Petrified homeowners are being terrorised by a new "very evil prank" which sees masked teenagers kicking doors in the middle of the night.
Multiple residents have claimed they've been targeted by what looks like a group of teenagers in the dangerous prank, often caught on Ring Doorbell cameras.
In one instance, reported just after midnight on Tuesday, June 13, Jeffrey Gibson's Ring doorbell camera captured a teenager kicking in his front door three times as someone else nearby seemingly records him.
"My wife was having a panic attack at the time because she was just so absolutely distraught," Jeffrey told Fox 35.
He continued: "Until I saw the video, I didn't even realise that it seemed to be some youths playing what appeared to be a very evil prank."
The video shows a shirtless teen walking up to the door with what seems like his shirt over his head and at least one other person before kicking the door three times and running away.
The group can be seen jumping into a nearby getaway car after they flee the house.
Severe home invasions are a very real fear for residents, with Jeffrey noting that these terrifying pranks could have severe consequences.
"Had they still been there when I opened the front door, I don't know that there would have been an element of control from myself or what they would have done," Jeffrey said.
Just an hour and a half earlier, another homeowner around two miles away reported her door had also been kicked in.
Her husband was reportedly so concerned he grabbed a gun and ran to the front door, thinking someone was breaking into their home.
Speaking about the prank, Jeffrey said: "I hope that this is just that, that it's only kids being stupid and that it's some trend out there.
"Hopefully it goes away very soon because this is something that can get people harmed."
The incidents are being reported by residents of Deltona, Florida, but the Volusia Sheriff's Office have yet to issue any statement regarding the incidents.
The latest trend of kicking doors comes a year on from police issuing a warning in Florida after teens began kicking homes as part of a TikTok challenge.
During the challenge, the Ke$ha song 'Die Young' plays in the background, and then on the bat, people in the video kick the doors to the beat and run away.
However, police sergeant Arik Levy with Broward Sheriff's Office warned that while it may seem harmless, it should be taken seriously.
"If you're damaging somebody's door, that's going to be criminal mischief," he explained. "They might not know that this is a TikTok challenge or some other prank.
"They might think that it could possibly rise to the level of a home invasion. The response to that can be physical, all of the way up to lethal force."
