Scarborough man says house targeted by teens
Neighbourhood teen replies that father of 2 brought it on himself
CBC News
Posted: Jul 4, 2012 8:34 PM ET
Last Updated: Jul 4, 2012 9:49 PM ET
Mike Greer's security camera recorded this person wearing a mask and throwing eggs at his Scarborough home. (CBC)
A Scarborough man says his home is being terrorized by teens who have egged his house, damaged his car and even thrown a Molotov cocktail.
"We almost don't know what's going to happen next," Mike Greer, who lives on Friendship Avenue with his wife and two young children, told CBC News. "It's a constant living in fear."
Greer said he awoke on Sunday morning to the sound of smashing glass and discovered his driveway was stained with gasoline from what he said was a Molotov cocktail that was thrown at his house.
Greer says he has begun sleeping in his car in an effort to protect his home. (CBC)He alleged it's the latest incident over the last several months. The house, which they moved into two years ago, is near West Rouge Public School.
Teens would hang out and smoke marijuana next to their backyard, Greer said.
"One day we decided to go out there and say, 'Guys, can you take this somewhere else?'" he said.
Greer said since then, his home has been targeted, with the house egged several times, their car scratched, their tires slashed and the Molotov cocktail thrown.
"This is escalated that people's lives are in danger," he said.
Greer said he called Toronto police and emailed the school board and the city, but was told that unless he caught somebody doing something, there was nothing that could be done.
So he installed security cameras that captured video footage of his home getting egged. The person throwing the eggs is seen wearing a mask.
'Completely exaggerated'
A few weeks ago, Greer confronted a group of teens hanging out by the school and snapped a photograph of one teen giving him the finger.
Greer claimed that the teen told him, "We know where you live. We'll get you."
Taylor Germain, 17, says he might know who threw the eggs at Greer's house, but he does not know who threw the Molotov cocktail. (CBC)A couple of blocks away, CBC News bumped into a teen who was among the group that Greer encountered.
Taylor Germain, 17, said the clashes are "completely exaggerated, blown out of proportion."
The teen said he does not know who threw the Molotov cocktail.
"I've heard about people egging his house and stuff; I think I know some people who could be involved with that," he said.
"But other than that, if his house is really getting destroyed, it's all stuff he's brought upon himself."
Greer said he doesn't know where to turn and has started sleeping in his car to keep watch at night.
Greer plans to meet with his city councillor, Ron Moeser, as well as police and school board officials on Friday.
"We can't live like this," he said. "Nobody should have to live like this."
Corrections and Clarifications
- An earlier version of the story said CBC News bumped into Taylor Germain, who was depicted in the photograph taken by Greer. CBC News then reported that Germain was not the teen depicted in the photograph, but he was involved in a confrontation with Greer in previous weeks. In fact, Germain was not the teen depicted in the photograph, but he was among the group of teens that Greer encountered by the school. July 16, 2012 | 4:55 p.m. ET
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