Neighbours are playing nasty tricks on me, what should I do???

[marcs_sp20]

Hey all,

I didn’t know what section to put this in, and mods if you think this is inappropriate you can delete this thread if necessary…

As some of you might already know, I recently moved house from a nice townhouse in East Ipswich to a mid 70’s home in Silkstone within the last 2 months, and well things haven’t really been that great with the neighbours so to speak. I start work early at 7.30 and so I leave around 7.15, and Tash does morning shift work at 7, so leaves around 6.30. A week after we had moved in, Tash left for work, and beeped the horn, just once and not very loud, but was enough for the neighbours directly across the road to ring our rental agency regarding revving of engines in the morning and beeping, I took this a bit of tongue and cheek and so did the real estate.

What bothers me is that I told tash no more beeping (although it was just once), but I really cant help the noise of the exhaust (mines 2.25� and tash’s lancer is a 2.5� system), and well I leave normally if I were at my parents house, in second gear and doing no more then 30km/h so not to make a noise…

OK, here is what im getting to. I have met quite a few of the neighbours now, and I have found out that the bloke across the road is a compulsive liar, and will do anything to get you in trouble, and call police for whatever he can think of. I know for sure that he certainly doesn’t like us being in the street as we’re hoons cause we own hotted up cars, mind you there is a few skylines and a Pink Honda Prelude in show condition as well (who have all had complaints about them aswell).

Anyways, Went to leave for work this morning, I said to tash that I would take the astina to work as she wasn’t working, that was fine, but what bothered me was when I went to get a CD and my bag out of the lancer which is parked in the carport, I noticed that a metal grate that sits over a gutter so that you can drive over onto the driveway was moved, not just to the side, but to under the house! Someone had moved it last night while we were out, so when I would leave for work tomorrow morning, I would go down into the gutter and potentially scrape the new bumper bar that I had installed 2 weeks prior! This is the worst part, the bloke across the road was outside waiting for me to leave this morning, making it even more suspicious that he had something to do with the potential damage of the car, not something I want to go down the track again as it was $550 to repair and respray the bumper! :eek:

Now saying all that, what should I do to potentially stop this from happening again, cause the worst part would be having someone come into our property and start doing stuff to both of our cars, im just a little concerned… Has anyone else had similar things happen with there neighbours?

Sorry for the long post, just needed to vent ;)

Marc

[Dogo]

Attach mains power to the grate ;)
See what happens if he tries that again.

Lol no if you try to 'get him back' , the problem will just become bigger.

Have you talked to him ?

Try to catch him in the act, and make sure the neighbours are on your side.
Catch him, report him, and let the police do their job.

[mill_mobile]

Well, i know if he is a tool this may not work...
But i think you should just go and have a chat to him, see exactly what his beef with you is. Maybe if you go and introduce yourself and let him see that you're a reasonable person he may back off and leave you be.
Just a suggestion that may be worth a try.
J

[bourbon]

theres always 1 in each area :p haha i mean hoons!!!

its your own fault marc for driving an astina with an exhaust...ask him if he wants you to get rid of the exhaust ;)

[Rupewrecht]

That's a bit dodgy!

As someone was intending to cause damage, i'd be inclined to report it to police. they then have a record of it, and if he plays up again then there's prior knowledge/record of it.

[outbakoz]

I'm with Rupe on this one, report it

[RedLineResident]

ok your real estate agent should know what kind of people you guys are by now. regular rent, clean house, nice attitude all build raport with your agent.

trust me i would know :) so they won't listen to hear say if they know you and you are honest and genuine in the way you come accross, they will see that and believe you, hence you shouldn't have trouble from that side of it.

as for the neighbour. mate i don;t know what to tell you.

you can try the talking approach, but some people are just miserable low lives who enjoy being dicks.

if it was me id hit back, but im in no way suggestin you do that.

id probably blow up his letter box, put sh!t all over his porch etc. just things to annoy him and do it in a way in which it can;t be traced back to me, but he knows its me.

if he inconveniences mefor no reason what so ever, why should he get away with it and live a pleasant and easy life, the miserable old fcuk.

We've all got mates who are a tad crazier than the average folk, id give one of them a buzz and just get them to drop a clutch on his front lawn or something.

(ps if ive gone to far, please delete my post, however i in no way condone or suggest any of the above, its just what i would do)

good luck with it mate. remember we all deserve to live in peace, why let somene ruin that.

[bourbon]

report him...rupe is the smartest on here :p hahahahahahahaha well most common sense anyway ;)

[andrewck]

My advice is just ignore the idiot this is more effective, if he see's that you havent taken the bait he will just give up, if by any chance you can rig up a fake security camera this will deter him from trying silly pranks

[RedLineResident]

^ why fake.

real operating one is better.

gives you hard evidence and a legal leg to stand on in case anything of yours gets damaged.

[mill_mobile]

^ why fake.

real operating one is better.

gives you hard evidence and a legal leg to stand on in case anything of yours gets damaged.

Dollar factor!

[RedLineResident]

sensor light?

enough of a deterant?

[marcs_sp20]

Holy Crap! I go and do a couple hours work and come back to heaps of responses :D

Attach mains power to the grate ;)
See what happens if he tries that again.

Lol no if you try to 'get him back' , the problem will just become bigger.

Have you talked to him ?

Try to catch him in the act, and make sure the neighbours are on your side.
Catch him, report him, and let the police do their job.

Im not the kind of person to retaliate, and yeah I think it would just provoke more of a battle.. I forgot to mention, this is a bloke that likes to keep to himself, and doesnt like talking, the other neighbours come up to us for a chat if they see us doing stuff to the cars or mowing etc. Dont worry, I have tried the path of trying to talk to him, with no such luck, i just get a evil stare...


theres always 1 in each area :p haha i mean hoons!!!

its your own fault marc for driving an astina with an exhaust...ask him if he wants you to get rid of the exhaust ;)

Lets not go down this path again please, I see myself as a enthusiast and dont associate with such people that give us car lovers a bad name.

What do you mean its my fault that I have an exhaust? Am i not allowed to have one? The lancer and the prelude down the road are far far noisier! Mine is only noisy up top if you stab the throttle, which I dont do anyways as I have a nice enough reputation with all the rest of the neighbours and want to uphold that..

That's a bit dodgy!

As someone was intending to cause damage, i'd be inclined to report it to police. they then have a record of it, and if he plays up again then there's prior knowledge/record of it.

Yes I feel compelled to go to the police, but on what grounds? all I really have is a hunch and the wording from other neighbours...

My advice is just ignore the idiot this is more effective, if he see's that you havent taken the bait he will just give up, if by any chance you can rig up a fake security camera this will deter him from trying silly pranks

Thats what I intend to do

sensor light?

enough of a deterant?

We have one, but its such a pain in the ass to get working, although i could just put the carport light on if it happens...

I just dont get how people can be such assholes, I mean for one to come into someones elses property to potentially harm someones stuff is just beyond belief! I mean I pay my rent, keep the house in a very very neat manner ( and I have condition reports to prove it :p), its not like we have partys every weekend and loud music blaring. This world is just getting sadder by the day...

[Cosmo Dude]

I've been there and you have to be the bigger one. Setup a webcam with motion triggered capture, put a lock on your mailbox (my ex-ex neighbours stole my bills so they didn't get paid and I almost lost all my utilities).
Report the gutter thing to the police because as sure as hell if he hasn't reported your exhaust to them he soon will.

Most importantly ignore him. If he thinks he can bait you he will.

[marcs_sp20]

Bloody hell cosmo, sounds you had dreaded neighbours! Looks like im headin to bunnings after work and getting me a lock!

[DavoAust]

if you know a sparky get him to install one of those motion triggered spotlights near the driveway and wire a beeper too it. The moment he does anything near the cars the spotlight comes on and the beeper goes, it should be enough to deter him if hes not determined to cause ****.

Friend from work had one installed when he got a skyline, his brothers supra got the stereo stripped whilst sitting on the footpath but they didn't go near the skyline

[DVS]

hire a hitman?:D

[newman]

you say all the other neighbours get crap from him too? go visit them, get them to sign a petition, take it to the cops/local council.

do you know if he is renting or does he own his property?

[mrpayner]

Screw the plate into the concrete with dynabolts.. that'll f#$k 'em up!

That's pretty much hard luck man.. thankfully our surrounding neighbours look out for each other. We have a neighbourhood watch flyer in our mailbox every quarter.. i'm thinking of attending the next meeting if i get notified about it.

Make the police aware about it, say to them that you suspect this particular individual.. Then if it happens again maybe they can investigate further.

Best of luck
Adz

[pr1mo]

did they remove the grate and stick it under your house or his? either way its either tresspass or theft.

i wouldnt bolt it down just stick a webcam in with motion detect and see if he takes the bait.

[RedLineResident]

^ cops don't usually take these kinda matters too far.

[Cosmo Dude]

^ cops don't usually take these kinda matters too far.

You're right but in six months if this escalates the police will have record of the events. Let us all hope this goes no further.

BTW I'm playing with 'Active WebCam' from www.pysoft.com
That and a cheap web cam could help.

[chewyryce]

maybe he just wants a ride in your astina :P. on a serious note i'd have to agree with pretty much everyone and say u need evidence proving that he is messing around with you. put a hidden camera in somwhere when he's not around so he doesnt know u have one and then see what happens.

OR u could write a little note "smile for the camera a**hole" and put it where the grate is so when he goes to move it he sees it and puts it back and doesnt annoy u anymore :).

[marcs_sp20]

you say all the other neighbours get crap from him too? go visit them, get them to sign a petition, take it to the cops/local council.

do you know if he is renting or does he own his property?

Owns the property, which is unfortunate

Screw the plate into the concrete with dynabolts.. that'll f#$k 'em up!

That's pretty much hard luck man.. thankfully our surrounding neighbours look out for each other. We have a neighbourhood watch flyer in our mailbox every quarter.. i'm thinking of attending the next meeting if i get notified about it.

Make the police aware about it, say to them that you suspect this particular individual.. Then if it happens again maybe they can investigate further.

Best of luck
Adz

Yeah we use to have neighbourhood watch at our old place, but thats considering that 75% of the residents were over the age of 55 :D I went and spoke to the real estate agent this afternoon on the matter, all they said that they couldnt do anything and that I could go to the police on the reason of suspicion

did they remove the grate and stick it under your house or his? either way its either tresspass or theft.

i wouldnt bolt it down just stick a webcam in with motion detect and see if he takes the bait.

Yeah they removed it from the gutter and put it under our house, just so i would notice it. Sucks really, cause If were to have taken the Lancer like usual this morning, The wheel would of went into the gutter and then say hello to newly scratched bumper! This bloke has watched me enter and leave the house and the way i drive the Lancer in/out of the driveway not to fark up the bumper...

Thanks for the heads up guys, good to see some people are nice :D

Marc

[Cincinnatus]

do unto others as you would have them do unto you,
or as my sergeant used to say, do unto the other guy before he gets a chance to do unto you ;)

Put the fear of god into this sob, make sure he thinks you are willing to go further than he ever would.
Send him a letter of intent to sue for wilful damage, make it look official, inform him you've filed with the police and that they are investigating a matter of tresspass, make sure he thinks you intend to hurt him more than he intends to hurt you, do nothing illegal but be a nasty piece of work to him.
and as caligula used to say
oderint dum metuant

[DavoAust]

ok this is really evil but i was talking to people at work and these were suggestions:

- remove every wheel nut on his car. place them on the road past his driveway so when he drive out he sees them. or just take them and throw them away. first one sends a message, second is plain evil if a wheel falls off at 70kph

- remove valves and place across bonnet in front of driver

- place something of yours, be it the metal grate etc under his house, in his backyard etc. then call police, tell them its missing and you spotted it in his yard. wear gloves so no prints. then watch/listen as he tries to explain it to the police as if its the grate as his prints should still be on there from last time

- this is mine. get small bags of icing sugar and little white pills, something total innocent. use glove when handling bags. place them in/around his property by hiding/throwing through windows etc. then call police saying you heard weird noises and saw lots of people at his place. preferably make call from public phone booth away from you place. watch in amusement as drug squad turns up. yes it works. we did it to the janitor at school :)

[project.r.racing]

no, no and no.

don't play this guys games. talk to him and ask him the issues he has with the street. 6:30-7:15 doesn't seem to be any problem noise wise. explain how you try to limit the noise etc.

if he still is a idiot after that? have a street party and don't invite him...

ryan

[newman]

so did you go and talk to him or not?

[marcs_sp20]

Nope, as I stated, I have tried and tried again, he doesnt want a bar of me. Seems he doesnt like anyone in the street with even just an exhaust on there cars, and well, im just keeping an eye out at night now, closing the gate and have all the sensor lights on just in case... it may have just been a once off thing, who knows...

[RedLineResident]

if it were me, id start a war.

seeing as he hates exhaust, ping 1st. not in the morning as the other neighbours would be affected, but when you get home.

[Cosmo Dude]

I like the idea of the street party. It leaves him out in the cold and shows that you get on with the other neighbours.

[bourbon]

the more you agrivate someone the more their gonna come back and hit you...

[Pettos]

I'd take the legal side of things... Sure, some of the pay-backs posted are funny as, but it doesn't give you a leg to stand on if things seem to get out of hand...


I can just imagine if he comes out to the street party *everyone goes silent, staring at him*

[marcs_sp20]

Im not going to do any of those come-backs, cause thats just bringing me down to his level of maturity, besides im the kind of person that if you dont know me, i'll just leave you be. Im certainly not a person to just go and attack someone else, its not in my nature and am not about to change now...

lol it would be funny if you were my neighbours tho :p

[Cincinnatus]

i say burn him, he's a which.

[Putonyourshoes]

I like the idea of the street party. It leaves him out in the cold and shows that you get on with the other neighbours.

i second this:)

[Rupewrecht]

i say burn him, he's a which.

Which witch?

:p

[Cincinnatus]

argghhhhhhhh!!!
I spell like borat speak, suka blaad!

A witch made of stone of course.

[bourbon]

Im not going to do any of those come-backs, cause thats just bringing me down to his level of maturity, besides im the kind of person that if you dont know me, i'll just leave you be. Im certainly not a person to just go and attack someone else, its not in my nature and am not about to change now...

thank you...finally someone in this thread showing "ADULT" responability

[hks_kansei]

best idea IMHO is the legal letter.

just go into a solicitors office and ask them if they could do a letter for you.




also, a CCTV camera is a good idea.

[marcs_sp20]

thank you...finally someone in this thread showing "ADULT" responability

Hahaha, I just wanted to re-iterate that i dont intend nor was going to do any stupid ****, and all i got in responses were how I can fark him up, not cool really...

[bourbon]

my point...and im glad you havnt tried to do anything to him :D it will only make matters worse and you look bad as well...and if all is true he will just call the cops and youll be in the wrong..

[newman]

not everyones responses were childish...

[mussing]

To all you guys who said you'd retaliate drastically (especially the one taking out wheelnuts - WTF?!): would you actually do that? Are you insane?

I'm a law student. Which is not to say that I'm an authority, but I know what counts when it comes to civil litigation. If the situation escalates at all and ends up in court (you suing him / him trying to sue you, whether for money or an injunction), you want to come to court with 'clean hands'. Which means no fighting back. Equity will provide a remedy for unconscionable conduct, which means play nice.

Have you got front windows? I'd say hook up a webcam, preferably one with infrared, to look over the cars. If you notice anything in the morning, review the last night's footage to see what happened. Some dickheads keyed nearly every car in my whole street recently, and I was very seriously considering this option.

If he came onto your property, that's trespass, which is actionable per se (ie. no damage has to occur, just being there is an offence). If he touches your property (perhaps a grate, for example), that's trespass to chattels. If he moves the grate (and you can prove it) and you damage your car driving over it, that's negligence on his part.

As for the next step to take - I would talk to the police. Even if it gets you nowhere, it shows later that you expressed concern in the right place. The only real way you're going to get anywhere is evidence, and a camera of some description would greatly help in that regard. Failing that, talk to a solicitor and see what can be done.

[chewyryce]

whats better than a street party? a sound off :D with your sound system or exhaust would be fun HAHA. that'd surely start a war :)

[RedLineResident]

ok we have established that this guy is a liar

so your cleans mean nothing unless there is hard evidence to support either sides argument, you;ll be telling the truth, he won't be and the judge won't be able to split it on a hunch.

Get some hard evidence and only then do you have a leg to stand on.

[mussing]

Actually sometimes it can and does come down to a hunch. Cases like this one don't have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt (as with criminal cases), but just on the balance of probabilities. Ever sat down and watched Judge Judy? You're probably all cringing right now, but she often infers a party's character by their body language, and lies and inconsistencies are relatively easy to pick out. In small civil hearings, it's very similar to the way it works in Aus. So if you are bona fide and act in good faith, the law will see you favourably, maybe even enough to swing the balance of probabilities in to your side.

[bourbon]

i doubt this would ever goto court unless it got drastically worse..atm "someone" (an unknown someone) has moved a grate...

all marc can do is report it to the cops...just so its on file incase something else may happen another time...

[Cosmo Dude]

Why at this point would you want to go to the expense of taking this clown to court. It would only strengthen his opinion.
Ignore him and he will probably stop playing his games, the street party idea would show him that you have been accepted by and get on with your other neighbors without a confrontation. The street party could also be a bit of fun.

[Cincinnatus]

i say burn him

[bourbon]

i say burn him, he's a which.

i say burn him

hey bud, can ya please not give out advice that would lay someone in jail...

[Putonyourshoes]

hahahaha

[mussing]

By the way I don't mean to come across as though I'm advocating taking him to court. I'm just saying that it's always important that the avenues you follow are legal, ie. don't ever stoop to their level. If you can ignore it and it stops, that's great. If it doesn't, don't retaliate, just talk to someone who can help.

[RedLineResident]

yeah call in chuck norris on his a**. ;)

[mussing]

Hahahaha!

Chuck Norris could help you in so many ways. To start he'd blow your neighbour's mind by telling him the last digit of pi.

[Cincinnatus]

y bourbs, i didn't know you cared.

[mrpayner]

Chuck Norris could help you in so many ways. To start he'd blow your neighbour's mind by telling him the last digit of pi.

That is f#$king hilarious! You've got that facebook app "Don't F@#k with Chuck" don't you?? Classic!

[mussing]

I didn't, but I'll have to look it up now ^_^

Chuck Norris is the only person to have won a game of tennis against a wall.

[bourbon]

if youve ever met a lady with crooked teeth, she has given chuck norris a blow job

[Cincinnatus]

please let this thread not devolve to: "When chuck norris does push ups, he doesn't go up, the earth goes down beneath him"
For the love of god, no.

I say we burn chuck norris.