A TikTok challenge involving kicking a homeB次元官网网址檚 door and running away before the occupants answer took a nasty turn in Crown Isle, when the homeowners confronted the youths.
Owen May has been on the receiving end of this prank for a number of years. This year has been especially bad.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 been four, four-and-a-half years of these kids kicking down our door in the middle of the night,B次元官网网址� said the Crown Isle resident. B次元官网网址淚t usually goes on for about a week straight, then it stops for about a year, and then it starts again. Kicking the doors, causing damageB次元官网网址� the first time I thought our house was on fire (and someone was warning us).
B次元官网网址淧robably 80 per cent of our neighbourhood in Crown Isle are seniors. They are doing it to their homes as well. There are eight other homes on my street that just by this incident this week, I have found out they have all installed security cameras on their properties because they had their doors kicked in. So itB次元官网网址檚 not just me being targeted.B次元官网网址�
The latest incidents began the week of March 13.
According to May, his door was kicked repeatedly, late in the night on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. He said he called the RCMP after the second incident, but the trespassing persisted, to no avail. After the fourth incident of the week, Friday, March 17, May decided to take matters into his own hands, in an effort to catch the perpetrators.
He set up a trip wire with fishing line under the door so that when the perpetrator kicked the door and tried to run away, the line would trip him up. The youths came back on Sunday night.
The Mays saw them approaching, jumped out of bed and went to the front door.
B次元官网网址淎s soon as they came and kicked on the door, I was on the other side of the door and pulled the line tight and caught his ankle,B次元官网网址� said May.
The one youth tripped, and the front door immediately opened and MayB次元官网网址檚 wife, Laura, pounced on the fallen trespasser.
The ensuing struggle with the teens at the front of the MaysB次元官网网址� house resulted in severe lacerations to OwenB次元官网网址檚 arms and legs. His injuries are so extensive he canB次元官网网址檛 put on socks or shoes, and therefore canB次元官网网址檛 work.
Laura needed stitches to her eyelid. The assailants allegedly used flashlights as weapons and ripped her top off.
Assault charges are pending against the youths.
Owen MayB次元官网网址檚 actions are not without consequences of their own.
Charges are also pending against him, relevant to Section 247 (1) of the Criminal Code of Canada: Traps likely to cause bodily harm.
B次元官网网址淲e do have an active investigation on both sides - there is an alleged assault, and on the other sideB次元官网网址� he (May) set traps that can harm people and that is a criminal offence,B次元官网网址� said Comox Valley RCMP Insp. Mike Kurvers. B次元官网网址淪o we are looking at both sides of this.
B次元官网网址淲e have identified the people and are trying to work out arrangements from both parties, but it is a police investigation, so we canB次元官网网址檛 release too much.B次元官网网址�
Kurvers said the alleged assailants are 16 years old.
May was unaware of the charges pending against him.
B次元官网网址淚t wasnB次元官网网址檛 meant to cause bodily harm; it was just meant to stop them,B次元官网网址� said May. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not like it was a leg-hold trap. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 there to break his ankle. It was just to trip him up.B次元官网网址�
One neighbour, Terry McLaughlan, was dumbfounded when hearing about the pending charges against May.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 just insane,B次元官网网址� said McLaughlan, who moved to Crown Isle in 2019. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e had to put up security cameras because of this kind of stuff too. IB次元官网网址檝e had my door (kicked), and had one of the kids challenge me and try to pick a fight with me, and I called the police and they never even got back to me. So the police arenB次元官网网址檛 addressing any of these issues, and when someone does something to try to (catch them)B次元官网网址� the guy gets in trouble. ItB次元官网网址檚 just ridiculous.B次元官网网址�
Another neighbour, Terri (who asked that her last name not be used) said she has been a victim of similar events, going back to the summer of 2022. Her husband eventually bought security cameras, which have helped resolve the issue.
B次元官网网址淲e were harassed by them for months and months and months, and finally spent a lot of money to protect ourselves,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淣obody, not even a door-to-door salesman, has the right to come to your door and harass you.B次元官网网址�
Terri has seen the video of the confrontation on the May property and she said it was hard to watch.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 physically painful to watch the way Laura and Owen are both dragged across the exposed aggregate on their front sidewalk by those young men, and quite honestly, the way they ripped her clothes off her, thatB次元官网网址檚 assault.B次元官网网址�
She was surprised to hear about the pending charges against May.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 understand how we donB次元官网网址檛 have the right to protect ourselves or our property,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚 am really surprised and disgusted that they would turn this around and even attempt to charge Owen. He did the right thing by trying to protect his own home, and I believe his actions will, going forward, put an end to the terrorization in this community.B次元官网网址�
Kurvers said there has been no increase in delinquent activity in Crown Isle, or anywhere else in the Comox Valley.
B次元官网网址淐rown Isle is a very safe area. There will obviously be offshoots of little things here and there, but I am going to say the whole community is pretty safe - all of Comox Valley, speaking from a police perspective.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 a bunch of crap,B次元官网网址� said McLaughlan. B次元官网网址淚 know Owen personally, and this has been going on, and on, and on. ItB次元官网网址檚 affected both him and his wife. ItB次元官网网址檚 ridiculous to think that someone can do this and get away with it.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淢y wife canB次元官网网址檛 even sleep at night anymore,B次元官网网址� said May. B次元官网网址淚 roll over in bed and she wakes up screaming. ThatB次元官网网址檚 how tormented she is. We have called the police, but do you think they have time to show up? No. We donB次元官网网址檛 even hear back from them. I think one time in the last four years they have actually shown up (prior to Tuesday, March 14).B次元官网网址�
Terri said she contacted the police when her incidents happened and said there was no follow-up.
B次元官网网址淚 remember one conversation I had with the police. I called the police and I gave them a description of the individual, and they - the police - never came to my house, never questioned me, never told me if they saw the kids. Nothing ever happened with them.B次元官网网址�
She said no police file was ever made.
The Beelers, who live down the street from May, have installed security cameras, after having their door kicked in November.
B次元官网网址淭hese kids have been coming up and down (throughout the neighbourhood) and itB次元官网网址檚 annoying - IB次元官网网址檓 82 years old, I donB次元官网网址檛 need this nonsense, and neither does my 80-year-old wife,B次元官网网址� said Bob Beeler. B次元官网网址淭here are a lot of seniors up and down the street here and itB次元官网网址檚 annoying as hell. We donB次元官网网址檛 need this.B次元官网网址�
After identifying one of the perpetrators, May confronted the father, who confirmed it was his son in the video.
B次元官网网址淗e was almost in tears when he saw the video. I asked him, B次元官网网址業f this had happened to you for the last four years, how would you and your wife sleep at night?B次元官网网址� He was shocked. He said, B次元官网网址楳y son is a shy kid, doesnB次元官网网址檛 get out much, and is a straight-A student.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淗e did offer to have his son do some yardwork around my place, but I told him I just preferred his son and his friends stay out of Crown Isle. IB次元官网网址檓 probably out about $2,400 in damages and (security) equipment purchased, and I am losing about $250 a day in wages because I canB次元官网网址檛 put socks and shoes on.B次元官网网址�
Terri said the police officer leading the investigation has informed her that because the kids have seen that there are extreme consequences to such actions, hopefully, there will be no more such situations going forward.
B次元官网网址淚f so, thatB次元官网网址檚 thanks to Owen,B次元官网网址� said Terri. B次元官网网址淣ot thanks to the RCMP; thanks to Owen and Laura.B次元官网网址�
The Record has reached out to the father of the assailant for comment.
terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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