Police in the Chicago suburb of Oswego this week sent a warning to parents and residents about a “possible challenge in progress” that authorities described as potentially “very dangerous.”
A twist on “ding dong ditch” pranks, the behavior involves “teenagers kicking or slamming doors” and then running away, police said.
“This behavior can be very dangerous for the teenagers because a homeowner may believe an intruder is trying to break in and arm themselves in the belief that they are about to become a victim of a home invasion,” Oswego Police wrote in a Facebook post .
“Another risk is that banging and kicking a homeowner’s door could cause an elderly person or someone with a medical condition to suffer a serious/fatal medical problem, such as a heart attack,” the post continued.
Oswego police said they received a report of such behavior Wednesday.
Police warned that people who do this could face criminal charges, possibly for home invasion.
“Even if perpetrators don’t enter a residence, it can be considered an attempt,” police said. “Home invasion is a crime.”
“This is not a harmless prank,” police concluded, encouraging residents to call police whenever suspicious behavior is observed.