The pranksters have been caught on video hurling family-sized jars of food through windows. Two families say repairs will cost them thousands.
PLANO, Texas — A racket woke Andrea and Thomas Landon around 2:30 a.m. Sunday. The family initially blamed the cat but discovered the true culprit at sunrise.
“The window on the second level had a pickle jar thrown through it,” Thomas Landon said. “Glass was all over the place.”
The family-sized jar burst through the double-pane window, about 15 feet off the ground, sending shards of glass into living room furniture. The wood floors below the window are scuffed.
The pranksters also ripped a wooden chunk out of the front door. Police estimated complete repairs would cost somewhere between $8,000 and $10,000, the Landons said.
“You should feel safe in your own home,” Thomas Landon said. “They could’ve thrown that jar of pickles through our bedroom window. It could’ve hit one of us. That could’ve been my daughter’s room.”
The incident sounded familiar to Lance Clemens, who lives about two miles away. He installed security cameras to catch the teenagers who first egged his house in the fall. Clemens said his home has been vandalized ten times since October. The pranks have escalated, progressively causing more damage.
Last weekend, Clemens’ doorbell camera caught three people as they hurled a family-sized jar of sauerkraut through the door. The trio wore Halloween masks as they approached the home.
“We find it very difficult to sleep most nights, particularly on the weekend, just because it’s been so consistent over a period of months,” Clemens said.
The cameras have not deterred the crime. Clemens has a video of the pranksters pouring powder on his porch and hurling a bottle of squeezable jelly through a window.
Clemens estimates the damage to his property would cost more than $4,000 to repair. Replacing his front door would cost another $6,000, he said.
Plano police have not connected the incident at Clemens’ home and the incident at the Landons’ home, but they are investigating their reports. The families said they’re aware of at least two other homeowners in the area who have had food hurled at their property. One neighbor found his car Sunday covered in barbecue sauce, Andrea Landon said.
Pranksters have targeted homes in multiple neighborhoods, though each is relatively close to Clark High School. Each family expressed concern for the perpetrators’ safety.
“This is Texas. People are armed,” Clemens said. “These guys are showing up with masks and dark clothing, creeping around people’s homes at night. That’s a recipe for disaster.”
Clemens’ video shows one person recording the vandalism with a cell phone. The camera flash is plainly visible. The Landons and Clemens said they’ve found videos of the crimes posted to social media. The family shared those posts with the police.
“They’re probably trying to outdo each other to get more likes,” Thomas Landon said. “I don’t think they intend to hurt anybody, but it’s getting out of hand.”