narnia Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Had a phone call this morning, to tell me my outside store had been vandalised................again. We had our shed broken into earlier in the year, but this time the little so and so's have totally smashed the lid off the store and broken it to pieces.......................the only bit of good news is that, judging by the blood whoever it was has hurt themselves this time.I KNOW it's not nice of me, but I'm afraid i think they deserve it.We get things like whole packs of paracetamols tipped out over our play area, broken bottles and beer glasses................you name it, we get it.This last one might be in retaliation for me telling a gang of kids off for destroying the tennis court wire............as I actually saw them doing it, I gave them a good telling off.I was warned by several people not to tell them off agai, as I'd pay for it one way or another, and it seems they were right! Oh well, insurance company tomorrow, who will tell me....again.........that as it's outside, it's not covered, so I will have to find the money, somehow to replace it. arggghhhhhh, no pay again this month then??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Sorry to hear your news, Narnia. Some people are just so mindless. Hope you can get it sorted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Sorry about your bad news, good luck with everything, hope you get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Oh thats awful!! The little gits!!! Thinking of you, good luck with the insurance! Jx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 Oh Narnia it's so frustrating when things like this happen. Police are usually pretty useless too. Hope the insurance covers it. Thinking of you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted May 20, 2007 Share Posted May 20, 2007 What a way to start the week - I hope you get it all sorted soon. Maz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 how horrible for you, hope it gets sorted soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Hi, sorry to hear your news. We have a similar if less acute problem. Last year our new posh sign was destroyed but Royal Sun Alliance paid up when we gave them a crime number. We insure via PLA. Who do you insure with? We have also put up new wooden fencing so we can have freeflow play but until the last few weeks kicked down on an almost weekly basis (just the odd panel now). We have video evidence of the youths doing it. I was completely gobsmacked when I was told that as the slats were not broken and the fence could be repaired it was not criminal damage! The law is an ass sometimes! In the event, the police took one culprit (14 years old) off in their car to the station and the parents were informed. The person was required to put right the damage which they did. That person now guards my fence fiercely and won't let anyone touch it if they're around. Bridges have been built with the group of youth who have now started attending our youth club in church. A church member worked with the culprit teaching them how to straighten out the nails, and generally do a good job. A little while after we (the church members) were very blessed to be able to give that person a 2nd hand bike which had been donated to us. Gobsmacked cannot describe their reaction and we are now greeted with a cheery smile and a wave each time we meet - quite a turnaround in events thank goodness. I now realise that a lot of the youths that do these really aggravating things, vandalise our stuff, make a nuisance of themselves etc are in fact searching for boundaries and usually have very unhappy home lives and wouldn't recognise a healthy relationship if they fell over it. Its not an excuse of course but I have had my eyes opened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beth1 Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Oh how horrible, hope it gets sorted soon. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 how awful! must have been the weekend for vandalising. I got into nursery this morning and found all the windmills in the garden had been pulled down and the plant pots with the cnhildren's flowers had been turned out. all garden gates opened and the large bin for all nursery rubbish wheeled into the middle of the car park for us!!!!! if i get my hand on whoever does it they will be sorry.... if there is one thing i can't stand it is vandalising nursery property, why do it? Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 So sorry to hear your news, I too insure through PLA and have had successful and quick response claim for outdoor storage being vandalised. Agree with LJW, It's not just the youths but a 'community' issue. Hope you get things sorted asap and that you don't have any future problems. Peggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
narnia Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 .........and today we got there and the playhouse has had it too..............i could weep........................ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Wolfie Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 I'm so sorry, let's hope that some good people in your community rally round and help you get everything sorted as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 Poor you, must dread what you'll come in to next. Could you borrow some surveillance equipment from your local neighbourhood watch to catch them then hopefully get them to put the damage right and back on the right road as it were. Must be so frustrating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 How awful for you. I hope they catch who's doing this and string them up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 Very very frustrating. We used to suffer with similar problems too. In the end we contacted the local press to cover it and they in turn contacted a local container company who donated a big metal container for us to store all our outside play equipment. The vandals still came back and tried to get into it but fortunately for us it was a tough old crate! We persuaded another local company to provide us with vandal proof paint for the roof. We then had problems with them weeing (and worse) up the walls so every Monday we'd get to school an hour early just to clean up. We finally got rid of them by constantly phoning the police. Think they got so fed up with us complaining that they set up a nighttime camera, filmed the youths (who were about 12 years old grrrr), and identified them (they were local and some of our staff knew them). Hope you get your problems sorted soon. I'd certainly keep on top of them though, don't believe in keeping quiet. They need telling. Lucy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rea Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 I really cant understand why they do it I just wish I could ask them 'why'? What do they get out of it? What would stop them from doing it again? Would a trip to the local schools be an idea? Woud you be able to address the age groups that are doing these things and ask why and what would stop it? I think as others have pointed out, it's a community issue. We, as adults, have neglected these children in that we dont stop them doing stuff for fear of retaliation, they have no boundaries, but it also means that we reap what we sow. A cycle starts and carries on under it's own power. Do you remember when any adult could tell you off and you'd listen? You might give a bit of lip back but basically we knew they were adults and cheek wasnt an option. I really hope you manage to get things sorted out. It's never happened to anywhere I've worked but I'd be gutted after knowing how much work and effort goes into getting resources together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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