There was a time when egg tossing, mailbox smashing, and the occasional TP-ing were the only high school hi-jinks homeowners had to worry about. Not so anymore. It turns out teens living in the suburbs of Detroit, New York and Chicago have devised a new way to vandalize area homes, and it’s proving costly for both the vandals and their victims.
The new craze is called “fence plowing” or “fence popping,” and it’s a way for bored teens to get their kicks at someone else’s expense. The premise is simple… the teens choose one member of their group to be the “fence plower.” That person then barrels head-first through a homeowner’s wooden fence until he breaks through it, or the entire structure falls down (I suppose whichever comes first).
One New York resident whose home has been a target of “fence plowers” on more than one occasion told a local news reporter that he has spent nearly $1,000 fixing his fence.
“They start out across the street and run and they just run right through the fence and then keep going,” the homeowner told the reporter.
After the fifth time his fence was damaged, the New York homeowner installed a security camera and helped cops catch the vandals. Police say installing the outdoor camera was a good idea and offer these other tips to help prevent belligerent teens from damaging or destroying your fence:
Keep Your Lights On. It’s a good idea to keep at least one outdoor light on. Police say the single light could serve as a deterrent to vandals.
Neighborhood Watch Programs. Join up with your neighbors to keep an eye on each others’ homes. This is especially helpful if you plan to be away from your home for an extended period of time.
Contact Police Immediately. Officers say in some instances “fence plowers” are recording their pranks and posting the videos on the Internet. Police say you should contact them immediately should you witness any suspicious activity around your home. If video of the prank is discovered police say it will become evidence in the case.
Have you ever been a victim of “fence plowing?”
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