Virginia Man Erects Electric Fence to Keep Children Off His Lawn

A Virginia man wanted to keep rambunctious children off his lawn, so he installed an electric fence.

Bryan Tucker, whose property is adjacent to a bus stop, told reporters that unruly children raised his ire because “They don’t respect other people’s land.”

“I pick up trash every day,” he said, and added that he was tired of youngsters fighting and swearing as they waited for the bus.

No trespassing signs did nothing to curb the misbehavior, according to Tucker, so he put up a fence and connected it to a battery that would cause anyone who touched it to get a jolt.

“I touched it, I got a slight shock, it wasn’t that great,” said James Mehfoud, an area homeowner, according to Richmond TV station WRIC.

Tucker said he resorted to the extreme measure because “nothing stops people” and he was intent on protecting his property.

“I’m not in charge of other people’s children. I’m not directing people’s children what to do. All I can do is protect myself and that’s why I’ve got a fence up,” Tucker told WRIC.

Parents Talking

An area homeowner expressed sympathy for Tucker’s predicament, but suggested he had gone too far. “I understand his concern,” Mehfoud said. “I just don’t think he understood the neighbors’ concern about their kids. One of them could touch it, fall into it and get shocked.”

Parents worried their children might get injured by coming into contact with Tucker’s fence, called the police.

“That’s a little too extreme,” an unnamed parent told WRIC. “I mean, you’re going to let the kids get electrocuted? That’s not cool.”

Tucker said he was pleased with the attention his unconventional move had received.

“The message has gotten across,” Tucker told WRIC reporters. “Parents are posting and talking about it.” On Tuesday, Sept. 4, Tucker took down his fence.

“I went ahead and moved it today because it was not in the right place,” he told reporters.

It turns out he had erected the fence not on his own property, but on county land.

Officials told ABC11 that Tucker will be allowed to put up his electric fence, provided it stands on his own property.