Witnessed Layfayette Property Damage 6/24/12

[Lisa]

I was very disheartened to see a group (5) teens throw around (until destroyed) a piece of building material on the school grounds this afternoon (we live in an adjacent building with a clear view of the entire school grounds).

I took my camera and went down to greet them (one was in the back area private property of the Wiseman Appliance Store) and started taking photos of them. I told them I saw them destroy the property and they started pointing fingers at each other saying ‘I didn’t do it, he did’. One of the kids continued smiling for the camera, the lone female in the group covered her face and started walking away and one of the others was advising ‘Mr. Thumbs Up’ that there was a ‘reason’ I was taking their photos (this didn’t seem to phase the ‘thumbs kid’ :|

Question… can / should I post the photos here? I’m sure they are someone’s kids… and if they were mine… I’m 100% sure I’d want to know.

Lisa

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[miws]

Lisa, I think it would be against WSB policy to post them here (as much as we might like to).

To be sure, drop Tracy & Patrick a line at: editor@westseattleblog.com.

Mike

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[angelescrest]

May I add that we were able to witness some middle-schoolers on Alki (yesterday late pm) as they kicked over a recycle bin. I asked them to pick it up-they complied–and told them I was a middle-school teacher. We exchanged school info, and I wished them a happy summer. About 200 ft. away, I met a woman who pointed to a smoldering trash can in which she had just put out a fire. How lucky that it was a rainy day that last day of school, eh?

It’s that leering at the camera you cite, Lisa, that makes me worry.

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[Lisa]

Thank you both for your replies. I was hoping that either Patrick or Tracy would respond here, I will follow up and send an email.

I realize that many wouldn’t this is a ‘huge deal’… but you know… in all sincerity… it truly is. As Angelcrest pointed out… the fact that they had a grown woman, taking photos of them and they continued to joke about it makes me really uncomfortable. And to further the point… this is private property that you and I (taxpayers) paid for… regardless… completely WRONG to be destroying something that’s not theirs to do so with.

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[maplesyrup]

Why didn’t you call the cops?

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[WSB]

Hi – the forum is NOT the place to reach us – please e-mail editor@westseattleblog.com. The forum is a reader-to-reader area and we do not see everything posted here. Someone flagged us (by e-mail) to this post or we wouldn’t have seen it.

That said, publishing photos or other identifying information about people who have not been charged with a crime is against WSB rules. This is not a public-shaming or vigilante site, but more to the point: If you are trying to catch criminals, the people who need to see your photos are the police. If you witness a crime, photos or no photos, the first thing to do is call 911, immediately.

thanks

TR

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[Lisa]

Thank you for the information Tracy, exactly why I didn’t post any photos prior to asking about rules. I certainly wasn’t trying to insite a lynching… just thought this might be a place to make a parent (if a reader here) aware of their kid’s activities. I will follow up with the local police.

@maplesyrup… I’ve actually contacted the police on a few occasions since we’ve been living here (at the encouragement of both the police and school admins). The kids would have been long gone by the time they (police) arrived today… but in hindsight… that would have been the best thing to do.

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[miws]

Lisa, I think you definitely did the right thing by taking the pics, and it took a bit of guts to do so, since one never knows how the alleged perp(s) will react.

Whether the police, and/or school admins would have any interest in having them, (and it just may end up whoever receives the call/e-mail), if nothing else, it sends a message to the vandals that they are being watched, and maybe they’ll think twice about vandalizing again.

Also, in some ways it is a huge deal. Sure, it may end up being a one time only event for some of them. But, some others may continue to do acts of vandalism.

What you and angelescrest did in your respective scenarios, was to show these kids that others care enough about their community, to confront them on their destructive, costly, activities.

Good on ya both! :-)

Mike

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[Lisa]

Thanks so much for taking the time to post this Mike. That’s exactly what my mind set was. And yes… it did take guts. I realized when I got back to my apartment that I was trembling. And you never know… they’re just kids but I’m just a 40something woman…

In all sincerity I think I was spurned by watching the video of the bus monitor last week :( Thinking that actually being caught and held accountable, could make a very positive impact in a young person’s life.

Far too many people turn a blind eye in our society, saying ‘let someone else deal with it’… and then sit at computers and scream at the world for being such a s**t hole to live in. Complaining that our communities are crumbling around them. I’d just like to more a part of the solution that of the problem.

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