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Original poster

Weird thing happened in our garden

162 replies

TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 00:27

We live in a Victorian terrace with a roof terrace above a kitchen extension, accessed by steps from the garden. Three of the steps bolt on and off, we remove them to get to our external tap if we need to water the garden, as this is on the wall underneath the steps. Our roof terrace borders that of our neighbours, an elderly couple who we are friendly with. The terrace doesn’t directly connect to our other neighbours (converted flats) - there’s a few feet gap between our terrace and the external staircase to the upper flat. I should probably attempt a diagram.

Lived here 6 years, no neighbour issues at all. Generally quiet.

Yesterday we heard water running. Husband went out to investigate and found the external tap was turned on. When he went to unbolt the steps to get through to it, he found that someone had pushed a screw into the step which he had to remove before he could get through to turn the tap off.

Our garden is generally secure with tall fences and our back gate was bolted.

I am 🤔 about who has done this, how, and why.

We have put up a cheap camera on the terrace now (can’t currently afford a proper security system) and luckily we aren’t on metered water, but I think what really bothers me is why someone would go to this sort of trouble, and what other unpleasant surprises we might come across.

Help settle my mind!

OP posts:
greenthumb13 · 18/04/2023 00:37

Weird. But also there might be a totally normal explanation. I just have no idea what that could be. I also have no idea what a normal explanation would be as in why would anyone maliciously turn on your tap?

whatsyourpoison13 · 18/04/2023 00:43

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ as it was the work of a previously banned poster.

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 00:55

When you say "pushed a screw" do you mean screwed in properly or pushed into some sort of existing hole?

Are you stew that the tap hadn't broken in some way and turned itself on?

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 01:15

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 00:55

When you say "pushed a screw" do you mean screwed in properly or pushed into some sort of existing hole?

Are you stew that the tap hadn't broken in some way and turned itself on?

Screwed in deliberately into the top of the step, meaning my husband had to remove the screw before he could access the tap.

If it was just the tap, I could convince myself it had magically switched on, but the screw has made me more paranoid. I just can’t see how anyone could have got in to the garden unless it was my elderly neighbours (no chance) or the other side swinging over the gap between their steps and ours. But why would they do that?!

OP posts:
Ineedtoloseweightnow · 18/04/2023 01:18

For the tap I’m wondering did u turn it off at the mains for winter whilst it was still on outside. The screw I have no idea! Very odd 🤔

Offleyhoo · 18/04/2023 01:20

It is odd. Can't think of an explanation, innocent or otherwise really. Camera is excellent idea. Hope you get to the bottom of it.

sausage767 · 18/04/2023 01:21

Have you been up to the roof terrace to see if anyone has been up there? Local kids smoking or something?

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 01:28

sausage767 · 18/04/2023 01:21

Have you been up to the roof terrace to see if anyone has been up there? Local kids smoking or something?

Yes, nothing out of place on the terrace itself. Nothing else touched in the garden, including our gas barbecue and furniture. No footprints in soil etc.

The tap was definitely switched off before, we didn’t cut the mains.

Will see if camera picks anything up 😬

OP posts:
VanellopeVonSchweetz99 · 18/04/2023 02:22

That is so odd, and so advanced?! How do you get along with the neighbors on the other side? Had you been away for the day?

Mumma · 18/04/2023 03:10

Ring the police and log a call. They may have similar issues in the area.

Have you been using the garden for parties etc? Maybe someone is annoyed

Bustard · 18/04/2023 03:52

My parents had someone turn off their oil - they'd have had to walk all the way up their path to do it and dig around in the big bush that hides the oil tank. People are weird. Camera is a good idea. Could you get one of those wildlife camera traps that triggers with movement?

Try not to worry too much, it's not exactly a sinister thing like someone sabotaging your lights or locks. It is very weird though.

landbeforegrime · 18/04/2023 05:23

that's incredibly weird. do the flats overlook so someone could see how you access the tap and remove the step? I'm ruling out the elderly neighbours, but someone in the flats may have noticed what you need to do to turn the tap on and thought they would be hilarious and play a practical joke. it sounds pre planned with the screw to make turning it off more difficult so I'm guessing there's an early teen next door who had a friend round and decided to show off. i hope it's that rather than something more sinister. i remember idiots who used to do this kind of thing because they thought it would be really funny to confuse someone in this way. i hope they just wanted to mildly irritate you rathet than actually wanted to cause financial problems given they presumably didn't know you were on a meter (but if they were a kid probably wouldn't think about this). I'd be tempted to go round to the flats as a friendly and concerned neighbour to warn them someone has been accessing and tampering with your back garden so they ought to be careful in case there are suspicious characters lurking. it might filter through to the perp and they will back off from doing it again. but this is all based on the wild speculation it was a neighbour. i can't see how it could be anyone else though as they wouldn't know the tap exists?

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 07:49

That is so odd, and so advanced?! How do you get along with the neighbors on the other side? Had you been away for the day?

We were out for a few hours but equally could have been done at night as we found it in the morning. We don’t have much to do with the neighbours on that side to be honest - they’re quiet, keep themselves to themselves. Young couple in downstairs flat, older couple maybe 50s upstairs who often have their son over, he must be early 20s.

Have you been using the garden for parties etc? Maybe someone is annoyed

No, we’ve only just started tidying the garden up again after winter, we haven’t had anyone round and we don’t have a hot tub or anything like that!

do the flats overlook so someone could see how you access the tap and remove the step? I'm ruling out the elderly neighbours, but someone in the flats may have noticed what you need to do to turn the tap on and thought they would be hilarious and play a practical joke. it sounds pre planned with the screw to make turning it off more difficult so I'm guessing there's an early teen next door who had a friend round and decided to show off.

The upstairs flat would be able to see into our garden, yes. It could possibly be the son, though I have no idea what would motivate a chap in his 20s to randomly do that - I’d get it more with teens!

I'd be tempted to go round to the flats as a friendly and concerned neighbour to warn them someone has been accessing and tampering with your back garden so they ought to be careful in case there are suspicious characters lurking.

Thank you - I’ll do this.

OP posts:
ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 08:11

So someone turned on the tap, the replaced the step, then used a screwdriver to screw in a (presumably quite big and long) screw to the wooden step (while the tap was running) in order to impede access to turn it off?

They also had to climb in and out of your garden. And they knew you were out?

Completely bizarre.

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 08:28

ChocChipHandbag · 18/04/2023 08:11

So someone turned on the tap, the replaced the step, then used a screwdriver to screw in a (presumably quite big and long) screw to the wooden step (while the tap was running) in order to impede access to turn it off?

They also had to climb in and out of your garden. And they knew you were out?

Completely bizarre.

Yes, exactly this! It is really bizarre, makes no sense at all, hence why I’m so weirded out by it! It’s possible they could have done it while we were in, if it was at night, we are unlikely to have noticed.

I don’t know if a screwdriver was used or if it was forced in by hand, but my husband said he had to remove it before he could get through and it’s left a damaged area on the step.

OP posts:
SunshineGeorgie · 18/04/2023 08:44

So what was the aim here?

To flood you?
Scare you?

BitOutOfPractice · 18/04/2023 08:48

That does sound really odd op. I’d be weirded out too.

mrsfennel · 18/04/2023 08:53

I would guess you have accidentally annoyed a neighbour, some people are weird and feel they have to get one back to right their world again.

I never would have believed this behaviour in real life until my parents neighbour (couple of doors down). had their tyres slashed by another over a parking issue. That was completely normal innocent parking on the street.

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 08:53

SunshineGeorgie · 18/04/2023 08:44

So what was the aim here?

To flood you?
Scare you?

I’ve no idea. I’m assuming it’s some kind of prank, but it doesn’t really make sense really - who’d go to the trouble?

OP posts:
mrsfennel · 18/04/2023 08:54

@TheFireflies I would stay aware but this may be a one off. good idea about the camera as well.

BMW6 · 18/04/2023 09:00

Obviously malicious. I hope your camera picks up the culprit if they do it again.

I think it must be one of your neighbours. I'd suspect the one who can see how you access the tap.

BMW6 · 18/04/2023 09:02

As the lower steps have to be removed to get at the tap is there any way of securing the steps with a padlock?

Original poster
TheFireflies · 18/04/2023 10:17

BMW6 · 18/04/2023 09:02

As the lower steps have to be removed to get at the tap is there any way of securing the steps with a padlock?

I can’t see how - they bolt on and off at the moment, three separate steps. Only a screw in one of them.

We had been meaning to put some security cameras up anyway, so maybe this was a prompt to get our backsides in gear!

OP posts:
ThreeRingCircus · 18/04/2023 11:10

The camera is a good idea. I'd make sure it's as hidden from view as possible so if anything happens again the perpetrator may be caught on camera without their knowledge.

I would also be going round to neighbours just to let them know that someone has been tampering with your garden so to keep an eye out for suspicious characters and that you're going to log this with the police (although I don't think I'd actually contact the police in your position) but it may be enough to put them off. It's definitely a nasty prank and I'd put a bet on it being the neighbours that can see into your garden....how would anyone else know the tap was there?

Nottodayy · 18/04/2023 11:13

Can you draw a diagram, I just can’t imagine what you mean by bolts the steps etc..