Continuity mistake: When Wade is at dinner with his family, when his stepdad is talking to him, Wade places his milk down on the table. Then in the next shot it is back in his hand, and then back down again.
Continuity mistake: When Filkins drives his car in order to chase the three boys, before they run into the garage, the rearview mirror disappears and reappears.
Continuity mistake: After the kids sneak Drillbit out of the house when the parents arrive. The skinny kid has his right arm bend up touching the back of his head and it's behind the fat kid, on the next shot both his arms are down and he is a couple steps ahead the fat kid.
Answer: They probably thought that Filkins was a bigger threat.