What to Know
Some people take lawn care very seriously and don’t like anyone messing with their hard work. They pride themselves on a beautiful landscape, and unwanted visitors can interfere with that. Kyle James Steffen became aggravated by kids walking across his lawn to reach a local park in the small town of Wyoming, Minnesota.
When they didn’t stop, he reportedly took matters into his own hands. Steffen’s home near Goodview Park apparently became a cut-through for children on bicycles. Steffen, 39, allegedly laid spike strips in the grass to deter them. Some say he took his plan way too far and now faces charges.
A parent called the police to report Steffen.
Per a criminal complaint obtained by Fox 9, a concerned mom called the Wyoming Police Department on April 28, 2026, complaining about Steffen yelling at her children. When officers arrived at the home at 6195 262nd Street, they reportedly found a homemade “spike strip designed to be a pitfall for neighborhood children.”
According to police, officers found a 3-foot-long, 5-inch-wide piece of plastic anchored in the grass with metal pieces that helped keep dozens of 3-inch screws standing upright. When police confronted Steffen, he apparently didn’t deny placing the strips.
Steffen claimed kids constantly rode their bikes across his lawn.
Per court documents, Steffen allegedly admitted to becoming extremely frustrated by kids riding their bikes across his lawn to get to Goodview Park. He told police he “yelled at the kids hundreds of times, and they still biked through his yard out of spite.”
To stop the kids, he allegedly crafted homemade “spike strip designed to be a pitfall for neighborhood children.”
Steffen’s spike strip created quite a stir online.
Some people could empathize with Steffen and his desire to keep his lawn looking pristine.
“So if he put up a barb wire or electric fence would he still be in trouble? His property, he can put booby traps wherever he pleases. If the kids would have followed directions to not trespass, then there wouldn’t be an issue,” someone commented on Fox 9’s Facebook page.
This person thinks kids need to respect their elders. “The article said it was a short cut across his lawn. I was raised to respect adults and property. Almost none of that today,” they wrote.
Others think Steffen took it way too far.
“I don’t think this was a good idea but I understand his frustration. If my neighbor had told my kids to stay off, I would be checking with the neighbor to make sure they are obeying. If not, the bike gets parked for a while,” someone commented.
This person made a great point.
“Picture a little kid who doesn’t realize they’re not supposed to be on the lawn and accidentally trips over some screws. I can already see a huge lawsuit coming, and he might never own a house again,” they wrote.
Steffen now faces a charge of setting a pitfall, deadfall, or snare. He will appear in court in late August.
