I've no idea which particular ones to have arrested. I am going to notify our HOA, though - maybe for once they can do some good.

I saw at Wal*Mart they were selling a night vision webcam, probably for just this purpose. I also saw on the news last night that a DC guy had his inflatable yard ornaments destroyed more than once (with a katana, perhaps?) and finally caught them using a webcam, so perhaps it'd work.

It was amusing to watch. :D

Sir, may I please see that katana you're hiding behind your back?

That's what they all say.

Our HOA sucks - zero participation from any residents, only the bare minimum of work and officers involved, and they actually now pay the former president (who sold his home in our development) to come and caretake the place because he's the only one who ever gave a damn. Hell, they tried to do a summer BBQ, but not only got zero response, but were told that people were afraid to come because they'd invited local services - such as the police - and people were afraid they'd be arrested. Yeah. Welcome to the 'hood. (I briefly flirted with the idea of volunteering, but after fighting with them to drop a lousy $30 in late fees for my dues, I decided that kind of BS wasn't worth my time.) So not only will they not do anything, but no one would know anyway. Regardless, I did notify them of the incidents as a matter of course.

I'll rethink notifying the police, but really, the trees were a grand total of $20. I'm somewhat happy at least that the neighbors look out for my property when I'm not around, but there's only so much a neighborhood watch can do, I suppose. (Then again, maybe organizing one isn't such a bad idea. Hmmm...)

Oh, and on top of all that, I realized after the fact that I should have gotten permission from the HOA Board in the first place before putting in the stones, so there's a part of me that is worried they might tell me I have to take them out. :(

My friend Derek says we live in the ghetto, but I still refuse to believe him.

It sucks, and it's not the first time it's happened. It all started when I put in the border along the driveway. When we moved in it was nothing but a muddy rut since it's a small, one-car driveway (almost every house in the development has the same problem), and everyone cuts it too short, driving onto the grass. Realizing I wasn't going to change anyone else's behavior, I came up with a plan to work with that behavior instead - I put in a bed of stones, so it doesn't matter if people accidentally drive up on them.

Unfortunately, the kids have taken it to mean they have a new source of throwing material. It almost always happens when there's no car in the driveway (hence they know we're not home), but we'll drive up after a weekend away or a night out shopping and there will be white stones all over the road in front of our house. Very frustrating. My next step with that is to enclose the bed in chicken wire, but I haven't gotten around to it, so in the meantime I just go out and pick them all up and put them back whenever they migrate (sometimes even to the roof - who knew rocks could fly?).

On the plus side I've gotten to know the 3 little boys next door, and they like us to the point where they tell the other kids not to play in our rocks (as if they listen). They're actually good kids, so at least I know who it's not. But the rest of the brats in the neighborhood? Not so much.

The joys of being a homeowner in the ghetto I guess. :(