Legally the best you can do is take the parentsto civil court if they don't pay up. Honestly I would go to the cops either, if you wait to get the proper paper work, the worse it will look on you. You can always drop the charges later if you want. It isn't worth it to beat some kid down in todays day and age, instead of you getting your bike fix, you now get arrested, put in jail, fined, and now the parents sue you. It sucks but thats todays age, a bunch of sue happy disrespectful ********

 

+1 Psycho.
If the adolescent deliberately damages your bike, it's a sign of poor upbringing, or poor choice of friends (**** happens)
I'd call the Police, have him arrested, and ONLY allow the charges to be dropped after I had a written agreement that the parents would pay for damages and alternate transportation costs while your bike is being fixed.
Havoc's choices would be options 2-4 for me.........

 

nailed it

 

lol havoc...very nice

 

Why would you arrange a deal with the parents to make the kid pay? If a teen messes up my bike, it's not my job to teach him a lesson, it's the parent's job. I don't care where the money comes from so long as I get it, and if the parents are not responsible enough to punish their little delinquent, it's not my problem.

 

I'm going to throw in a twist. What if the kid was a female kid...

 

Same rules apply.

 

If the kid is vandalizing, then the parents have already failed...so why go to them? Asswhoopin (within reason, no visible marks...more embarrassment than pain) then cops. "No officer, I only restrained him/her from kicking me in the stones and trying to claw out my eyes" Civil charges, recover money, then set up a lawn chair outside where the little bastard is doing community service and wave every time I see them.

 

I am with TK on this one. That calls for aggressive negotiation.