Your compassion is misplaced. Get evidence. Find out which other neighbours are affected. Hold a meeting - invite the cops. Tape the meeting. If the police are as sodding useless as you say, its a matter of public concern. let them say in front of witnesses they aren't capable of defending the local citizens against a gang of kids.

These horrid little bullies can be sorted out, by the police. They won't just be doing your house, there will other criminal acts. If the cops aren't on to them, they're not doing their job.

Tell the cops you are entitled to a police presence at the appropriate times. Tell them you expect them to exert some influence. If they won't - they're not really worth their wages are they, and the local paper should be informed.

Everything's political these days. The cops won't want the bad publicity. they will probably sort it out, without you getting heavy with them.

Believe you me, the cops will know all this gang and they will probably be able to tell you a few things they have done that YOU don't know about. they are usually on a short lead from the local fuzz. the police know how to yank that lead when it suits their purposes.

Be prepared to make it suit their purposes by weight of public opinion.