Monday, August 8, 2011

Welcome to Massachusetts. Even our Toddlers Are Hoodlums...

Toddler Vandalizes Car, Apologizes to Police

At 7:37 p.m., police investigated a report of a car vandalized on Webster Avenue. Police received information from witnesses stating that a three-year-old Webster Avenue resident climbed on top of the car and hit the hood with a plastic broom cover. The responding officer said he did see “small clear footprints on the hood.” Police spoke to the boy’s father who said he would keep his son away from vehicles. The officer spoke to the toddler, who apologized for damaging the car.

The proper response to this would vary depending on who you ask. Most folks would say the parents should have grabbed the kid long before he ever made it to the roof. Canton OH PD would have given the boy some lumps. Mayor Menino would ban scooters.

In all seriousness, though, there are two troubling parts to this story: 1. That a parent would let a three year old unsupervised in the street long enough to climb on top of a car; and 2. that the owner of the car felt that it was an appropriate response to call the police over this. Unless there was substantial damage done to the car (in which case a police report may be needed for insurance purposes), it's hard to see what getting the police involved is going to do other than foster discord among the neighbors.

Welcome to Massachusetts! While you read this a pre-schooler may be tagging your car!

That is all.

6 comments:

Freiheit said...

As opposed to what?

Picking the toddler up and then getting the cops called on you when the kid starts screaming "stranger danger"?

Banging on the door of the neighbors you don't know (but should)?

I agree that calling the cops and the other failures that led up to this are disturbing, but it was hardly a bad call to get the police in.

Firehand said...

Have to wonder, was it 'not watching' or 'the little bastard just disappears'?

At that age, you could look at son, look at something else for ten seconds, look back and he'd vanished. It was amazing, if could've figured out how could've sold the technique to SpecOps or ninjas.

Jake (formerly Riposte3) said...

I hate to say it, but Freiheit has a good point. These days, if you touch that toddler that's hammering on your car, there's a good chance you're going to jail and ending up on a sex-offender registry. Sadly, he was protecting himself by getting the cops involved.

Old NFO said...

Gah... SO many things wrong with that it's not even funny...

Stretch said...

What's the difference between juvenile and adult offenders?
Lower point of aim.

dr mac said...

Stretch is right- small target moving up and down, might need a scattergun.