The Surrey RCMP says it’s investigating and seeking criminal charges after a series of door pranks played by teenagers in Newton and South Surrey have caused property damage.
Police say a “frenzy” of ‘ding-dong-ditch’ or ‘nicky-nicky-nine-doors’ pranks in the two Surrey neighbourhoods have resulted in “sustained damages” to residences and the identification of young pranksters.
Mounties says the old tradition of the prank, where the prankster knocks at a door only to run away, has “devolved into cases of harassment and mischief.”
Sgt. James Mason told CityNews, “Over the last month, is where we started to see a trend in damages to the house — where the teens have have kicked the doors with with such force that they’ve either dented the doors, or they’ve caused damage to the integrity of the door itself and door frame.”
He said 10 to 12 houses in the area have reported damage.
“While this type of behaviour may not have started with malicious intent, the observed behaviour of these individuals speaks to a complete lack of regard for the prank recipients and their property,” said Mason. “If the goal is to make yourself known, you may get more than you bargained for.”
Police are asking residents to report any instances of the prank. Police add that if you’re a victim, stay indoors and do not confront the knockers.
“You never know how a youth, or a person in general, might respond when when met with some kind of confrontation, and we don’t want to see these incidents escalate,” said Mason.
He says the pranks part of an online trend. The youth that police have identified with CCTV footage, Mason says, are not all the same pranksters performing the trend in what he calls a “large area.”
Police say a well-lit entryway and surveillance footage can help prevent and catch the pranksters.
If you have been the victim of a ‘nicky-nicky-nine-doors’ prank in Surrey, the RCMP says you can report it by calling 604-599-0502.