Police in the Chicago suburb of Oswego posted a warning to parents and residents this week about a “possible challenge going around” that authorities described as potentially “very dangerous.”
A twist on the “ding dong ditch” prank, the behavior involves “teens kicking or beating on doors” and then running away, police said.
“This behavior can be very dangerous for the teens as a homeowner may think an intruder is trying to break in and arm themselves, believing that they are about to be a victim of a home invasion,” Oswego police wrote in a post on Facebook.
“Another risk is that banging and kicking on a homeowner’s door could cause an elderly person or one with a medical condition to suffer a severe/fatal medical issue, such as a heart attack,” the post continued.
Oswego police said they received a report Wednesday of such behavior.
Police warned that people who do this may be criminally charged, possibly with home invasion.
“Even if offenders don’t enter a residence, it could be considered an attempt,” police said. “Home invasion is a felony.”
“This is not a harmless prank,” police concluded, encouraging residents to call police any time suspicious behavior is observed.