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Question:

Is Doorbell ditching (ringing a doorbell and running) breaking the law?



Answer:

While there is no specific Arizona law the makes it a crime to 'doorbell ditch', this type of behavior could still get you in trouble. There are two ways in which a home-owner might take action against a 'doorbell ditcher'.

First, Arizona law (A.R.S. § 13-1502) makes it illegal for you to '. . .knowingly enter or remain unlawfully on any real property after a reasonable request to leave by the owner.' That means that a home owner could tell you not to come back on his property, and if you did it again, you could be committing the crime of Trespass.

Second, Arizona law (A.R.S. § 13-2917) prohibits 'harassment' of another, which includes 'repeatedly committing an act or acts that harass another person.' So if you were ringing someone's doorbell over and over, maybe keeping them from sleeping for instance, that might constitute harassment.

Both of these crimes are misdemeanors. In either case, you would likely have to be doing a lot of 'doorbell ditching' to a home owner to make it a crime, but we wouldn't suggest doing it anyway. It just isn't nice.
Comments
1 thru 5 of 21 comments
On 03/30/09
mit from OH said:
dude you guys take this to far i door bell dich allot im a pro,the only reson doorbell dichin can ne bad is if you do it to old people n stuff and if the call the cops that your falt, when you ring it dont use your finger, if you can ring it with your nose because if cops come then they can get finger prints or you could put your finger in your shirt and ring it.
On 03/02/09
Mary from AL said:
Door ditching is not a problem until the kid throws a brick at your door and causes damage to your property. That is going too far and is no longer considered "fun". It's criminal. So forgive me if I don't see the lighter side of their stupidity.
On 06/24/08
angel from AL said:
yeah!!!!!! i know
On 05/29/08
Angel4 from AZ said:
The only reason kids doorbell ditch other people is because they want them to come out and chase them, in other words, if you don't chase them, they get bored of doing your house and they move onto someone elses home. I personally would get board with the person and move on. We do it for the reaction of the person.
On 03/21/08
milley from CA said:
Well, we constanly get door bell ditch we know who does it. but when we confront them they denie it.so we set up a plan to get camera.. we finally caught them..
1 thru 5 of 21 comments


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