Surprise homeowner has a message to teens who damaged his property

February 19, 2025 WOL

With two swift kicks by a teen, Surprise homeowner Jeff Valdez is looking at a $400 bill to replace his security door.

SURPRISE, Ariz. — A Surprise homeowner is facing a hefty repair bill after a teenager kicked in his security door on Valentine’s night in what he calls a completely random act of vandalism. The incident has left the homeowner both shocked and frustrated, as it marks the latest in a series of property damage cases in the Mountain Vista Ranch neighborhood.

Jeff Valdez, who has lived in Surprise for four years, said this is the first time his home has been targeted by teens engaging in senseless damage. Valdez expressed confusion and disappointment and said that the motivations behind these acts are not clear.

He also voiced a concern that many parents may relate to: what is driving this behavior?

Security footage captured the moment one teen kicked the homeowner’s front security door, bending it. That teen, and a friend, then run away from the home laughing.

“If it was my kids who did this and they were caught, there would definitely be some reprimands,” Valdez said. “This is not correct.”

The incident has left Valdez wondering how pranks, which once involved harmless fun like ding-dong ditching or toilet-papering homes, have escalated into destructive actions.

“If you want to be foolish in a neighborhood, just don’t damage anybody’s property,” he said. “It’s okay to be a kid and play pranks, just don’t damage anything.”

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the first time the Mountain Vista Ranch neighborhood has experienced vandalism. In a similar incident just a month ago, a local property owner shared a video showing teens hiding behind bushes after throwing rocks at windows. The neighbor was left to clean up shattered glass on the sidewalks and street.

Valdez is now hoping that parents in the area will take the time to ask their kids about their whereabouts on Valentine’s night. He hopes to receive an apology from the teens involved, along with an offer to help repair the door.

“I’d accept that, then I’d probably make the kids work at my house for at least a day,” he added with a touch of humor. “I’ve got a lot of things to be mowed, and some dog poop that needs to be picked up.”

In trying to understand why these acts are happening, Valdez offers a theory: the lack of fun, family-friendly activities for teenagers in Arizona. He calls on the city of Surprise — and other Arizona cities — to rethink how family-friendly they truly are and encourage more positive ways for teens to engage in their communities.

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