Someone is turning on our outside tap

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I think someone is coming into our back garden. Today and Sunday morning , the garden tap has been turned on and the hose adaptor pulled off so it is spraying on the floor until we notice.
On Sunday I thought that we had left it turned on (with the hose attached we wouldn't know ) as the hose and adaptor were on the floor nearby and maybe the pressure made it come off. But its happened again and I know for sure we have not turned the tap on, and the adaptor seems to be missing.

What's going on?! We have had a new fence and gate recently so it is high and sturdy. The only other way someone could get in is via next doors garden, then climbing on things to get over that lower fence

We have known of 2 occasions in the past (we have lived here a year) where someone has 100% been in the garden because the plastic shed lid was left up. But we had our old rickety fence and broken gate back then. Someone kicked it in we think as it was hanging off anyway so we had no gate for a couple of weeks. We haven't had that problem since getting the new fence up as they wouldn't be able to get in now. (There was a footprint on the gate when we first had it put up, so some one tried to kick it down, but had nothing of the sort for a few months.
We also put up security lights In that area.
Next step, we will get a camera! Why would someone do this?

Someone just be pretty bloody desperate to be using your outside tap! For what do you think? A glass of water?

We can turn our tap off from the inside so always do that over winter anyway at the same time it has a litlte jacket put over it to stop it freezing.

But we have Ring security cameras as we have a Ring doorbell. The Ring security cameras alert you to motion but also "person detected".

I would want to know who it is so leave the tap on, but get a camera up.

Window cleaner? Many a thread on here about that!

Get one of these

Seems like someone's coming in to turn the tap on then leave? Nothings ever been stolen, the times when the shed lid was up we thought maybe someone sleeping in there 🤔 but this is strange! Why our garden 😩

We've never had a window cleaner. A tap lock is a good idea. Such a strange annoying thing for someone to do! There's a slide and other kids things in the garden plus a wooden shed at the bottom but that's never been entered as there's grass cutter etc still in there

Fox. Or baby foxes, they are complete arses and will play with anything. Get a Blink camera and see.

I'd have to set up a camera.

Never considered foxes actually. Though would it really be able to twist a tap to turn it on? A homeless person would surely turn it off again though rather than leave it spraying everywhere. The adaptor seems to be missing now, whereas on Sunday it was just on the floor

Will get DH to order a camera tonight. If it's a person coming in the garden, could we do anything? would the police be interested?

@Handsoffisback

I wouldn’t put a tap lock on in case it was a homeless person needing a drink but obviously completely understand why you are creeped out by someone coming into your garden.

What!

It’s happened twice OP

I wouldn’t extrapolate too much. Certainly wouldn’t bother with expense of a camera.

I’d think animal. Get the tap lock. Sorted

A sensor security light would also be good idea of deterring foxes

Could it be water pressure changing when another tap is turned on?

@Handsoffisback

I wouldn’t put a tap lock on in case it was a homeless person needing a drink but obviously completely understand why you are creeped out by someone coming into your garden.

Literally only on Mumsnet

Tap lock and camera(s) are your best bet I think! I'd also double check other security if you think someone is coming into your garden - but that's a strange thing to do!

It's probably an animal like a fox. Weird though. Could it be your children playing tricks on you?

I can see how a fox could get a hose off the tap,but seriously, turn it on!

I wouldn’t put a tap lock on in case it was a homeless person needing a drink

I bloody well would! What next, leave the kitchen door open in case they fancy a fry up or a shower? Watch the footy with a beer? Why not give them a creme egg and the keys to your house and car whilst you're about it?

Could it be something like the washer is worn meaning the pressure of the water is slowly turning the tap back on?
Could be next doors window cleaner using your tap? (Was a theead recently about a window washer using someone’s outside tap to clean the whole streets windows!!

Dd and her partner had this, there was a man sleeping rough nearby for a while, I wouldn't care about a bit of water and neither did they

Could be baby foxes playing? Or trying to get water? If you leave out a bowl of water, I wonder if they'll leave the tap alone. They do jump fences, I've seen them jump over out 5ft ones with ease!

I borrow my neighbours outside tap once. I noticed she kept the turny bit in the house, probably to prevent the kids messing with it.

Just looked like a regular outside tap, you could possibly do the same?

CCTV cameras are very cheap and easy to install.