KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — A homeowner’s repeated battle with fence-smashing teenagers has made her take extreme measures. She has installed trip-wires and reinforced barriers to protect from a dangerous social media trend.
Erin Short’s vinyl fence has been destroyed 10 separate times over the past six months. “It’s been over $2,000 in damage to replace the fence panels. Um, it wakes us up in the middle of the night and we don’t go back to sleep,” Short said. “I just don’t understand how this has happened ten times and the people who are supposed to be parenting their children don’t know where they are,” Short said.
Deputies report seeing the fence-smashing vandalism at least four times around Hayden in the past week alone.
In Coeur d’Alene, police are also responding to reports of aggressive door-kicking, another social media trend that stems from similar online challenges.
Short initially believed the first hole in her fence was caused by a deer. But when the damage continued to occur repeatedly, she installed cameras to document what was happening. The footage revealed teenagers deliberately charging into her fence at full force.
“It’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. I mean, I don’t understand why anyone would think that’s cool to do,” Short said.
The vandalism only stopped after Short and her family took defensive action. They installed trip-wires and motion-activated lights around the property perimeter. They also reinforced the fence with additional wood as a final protective measure.
Despite these defensive measures, Short emphasizes the physical danger these teenagers face. “They could break their shoulder, their arm, their neck,” Short said.
Short has a warning for other parents in the community: just because a homeowner responds calmly to vandalism doesn’t mean everyone will.
“There aren’t people who are maybe as nice as us. You know we live in a state of Idaho where people, most people own guns. Um, it’s not safe. This is not a safe thing to do. This isn’t funny,” Short said.
Law enforcement officials are taking the trend seriously, emphasizing the legal and safety consequences. The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office has classified the vandalism as a felony offense.
Lt. Mark Ellis with the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office stressed the real-world dangers of the trend. “It’s a few seconds of fun they’re having for a video, however, it’s got lasting punitive possibilities. Especially if they take their own life in their hands if they go to the wrong house and get shot by a homeowner,” Ellis said.
Idaho law permits homeowners to use deadly force on their properties if they believe they are in danger. This legal protection makes these types of social media trends particularly hazardous, as teenagers participating in fence-smashing challenges risk confronting armed homeowners who may view the intrusion as a genuine threat.
The Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating the incidents and searching for the perpetrators. Short and her family have indicated they are prepared to press felony charges once those responsible are identified and apprehended.
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