( CNN ) -- A family in Saudi Arabia has taken a genie to court , alleging theft and harassment , according to local media . The lawsuit filed in Shariah court accuses the genie of leaving them threatening voicemails , stealing their cell phones and hurling rocks at them when they leave their house at night , said Al-Watan newspaper . An investigation was under way , local court officials said . `` We have to verify the truthfulness of this case despite the difficulty of doing so , '' Sheikh Amr Al Salmi , the head of the court , told Al-Watan . `` What makes this case and complaint more interesting is that it was n't filed by just one person . Every member of the family is part of this case . '' The family , which has lived in the same house near the holy city of Medina for 15 years , said it became aware of the spirit in the past two years . `` We began hearing strange noises , '' the head of the family , who requested anonymity , told Al-Watan . `` In the beginning , we did n't take it seriously , but after that , stranger things started happening and the children got really scared when the genie began throwing stones . '' A local charity has moved the family to a temporary residence while a court investigates , the newspaper said . In Islamic cultures , a belief in genies , or jinns , is common . Genies not only appear in pre-Islamic fiction such as `` Arabian Nights , '' but are also mentioned in the Quran . Many Saudis believe invisible genies live among them and are capable of demonic possession and revenge . CNN 's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report .
Every member of family alleges spirit presence in home they ' ve had for 15 years . Family said it became aware of the spirit in the past 15 years . In Islamic cultures , a belief in genies , or spirits , is common .