Overview
- Elk Grove police report eight incidents in the past month with five juveniles arrested, including two 13-year-olds accused of causing $680 in damage.
- Damage estimates have reached about $900 in at least one case, and officers note that costs above $950 in California can bring felony charges with parents responsible for repairs.
- School resource officers are assisting investigators by identifying youths seen in doorbell and home-surveillance videos.
- Homeowners and police say participants often wear masks and flee on e-bikes, making on-the-spot arrests difficult.
- Authorities in other areas, including Chicago suburbs and Florida, have documented similar cases and caution the prank could result in violent confrontations.