Homeowner spends $14,000 fixing doors after viral teen kicking trend

A homeowner in Maui Lani spent nearly $14,000 repairing damage to his property after falling victim to a viral social media trend known as the door-kicking challenge. The activity, which typically involves teenagers delivering heavy kicks to residential front doors late at night, has been occurring consistently in the area over the last several months.

Surveillance videos from multiple homes in the Maui Lani neighborhood capture teens banging on doors in the middle of the night. The behavior is intended to simulate a home invasion before the participants flee. Authorities describe the trend as a high-impact prank that leaves residents shaken and properties damaged.

Matt, a resident who asked for his full name to be withheld due to fear of retaliation, said he heard violent pounding on his door at 1:30 a.m. while sleeping. He stated that the noise was unsettling and required extensive repairs and security upgrades. He has filed multiple police reports and contacted his homeowners association to address the issue.

"When you're in the house at 1:30 in the morning and you're sleeping and you hear this violent pounding on the door, it's a little unsettling," Matt said. He expressed a desire for justice but also noted that the perpetrators appear to be children. "Of course we want justice," he said. "In the same breath, I have a heart, and if you strip all of this away from the individual, they're really just kids .. I'm not sure if this is a cry for help."

Mae, an Ewa Beach resident, reported hearing her front door kicked about five times around 9 p.m. She described the force as shaking the entire house. "It literally was so powerful that it shook the whole house and it felt like somebody was trying to break down the door," Mae said. She added, "I was terrified." Mae also confirmed that another resident in her area experienced similar incidents.

Mae, who also declined to share her full name or specific neighborhood, urged parents to speak with their children about respecting neighbors and property. "Times are hard. It is expensive to fix things and it's very disrespectful," she said. She called for parents to talk to their children about being respectful to neighbors and their property.

Matt is currently asking his community for help in identifying the individuals responsible. He hopes that speaking out will raise awareness of the trend. Mae expressed sympathy for other families experiencing the same forceful kicks on their doors, noting that the activity seems to be happening quite often in their respective areas.