[ArcherAndShooter]

... is that, if these are BG's casing the neighborhood, you have:

1) let them know the residents can be intimidated. If they learn that lesson, next time they're in the area you might not see them until it's too late to avoid a confrontation.

2) let them go. I'm all for avoiding confrontations, but I would have called for police to check these characters out. If they are BG's, they probably have a record already, which means the cops know them and want to be kept current on what they are up to. Heck, if they had a warrant out, or were on probation and carrying a weapon, it might even get them locked up, which would be the best outcome of the incident, IMHO.

And don't worry about "bugging" the local LE. EVERY time my wife or I or our neighbors call the locals to come check something out, they make a point of thanking us and encouraging us to keep it up. The say they can't be everywhere, they need us to be eyes and ears, and they would much rather come to a call that turns out to be nothing than arrive too late to a real crime because folks hold off summoning help until they're "sure" something's up. And think about this, too: even if the guys you see don't get arrested, it lets them know that YOUR neighborhood is one to keep out of if they have trouble on their mind.

Avoiding confrontations and staying safe in the moment is your first goal, no doubt. But remember the longer term and your other neighbors. These guys may have learned not to mess with you, but they may or may not have learned to stay away from your neighbors, too.