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Original poster

Do I call the police about my neighbour

175 replies

MrsCrabbyTree · 17/05/2018 02:52

An elderly neighbour has dented my letterbox on purpose and I am not happy.

Background: Monday morning neighbour's dog rushed into my front yard to chase my cat. Luckily the cat managed to get by the screen door and I grabbed the dog by the collar. Neighbour yelled at me, I asked him to go home, then turned to go inside. He then hit me on the back of the head with the stick he carries while walking his dog. I am fine but it did hurt somewhat.

Young neighbour from across the road saw what occurred and backed up this to the police. Police visited old neighbour and told him that he was fortunate that I did not want to press charges and to behave himself.

There are gates across the driveway, which are never closed, but I decided that it was prudent to do so. Tuesday morning the gate was untethered and slightly open. So I tied a tighter knot in the rope thinking the wind blew them open.

Then this morning I saw the neighbour try to untie the rope and then whacked my letterbox lid with that stick leaving a dent in the metal.

I am really pissed off and so deciding whether or not to complain to the police again. One part of me says to leave it and the pissed off side of me doesn't want him to get away with it?

OP posts:
alreadytaken · 17/05/2018 06:00

does your elderly neighbour live alone and any idea how elderly?

He may indeed be misogynist, he may also have some form of dementia and be in need of treatment. Either way I'd log the criminal damage with the police.

Tiredspice2 · 17/05/2018 06:05

Report him!

Luisa27 · 17/05/2018 06:23

I wouldn’t contact the police again at the moment. But I’d buy an inexpensive bicycle lock for your gate OP - that’ll ensure he and his dog are kept out of your garden - and yeah, as you said - avoid being out there 8-8:30.
What a horrid man. Poor you and poor your cat Flowers

fluffyrobin · 17/05/2018 07:03

I would log it with the police, you can do that by just ringing them and telling them what happened and they will give you an incident/ reference number.

The reason being he dented it to test you and to intimidate you. It could be he has the onset of dementia and normal behaviour parameters have gone out of the window.

He can't go around bashing people and their property and needs to have an assessment for his own and your own good or it could escalate!!

Sugarpiehoneyeye · 17/05/2018 07:03

I wholly encourage you to inform the Police, do not brush this latest incident this under the carpet OP, though I understand you wanting to move on from it.
A former neighbour of mine, eighty seven years old, also used his stick to cause injury, after a dog/cat spat. The cops had a strong word with him, but no charges were pressed. He went on to throw a rock, smashing one of their expensive planters. CCTV was installed. A couple of weeks later, there he was caught on camera, running a sharp stone all along the side of the nice neighbours high performance car. If only .....
Some people are bitter and twisted, others think that they're above the law.

BitOutOfPractice · 17/05/2018 07:08

Why was he trying to open your gate op? Do you know?

I would log this incident and any others (eg walking dog off leash) and when he gets to three strikes, he's out, call the police then. He sounds horrible.

BlondeB83 · 17/05/2018 07:16

This needs reporting or it will carry on!

educatingarti · 17/05/2018 07:22

It is worth reporting to the police in case it is not the end of the matter. If he goes on to do something else, you may need to have a paper trail of everything he has done.

Furano · 17/05/2018 07:25

Call the police again and maybe you DO want to press charges for being assukted by the prick. Especially since there was a witness!

LondonGin · 17/05/2018 07:28

I don’t understand why you didn’t press charges? Someone hit you. Purposefully. Unprovoked.

LakieLady · 17/05/2018 07:32

As he hit me with the stick he said that no f...… bitch could tell him what to do.

Bloody hell, I'd have pressed charges first time round because that comment would have pissed me off so much.

Definitely call the police.

Nousernameforme · 17/05/2018 07:36

It needs to be reported in case he escalates his behavior. I would be keeping the gates locked at all times. You should also say about him trying to undo your gates to get in.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/05/2018 07:40

I would report it and press charges. If you don't it sends out the signal that he can get away with it.

Padlock the gate with a combination lock padlock, much easier than key operated ones. I would presume he's hoping the dog will attack your cat out of revenge.

kierenthecommunity · 17/05/2018 07:40

I would log it with the police, you can do that by just ringing them and telling them what happened and they will give you an incident/ reference number.

No you can’t they’re don’t just ‘log’ incidents when someone reports a crime they’re duty bound to investigate it.

Are you in the UK OP? If so ignore all the ‘pressing charges’ advice, in the UK you either support police action or you don’t. If he’s not been in trouble with the police before he's unlikely to be charged but he should definitely be eligible for some sort of out of court resolution

Him being old is no excuse the old bastard. If you want the police to deal with him more robustly this time then call them back. Your point it could wind him up and make it worse is valid too, but only you can decide. Good luck Smile

friskybivalves · 17/05/2018 07:40

Are you in the UK, OP? That might have a bearing on how helpful the local police might be. I was intrigued by you saying the law near you meant you couldn't walk your dog off a lead. Haven't heard that one before!

ProudThrilledHappy · 17/05/2018 07:42

I’d also get yourself some cctv or a wifi video doorbell as he obviously thinks nothing of trespassing and damaging your property.

It is unlikely that this is the end of it and having video proof will help

Motherofallbeasts · 17/05/2018 07:46

We were bullied by neighbours. They only stopped when they were cautioned by the police and the rspca told them they would lose their animals. Please tell the police. It might be a hassle, but if you don’t do this, and write a full account of what he has done so far, he will almost certainly ramp it up.

Juiceylucy09 · 17/05/2018 07:49

I would definitely log it with the police. How dare he hit you with his stick.

VivaKondo · 17/05/2018 07:50

I would out a very visible CCTV outside, maybe even with a sign saying there is a CCTV so there is no way he can miss the information.
I would also put something more substantial than a string to close the gate so there is no question that someone did open it.

If you catch him coming into your garden again, let alone trying to destroy anything, then I would report it.

VivaKondo · 17/05/2018 07:52

Btw, I suspect he will carry on.
Remember this guy had no issue hitting you. He might be old but his way of approaching thing has not changed. He is trying to intimidate you.

(I’d rather not think about how he would react if he was much younger and therefore fitter)

BlueJava · 17/05/2018 07:55

Tell the police and keep a very clear and full record of everything that happens. You could be in a for a spate of things from this guy and you should record them so please can deal. Sorry, that's horrible OP especially in your own home.

SlowDown76mph · 17/05/2018 08:01

You have to bite the bullet and get this logged with police. It's not going to settled down and 'go away' of its own accord. You are not dealing with a normal and reasonable person. CCTV. It's also only a matter of time before that dog savages a cat.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 17/05/2018 08:04

I think you should press charges. Hitting someone on the head with a stick is a pretty major assault, it didn't cause a lasting injury that time but it's a very vulnerable area and a slight increase in force (as might happen next time or to someone else) could have terrible consequences. It's not like he hit you across the shins.

There was a witness which should make the case very strong, you can bet that he's done it before and he will probably do it again and the next victims might not be as lucky as you in terms of their injury.

FASH84 · 17/05/2018 08:09

I would at least report even if you don't want charges pressed, just in case he does something else it evidences a clear pattern of behaviour

CrochetBelle · 17/05/2018 08:11

The stick he hit your letterbox with was strong enough to leave a dent in metal. This is the same stick he hit you across the head with. It's scary to think of the damage this could have caused, that he meant to cause! He sounds like a very dangerous person. I'd definitely be referring back to the police with an update.

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