Following a mischief investigation, Cobourg police have identified two young teenagers who participated in a TikTok challenge that involves banging on residential doors and running away without getting caught.
Participants in the “door-knock” or “door-kick” challenge record themselves as they use their hands or feet to hit or kick doors and then post the video on social media. The mischief usually happens at night, frightening any occupants who may be at home and often causing property damage.
“Online challenges often target youth and can pose serious risks,” Cobourg police state in a media release. “Some challenges encourage harmful and sometimes criminal behaviours. Kids and teens may unknowingly put themselves in dangerous or illegal situations driven by the desire for online recognition.”
While the door-knock challenge has been around since at least 2021, there have been recent reports of incidents in local municipalities including Peterborough. In other jurisdictions, the challenge has resulted in dangerous confrontations between youth and homeowners.
In Cobourg, police received a number of calls in late January and early February from homeowners about two youths kicking their front doors and running away. In each instance, there was property damage. Using footage from CCTV cameras and residential doorbell cameras, police identified two 13-year-old youths.
In lieu of criminal charges, the teens will be subject to extrajudicial measures and sanctions that may include volunteer work, compensating victims, or participating in specialized programs.
The federal Youth Criminal Justice Act requires police to consider the use of extrajudicial measures where they are adequate to hold a young person accountable, especially a first-time non-violent offender.
These alternatives to the court system aim to promote learning and rehabilitation, reintegration into the community, and prevention of further offences by youth. Failure to adhere to extrajudicial sanctions would reengage the youth in the normal court process.
“As chief, I expect all our investigations to be victim centred,” says Cobourg Police Service chief Paul VandeGraaf in the release. “I am proud of all our frontline staff who did great work identifying the responsible youths and ensuring they are accountable within the principles and conditions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. I am confident that the extrajudicial measures, managed by Rebound Child and Youth Services, will be successful.”
