RANT: Mindless Chavs kicked my garage door to hell

Chavs, youths, neds, whatever. They seriously need to be sent to an island to be used as bombing practice by the RAF, or set loose in a Bolivian prison or SOMETHING to sort them the heck out.

It was twenty to eight yesterday evening, and I was just about to take my homemade jerk chicken out of the oven for dinner. Kate was finishing up washing the dishes. I heard shouty voices through the open kitchen window (not uncommon, everyone from chavs to little kids to adults to families walk down the lanes here, no good reason why mind you, they don't save you any time) and then incredibly loud metal banging. We both looked out the window (which faces the back garden and the garage) and through the garage window I caught a quick glimpse of a sliver of sunlight.

I ran upstairs, grabbed some keys, put on sandals, and went out into the garage to investigate. Sure enough, there was a large dent in the bottom right hand side. Closer inspection revealed that the little wheel mount (these wheels guide the door up a track mounted on the frame) was bent at about a 45 degree angle - still attached to the door by some distressed screw holes, and also still sitting in the track. In each bottom corner are metal plates that the bottom of the door comes to rest against - the door had been kicked with such force it's been knocked PAST the plate and now rests against it on the wrong side.

We ate dinner without even noticing due to anxiety and I immediately called the new non-emergency police number, 101, and gave my details. Ten minutes later as I was trying to work out if I could fix the damage, a proper copper called back and took the whole story down. I pointed out there's a small workshop (he must have been using Google Earth or something as he seemed to know every location I was describing) at the far end of the lane with a CCTV camera. It almost certainly isn't angled high enough to see my garage, but it certainly will see people walking down the lane. This, the cop conceded, was probably the only thing they had to go on, and 'this is the age we live in I'm afraid'. I got my crime reference number and that was that.

I can't really fix it. To get it back in the right position would need the righthand corner of the door popping back around this metal plate. Given the amount of force needed to get it where it is now, I can't very well kick it back into place. A crowbar or something might be able to lever it around, but I'm not Gordon Freeman. And removing the plate altogether is impossible as, while I have a socket that fits, it only fits into a crappy plastic screwdriver head that I can't get anywhere near enough leverage on to actually loosen the three bolts that hold it in place. So it'll have to stay like that until I can get a garage guy out to have a look at it. Ironically, the door is now impossible to open, which means while I can't get out, nobody can get in either.

Nevertheless, I spent last night sitting there feeling really, really anxious, especially as I was more or less witness to it. I wasn't sure if I'd sleep well at all and I just can't understand what the point of going around kicking someone's garage door off one of its hinges is. The worst case is they want in to either break into the house or steal my bike or something. The more likely case is that it's the last friday of half term week and, drunk and frustrated, 'youths' saw the door as something to vent on. It's covered in graffiti anyway (and has been more or less since it was installed a year ago) but this is too far.

Not happy.

[Wideboy]

know how you feel mate, sadly there is only one thing they understand and that's a good kick in

got a problem with it down here, last time ended up with me legging it down the road half naked in middle of the night, lad at the end by the woods has had his garage broken into twice and he's only been there a year, thing is our area is a nice area just the scum comes over from Townhill park estate (should be whipped off the map IMO). you always know they're from there as they always bolt into the woods which splits the 2 area's up.

last time my mother thought it would be a good idea to call the bobies but sadly they couldn't do anything and doubt they caught the the scum, just wish i had of

thankfully since my accident it has been quiet, not sure how i would fare up legging it down the road now, even so the wrecking bar still lives next to the bed

Garage guy is coming Monday to sort it. At least the door is effectively rendered immobile so I don't need to worry about someone getting in. But look at the weather! I should be going to work on two wheels, not four!

Originally Posted by metalangel

Garage guy is coming Monday to sort it. At least the door is effectively rendered immobile so I don't need to worry about someone getting in. But look at the weather! I should be going to work on two wheels, not four!

Yeah it does suck...

I don't really know what to say.. copper got it right though... it is the age we live in, as unfortunate as it may be.. not saying it's right... but unfortunately it does happen...

Here's just to hope it won't get done again... consider putting some CCTV cameras up.. they're like £70 or so and may be worth it just for peace of mind..

I can't put CCTV up... if they can see off my property (which it would need to to see people doing this) I have to register wtih the DPA and probably put notices up, and c'mon if you're a chav and you see someone's got CCTV looking at their garage you're immediately gonna think 'WHOA HE MUST HAVE SOMETHING GOOD IN THERE' and try triple hard to smash your way in.

see also: points raised in this thread. A large part of avoiding trouble is not attracting attention in the first place.

Sorry to hear that. Roll on Monday when you can get back on two wheels

Ta. I saw at least one of the WRC rideouts today (and it is stunning today) on my way in to work... sure I couldn't have joined 'em but at least I could wave cheerfully.

[yorkie_chris]

Wire door up to 10KV worth of ignition coils?

I feel for you man. The little c**ts need a good kickin themselves. I really don't understand what (if anything) is going on in their heads.

Garage door guy has been - and reckons the door is best replaced given the dents it's suffered. So now I need to contact the house insurance.

Bits of me are wondering if I should take this opportunity to have the whole garage properly rebuilt with a proper roller door and also to enable it to house my car as well as my bike (parking can be tricky where I live).