AIBU to lock the porch after a friend kept taking our pushchair?

I'm actually quite jealous that I've never encountered anybody with this much audacity. I would thoroughly enjoy dealing with her.

The problem with all this is NDN has no intention of getting her own push chair. She wants to use yours indefinitely. This to her is “what friends do”. If it breaks or is lost or something else happens to it she won’t replace it then either and instead will shoulder shrug and say…well that happens.

good on you locking the door. She could have slunk away knowing the reason for the door locking was her unauthorized use of the push chair. Here is where the CFery comes into play…instead she calls you to complain you have safeguarded your own possession so it’s there when you need it.

iin my experience there are people
who have little but ask for a lot feel comfortable doing it and just kinda grift along in life always borrowing. Even borrowing your intelligence and akill DIYing their house ,

People are always giving away pushchairs on FB if she bothered to look.
Can you keep it in your boot if you don't want to lock your porch?

I'd reply "You keep your thieving hands off my property in future."

What a Cunty Fucker!

Are you INSANE?? Ffs! 🤦‍♀️

No the NDN doesn't sound like much of a friend at all if she's willing to steal OP's property and then gaslight her into thinking that she's the problem when she challenges it.

The absolute bare faced cheek!!

What is her situation that means she's asking to borrow money all the time and is stealing your cheap folding pushchair?!

Time to realise this woman isn't a friend.

I would be furious that she thought it was okay to take yours after you'd specifically told her she couldn't borrow it. And then she has the temerity to be angry that you've locked your door?

I'd stand my ground. I'd really feel like burning all my bridges with her and cutting her off entirely, but I know that wouldn't be wise with a NDN. I'd still stand my ground but not tell her exactly what I thought of her shockingly poor behaviour, just calmly (!) repeat that you only have one pushchair that you need yourself, so you have to lock the door to be certain it's available when you need it. If she takes offence at that, there's nothing to be done.

She's a total weirdo. Any normal person would've died of shame after being called out the first time!

I would just text and tell her bore off!

My neighbour & I have keys to each others houses. I was away over Christmas & her oven broke on CD. I didn't know until I got back, I was frustrated she hadn't just used mine!

but this is different, you said 'no' as you were using it & she still helped herself & more than once

I wouldn't lock the porch if it inconveniences you. I'd simply tell her I'd report the theft if she did it again!

if she was actually a good friend. I'd have helped her to get a pushchair whether that was by picking up 1 of the many in 'Nextdoor' or buying a new cheap one & giving her mine if I could easily afford it but knew she couldn't (but not if she's slagging her money in drunk & fags, but unlikely we'd have been friends then anyway)

Why on earth should the op why cant the friend buy one

Wow she certainly has a brass neck. I'm sorry you live next door to her!

Get a Ring camera, put the sensor on highest. Tell her you've now got a camera and if she steals it again you'll be going to the police with evidence.

I'd also direct her to charity's that can give out pushchairs for free if she's struggling with money.

Blimey.

Even if you have 22 buggies she isn't entitled to 1!!

Absolutely fine - what next? Is she going to let her self in and help herself to the contents of your fridge and food cupboard, take the wine off the rack - after all, you had plenty or could afford to buy more?

Ring door bell and always locking it going forward is the answer (though I bet you have until now got your parcels delivered to you ‘secure’ porch and can’t so that now?)

How can the OP help out her neighbour? Should she buy another buggy to give away? Carry her own child everywhere so that the neighbour has the buggy? The neighbour took it, without permission, when the OP needed it.

Good Lord.
It wouldn't matter if you had 42 pushchairs,you told her no and that should have been the end of it.
The sense of entitlement is off the scale with this one.

Of course its your actual duty to keep your porch door unlocked so that your neighbour has free access at any time, if she feels like taking your things without asking.

She was quite in order sending you a note telling you off for locking your own door. Your house should be a public right of way.

She's nuts

It clearly states in the OP that @PushchairCF is still using her pushchair.

Also, “long term friends” don’t steal things from each other 🙄.

FFS she’s nuts!! I’m so glad I don’t come across all these crazy people, so often mentioned on mumsnet, in real life! I could never imagine being so shameless as to do such a thing, as taking something from a neighbours house without permission! Porch permanently locked now, block her, and ignore, she’s a CF

See I don't even know why you're asking.

How on God's green earth could you possibly be unreasonable?

Madness.

No you aren’t being unreasonable. Your porch is part of your home. I would ask her, if you also left your front door unlocked, if she would come in and help herself to anything else she thought you had more than enough of and she wanted.

Then tell her the porch and any other access is going to remain locked and she is going to be blocked on your phone.

Or tell her she has lots of socks (or similar) and you want the pair she’s wearing so she should hand them over.

OP needs it for her own child

Theres helping out, and there’s Cfery of her just taking ops stuff without asking and taking it a second time when told not too!