Five youngsters are arrested for disturbing TikTok challenge leaving terrified homeowners with hundreds of dollars worth of damages
Five youngsters have been arrested in a sleepy suburb for a disturbing TikTok trend that has frightened homeowners across the US.Those detained in Elk Grove, California, included two 13–year–olds, police said.The children were taken into custody after partaking in the so–called 'door kick challenge' - a TikTok trend in which teenagers sneak up to a person's property and smash in their front door.Footage, released by police, showed the two youths, one in a ski mask and the other with his hood up, backing into a front door before booting it at full force and running away.The children caused more than $680 in damages, according to law enforcement, who issued a stern warning about the dangers of a seemingly innocuous online prank.'We want to use this as an opportunity to remind our community that while trends like this may seem like harmless fun, they can have serious consequences,' Elk Grove Police Department wrote.At least eight incidents of children kicking the front doors of strangers' homes and causing damage had been reported in the past month.Police have not released the ages of the other suspects, but confirmed they were children in response to a Facebook comment from locals who voiced concerns that the pranksters were actually adults. Two children were captured kicking in a stranger's front door and causing more than $680 in damages, police said The most recent arrests in Elk Grove, California, included two teenagers who were participating in the so–called 'door kick' TikTok challengeThe teenagers could face felony charges if the damages caused by the social media trend exceed $400, per California law.Police are also concerned about how terrified homeowners might react to the children if they think their homes are being broken into.'It sounds like someone is kicking down your door to try and hurt your family,' Elk Grove police sergeant Jason Jimenez told CBS Sacramento.Ronnie Monroe, who lives in the California suburb about 15 miles from Sacramento, said his garage door had been kicked in by children in back–to–back weeks.'Somebody could come out with a gun, and you could never know, these kids could be dead just for a stupid prank,' he said to the outlet.Monroe's family chased down the children, who had allegedly damaged his property, and found them kicking in a different neighbor's door.The supposed prank first occurred at 1am and then at 5am, leaving Monroe's family terrified. Sergeant Jason Jimenez said the prank 'sounds like someone is kicking down your door to try and hurt your family' At least eight incidents of children damaging the front doors of strangers had been reported in the past month, Elk Grove police said Police are asking parents to tell their children about the dangers of the TikTok trendHe added: 'The granddaughter came flying in and she was scared – all panicky – which I can understand.'Elk Grove police urged parents to warn their children about how the TikTok trend can quickly become dangerous.A spokesman told the Daily Mail: 'We would encourage parents to be proactive and know what your children are watching on social media – how they're being influenced by social media – on some of these challenges and trends.' Their plea echoed other departments across the US.In Florida, the Volusia Sheriff's Office said the challenge was a 'surefire way to get locked up with a felony… or even worse, shot and killed by a homeowner.'That statement was issued in July after two teenagers, 13 and 15, were charged with burglary after kicking in a neighbor's front door until it opened.The supposed 'door kick challenge' has been compared to the 'ding–dong–ditch' prank, which left an 11–year–old Texas boy dead in September.The Fleetwood Police Department in Pennsylvania said: 'Today's youth have taken things to a more serious level by kicking at doors and ultimately causing damage.''There is the potential for a child to be seriously hurt or even killed by someone who believes, especially in the middle of the night, that their residence is being broken into and ultimately determines there is an imminent threat to life and property.'
