Those damn kids....

[mmcv]

First lick of sunshine and the kids are out knocking on doors and running away. I feel like a grumpy old man before my time. 

Every summer they have us tortured cause there's a bit of waste ground with a path away to the next street down opposite our house and another path to a different street a few doors up, so easy for them to run away after.

Didn't help that it started just minutes after a pot lid fell onto our new hob and cracked the corner off...

Sigh..

[d_Guy]

Have you considered collars and an invisible fence? 

Also, now know what a hob is.

[mmcv]

We've considered many devious solutions, but I'm sure they're not entirely legal.

Usually catching them in the act and shouting at them or threatening to tell their parents scares them off for a while. But since they scarper (run away quickly) afterwards it's hard to get them.

Saying that, sometimes they don't realise we can hear them loudly planning it outside when the living room window is open...not the brightest of kids.

Ooh didn't know "hob" was a Britishism, but I suppose I do hear things like "stovetop" or "cooktop" in American TV.

[fsn]

But d_Guy, a Hob Nob is something completely different.

[mollinary]

And hobnobbing something different again!

[Kiwidave]

This may disuade them:

https://mcsus.com/products/airsoft-m18a1-claymore-mine

[mmcv]

Tempting, but the postie may complain...

[Dr Dave]

Try to get a photo of them. Often just a camera flash is enough to deter them.

Or...

Never react to it. Don't answer the door. They'll get bored and stop wasting their - and your - time.

[d_Guy]

Hobnob(ing) has an interesting entomology and a very rich and diverse set of slang meanings in the several English speaking countries.
If you were to hobnob the aforementioned kids, it might range from simply giving them a cookie to your likely conviction on multiple felonies.

[mmcv]

Try to get a photo of them. Often just a camera flash is enough to deter them.

Or...

Never react to it. Don't answer the door. They'll get bored and stop wasting their - and your - time.

I did stick a web cam on the window sill one year which seemed to deter them a bit, though some would just show off for it. May stick it up again and see if it does anything to discourage.

Tried the ignoring it tactic a couple of years ago when it first started, thinking the same thing, and they'd end up doing it nine or ten times a night every night... Big crowd of them hung about outside and somehow never got bored of it. Ended up marching out and shouting* at them all, of course the main culprits ran off leaving the hangers on behind. Told them I'd involve the police if it kept up which seemed to work that year.

Another year we recognised one of the ring leaders as living up the street. Went and knocked on her door to talk to her parents, they weren't in at the time but she was out and about with another girl and told them we would be back to the parents house if it happened again. I swear that wee girl had psycho eyes, but her friend seemed scared enough to be deterred.

Hoping to move house next year so hopefully we'll get somewhere with less of the hallions about. It's quite disruptive of your evening when you just want to relax after a busy day. Gets the dog all worked up too.

*Bit of a put on as I'm not a shouter, but seemed to be convincing.

[mmcv]

Hobnob(ing) has an interesting entomology and a very rich and diverse set of slang meanings in the several English speaking countries.
If you were to hobnob the aforementioned kids, it might range from simply giving them a cookie to your likely conviction on multiple felonies.

Yes, I also share a similar surname to the manufacturer of Hobnobs so it would be quite appropriate for them to be the cause of my downfall!

[d_Guy]

Yes, I know, etymology, I was feeling a bit antsy.

[Leman]

There's me trying to work out the significance of 2105.   

[Techno]

Never react to it. Don't answer the door. They'll get bored and stop wasting their - and your - time.

I tend to agree with the good Doctor.....However you feel like 'taking it up a notch'.

A visit from the 'boys in blue' to the worst perpetrator(s)....Will probably just give 'kudos' to the little oik(s)....and give them some sort of 'hero status'. (Sad, but true, I reckon.)
Take piccy's......You'll probably get accused of being some sort of 'pervert' by the parents.

Hope you get 'your move', soon, 'M'.

Cheers - Phil.

[mmcv]

Yeah I did get pictures one year just in case we did track down parents. Will see if I can hoke out the webcam, can't record with I but can take stills when I know they're about. Hate to be "that guy" but we've enough stress and issues to deal with at the moment without the added anxiety of disruptive evenings. Need to tread carefully though, as you say more likely to end up being accused of something untoward towards their precious angels! If we do end up speaking to parents my wife to be is very good at the emotional sob story stuff which should help with sympathy! I hope...