the city and they got the point. The city started doing something about it when every department had "a story about that neighborhood that those people live in."

They made it only 3 months...then they moved, and we haven't seen them since!

Another thing you could try, throw raw meat in random places in their yard and bushes when no one is home. They'll never find it and the smell will drive them insane.

Sorry you have to deal with that!

-SS

[Byu]

Seems to me that because this guy is a star athlete that he is receiving special attention. Its not right and you are doing the right thing by reporting this. However, its obviously not working. Change your outlook on the whole thing. Try reporting this to someone other than the local police who obviously could care less. Report this to which ever dept. your local police answers to. And while your at it, file a complaint about the PD because obviously they are not doing their job. Report it to the local or state DSS. These kids are underage. Report it to the schoolboard. Gezzzzzz, somebody eventually will get the msg. What on earth is this mother thinking? Doesn't she know that contributing is a serious crime. She is suppose to be a guiding figure in these kids life, but instead she is obviously buying them alcohol, allowing the to get drunk in her house, and I am almost positive that sexual relations are happening. And if its happening between the mother and these boys that is even more serious. Now I know kids will be kids and they will drink and have sex, but when it comes to a mother allowing this to happen in her house, it is very concerning. You really should keep on trying to contact the authorities about this. Eventually it will catch someones attention.

[Byu]

good point and I agreed with everything that ya'll did except for the meat throwing part.....lol........i am sure that that would be criminal in some kind of way

[SkySlash]

The meat was just a joke ;)

Something I read on the Internet once...

-SS

[Reich7]

Well, I started to get to work right after I read your replies. My first call was to city hall and I filed a complaint about a 5 foot pile of wood that she has on the north side of her house. It looks like a brush pile and it's been there for about a month. I also started to construct a letter to the Board of Members of the high school. It is a board of nuns and priests.

When it is complete I'd like to submit it for your approval.

Thank you much.

[SkySlash]

Coming from a religious family, I'd be happy to add in the proper religious buzz words once you've posted it.

-SS :D

[lprocter]

First part is a joke.

What you have to do is call the police when they rambunctious again. When the police don't do anything, call them a few minutes later, saying "Don't worry about those kids. I shot them." This will get every cruiser in the area, and the kids will be arrested on whatever charges.

Now, seriously, you've got to call the state police if the local PD are sitting on their asses. Also, you could perhaps file a public complaint with the department. And as a last resort, you could initiate some sort of legal action against either the PD or the family themselves. And write stuff to your local newspapers. Since the police chief is usually appointed by politicians, attacking the chief and the department will cause (hopefully) public outcry against the police and the city government. This will most likely cause one and/or two things - resignation/firing of the chief, or the arresting/charging of the dip****s across the street. Good luck.

[Byu]

writing a letter to the editor of every paper in the vicinity of your area would almost positively get someones attention. You wouldn't even have to mention anyone by name. Here I will get ya started......

To the Editor

I am writing this letter to advise the public of a very serious situation developing in my neighborhood. (Go on to explain the situation without mentioning names ) (State that you have made numerous complaints to the local PD and that nothing was done and that this is still going on)
Sign it...a concerned citizen and put your name.

Like I said....this will get someones attention.

[lprocter]

Yes, and also, perhaps other people who have been affected by these people will write in or call police. Again, you get the public's attention, something will get done.

[Hightower]

You need to get more than just yourself and family involved in this. You need to solicit the assitance of your neighbors and other people affected by the problem. It will be a hard battle to fight on your own.

Keith

[Byu]

Having backup and other who can cooberate all of these findings would be better than you fighting it yourself, however even if you had none at all I would commend you for taking a stand against the actions of this woman.....I believe that she should be in jail.

[Reich7]

Dear Friends:

Last night I decided to contact a few of my neighbors
regarding the activities at the party house. What an
eye-opener.

One neighbor who lives on the other side of the house
has had many problems with underaged drinking and the mother
from beer bottles thrown in his yard to kids hiding in
his garage escaping the police to loud music being
played to 4 or 5 in the morning. He too has called
the police many times without an arrest or satisfaction.

Another neighbor stated that they called the police when
they heard screaming coming from the house like someone
was being beaten. They also said that their yard is
also littered every weekend with beer bottles and beer
cans. The other complaint is the constant noise and traffic
by the party house.

These neighbors also indicated to me that they have had talks
with other neighbors about the problem. It appears that
many people are being bothered by this.

My next step is to notify neighbors of the problem through
our Neighborhood Watch program, asking people to report
suspicious activity such unfamilar teens parking cars in front
their houses and walking towards the property. Many of these kids
park their cars blocks away and sneak into the party house. Or,
report any suspicious activity around the party house.

What do you think of this?

[lprocter]

That's really good idea, and talking to the neighnors was good, too. Perhaps what you all could try is constantly reporting incidents, ie continually calling the police 24 hours a day. If they get enough call from enough people often enough, they will do something about, if only to get you guys to stop calling. For example, when they're being very loud and drunk, you and the neighbors should take turns calling the police every couple minutes. You'd call, then a neighbor calls, and so on. The police most likely won't be too happy with you, but it's their own damn fault, isn't it.

[Reich7]

I took a walk this morning with the dog and found Christmas decorations smashed in the street. It was 2 of those metal reindeer with white lights running all through it, smashed to pieces in the street. I stopped and talk to the owner who was extremely upset. She told me that there has been much vandalism to her house and her neighbors since the drunk moved in. (Everyone knows her and the house.) She said she has reported to the police several problems and they offer no help. This is becoming a very common response from people.

Well anyhow....I thought I'd update you. I'm having a flyer printed up for my neighborhood to alert them of the problem. Maybe something will happen.

Carbon copies going to city officials and politicians. This should be interesting.

Have a good day!