A screenshot depicts a child ringing the doorbell of Glennwilde resident Kim Schock and then running away. [Kim Schock/Nextdoor]

An Arrest and the Community's Dilemma

Last week, a Maricopa man was jailed after confronting a child who knocked on his door in the middle of the night and tried to escape on a bike. This incident sparked a heated debate among Maricopans on social media. Did the arrest serve as a deterrent or justify the actions of the young prankster? Home surveillance footage shared by Kim Schock provides some answers.The footage, dated Tuesday at 7 p.m., shows a hooded child getting off a motorcycle, approaching the front door while covering their face, ringing the bell, and banging on the door. They then quickly ran back to the getaway bike driven by another person. Kim Schock took the prank in stride, saying, "This kid gave me a good laugh. He was really running for it."This incident reveals that such stunts have expanded beyond lone kids on foot. Now, kids are using motor vehicles to target strangers' houses in other neighborhoods.Maricopans have diverse views on whether ding-dong ditching is socially or legally acceptable. After Maricopa police arrested 58-year-old Shawn D. Hajek for assaulting and illegally detaining a 15-year-old child following a ding-dong ditch prank gone wrong, the community was divided.Resident Lonnie Speer responded to media reports by saying, "There is no excuse for beating a child. Back in the day, the adult wouldn't be the one punished. The cops would have delivered the kid by his ear to his folks, who would handle it, and the kid would have wished the cops had taken him with them. After due penance, the kid would apologize to the neighbor."Lisa Wright, from Maricopa Meadows, agreed that times have changed. She said, "As a child of the 60s, I remember the game as innocent fun. But now, things are different."Bill Cook, a resident of The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado, suggested that Hajek take preventive actions if the troublemakers returned. He quipped, "If the 'no trespassing' sign and the video doorbell don't deter the kids, and the police aren't helping, he might want to invest in a really good paintball gun."Most local residents opposed ding-dong ditching, citing concerns for their safety and the disruption to babies and the elderly. However, some, like Rancho Mirage resident Duane Vick, believed there was no excuse for charging and tackling a kid who knocks and runs. He said, "Have a little fun back, chase them a little. At most, they'll have a little fear-induced doodoo stain in their shorts, but you've got to let them get away. D.D.D. has been harmless. It's been happening for decades and will continue."Chris Nuhfer from Province suggested there might be confusion between ding-dong ditching and the more felonious door kicking challenge that has gone viral. Maricopa has previously reported on the "kick the door challenge" which briefly erupted in Senita earlier this year.