>> But doing this
>>
>> "So, just over a week ago I tried to photograph one of them, in broad
>> daylight, in a public place, taking care not to act like a 'kiddy fiddler!
>>
>> Was utter utter stupidity. What on earth did you think you were doing, or hoping
>> to achieve?
If you had read the original post, you would know the reason. What I did was legal and reasonable, according to a civilian worker on the Surrey police switchboard, and a PC. Both indicated that there was not much in the way of an alternative since I needed to find out who they were, having previously made numerous complaints to the police. And I succeeded. They are now known to the police, and their parents are aware of what they were doing as the police have been round to their homes. With luck it is sorted. My mistake was not to use a long lens, take a few photos, then leave before they realised that had happened. I thought that would look too suspicious. Even if they had chased me to my home, at least I could have dialled 999 from a safe haven. Of course the other alternative is to get three or more people to go along, two acting as witnesses, and protection, and that is probably the best course of action in general.
The problem is that these children are incredibly manipulative, and they have no concept of manners or normal behaviour. The girl was making a scene for no reason other than to appear as a victim, and so that when her siblings arrived, they would think something dreadful had happened to her. It was one big manipulative game. One of the children who has harassed me cycled up to me afterwards, cool as a cucumber, saying "She's under age, you took photographs, you're going to be arrested".
I know most kids in this area are well mannered, and polite, most of the time anyway. And I know other people, including many kids, consider these kids a pain. I would never have dreamt of behaving like them when I was young, and nor would most people, but for some reason they have no concept of normal behaviour. Somewhere along the line discipline has failed, and the kids will pay the price when in future they realise that they have squandered their lives.
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