'They're terrorizing us': Kelowna family ask for strange youth behaviour to end

'They're terrorizing us'

Photo: Contributed

These are just some of the youth who have been banging on a home in Kettle Valley.

A Kelowna family is calling on neighbours to ask their children what they're up to at night, after a third incident of what they've described as terrorizing behaviour.

Somewhere between six and a dozen teenage boys, likely around the age of 15 or 16-years-old, have been running up to a home in Kettle Valley and thumping on windows and doors with relative force in the middle of the night.

"We moved in about a year and a half ago, and now it's happened multiple summers— this last weekend it was too much," the father in the household said.

"We're getting to the point where we're worried if a window is going to break, because it's multiple people banging really hard at once."

The family has asked that their names be withheld due to fear of further reprisal. Castanet has viewed video evidence and spoken to a neighbour to corroborate their claims. These claims have also prompted two calls to RCMP to go to their home, which they have described as somewhere between Quilchena and Providence parks.

"This year (the teens) started Thursday night and they did it five times between 10:30 p.m. and midnight— pounding on the panels and a bedroom window," the father said.

The police were called and two cruisers showed up with lights on. The teens ran off before they could be caught.

Seemingly undeterred, the group returned the next night and did the same thing.

This time, however, they escalated their behaviour. When the father looked outside they started calling him names, taunting and baiting him to go outside.

Police went to the home again, caught a few and had words with them, but that's all. Now they wait to see if it will happen again.

"As a parent I feel pretty helpless," he said. "My (child) doesn't want to sleep in their bedroom any more because (they're scared) about them pounding at the window."

The police have warned him that he can't say anything to the teens or even chase them off, because if he does he could be the one in trouble.

Now he's turning to his neighbours for an assist.

Anyone in the neighbourhood who has teenage boys out between 10:30 p.m. and midnight is asked to have a discussion about respecting other people’s property. Nobody believes that they're being personally targeted at the home. It's more of a situation of opportunity, but it's gone beyond a nuisance.

"It's more than 'ding-dong-ditch'," he said.

"We just want to live peaceful lives in our neighbourhood and enjoy our neighbourhood ... they're not playing— they're actually terrorizing us."

Police confirmed two reports have been made and officers made several patrols in the neighbourhood but no one was located. The investigation will continue.

The RCMP are encouraging parents and guardians to speak with their children about responsible behaviour in public spaces and the potential consequences of engaging in illegal and disruptive activities.

"Know where your children are, who they are associating with and what their intentions are," RCMP said in an emailed statement.

The community is encouraged to report any incidents of concern to the Kelowna RCMP non-emergency line at 250-762-3300.