Here's a Ring Doorbell video of a homeowner catching a kid doing the "ding-dong ditch" prank. The guy happened to be walking out the front door at the same time . . . so the kid tells the truth.
He says his buddies will make him walk home if he doesn't ring the bell. Instead of getting mad, the homeowner decides to help. He tells him to take off running and he'll "chase" him through the yard.