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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed at people stealing fruit?

71 replies

kid · 27/05/2007 13:36

We have a fruit tree in our front garden. A lady that live behind me keeps pinching the fruit off the tree. She leans into our garden to pick the best ones too!
I don't know her, but I know she lives behind my house. What can I do to stop her, or can I stop her?

OP posts:
Dogsby · 27/05/2007 13:38

shoot her wiht lillys crow guun

kimi · 27/05/2007 13:43

Next time you see her doing it go out and tell her to stop!

luciemule · 27/05/2007 13:46

If she's picking it, it must be ripe so can't you pick all the fruit from where the tree goes near her side first, then you won't need to worry about her stealing it.
How cheeky I say.
If you can't pick it all, I'd confront her and say if she'd asked you, you'd have given her a bag. That'll make her feel really bad!!..........or maybe it won't if she's stealing them in the first place.

TinyGang · 27/05/2007 13:47

When I saw the thread title the words 'supermaket' and 'grapes' wafted across my mind

NoNickname · 27/05/2007 13:48

It's theft - plain and simple.

Next time you see her doing it, say, "Excuse me. That's stealing!" Should embarrass her (with any luck) enough to stop her doing it.

fizzbuzz · 27/05/2007 13:48

Isn't this called scromping?

Can't you pick the best ones where she can reach them first?

Otherwise a polite note?

SenoraPostrophe · 27/05/2007 13:52

why are the fruits still on the tree? are you going to eat them all?

I get unreasonably upset when I see a fruit-laden tree just being ignored. There's an allotment down the road that had grapes rotting on the vines last year. If we weren't moving away I'd climb the fence this year.

SenoraPostrophe · 27/05/2007 13:53

but yes, if it bugs you that much, why not put a big "No Scrumping. Police will be called" sign in the garden?

Idreamofdaleks · 27/05/2007 13:55

If it overhangs into her garden I think she may be allowed the fruit?

What fruit is it?

DarrellRivers · 27/05/2007 13:56

Ohh the thrill of ripe fresh fruit especially if on someone else's tree

lilymolly · 27/05/2007 13:58

do you want to borrow my gun?

Original poster
kid · 27/05/2007 13:59

Some of the fruit is ripe, we have picked a few and eaten them. We prefer to pick them and eat them straight away and not leave them sitting around in the house. Maybe we should just pick the ones that she tends to take. She doesn't come into my garden she just leans over. She doesn't live next door to me, she walks past my house and takes them then.

She isn't fussy and picks the ones that are not very nice (brown instead of yellow). She then eats it outside my fence spitting out the bits that she doesn't like
I need to catch her in the act and I will tell her to stop.

OP posts:
fizzbuzz · 27/05/2007 14:01

Do you mean she is just passing by and helps herself?

Original poster
kid · 27/05/2007 14:02

I'm not sure what fruit it is! Someone on here suggested what it might be last year, I think it was called a Loquat or something like that. The fruit is really nice though

OP posts:
SenoraPostrophe · 27/05/2007 14:02

if she's eating the brown ones though, why stop her?

Original poster
kid · 27/05/2007 14:05

She starts off taking the yellow ones and then takes the brown ones when they have all gone.
I get DS to climb the tree to get the ones near the top that she can't reach. I bet she would take them too if she could climb. Maybe she will get her son to climb in a year or two when he is able to.

OP posts:
lionheart · 27/05/2007 14:07

Do you use all the fruit yourself?

FrannyandZooey · 27/05/2007 14:08

"She isn't fussy and picks the ones that are not very nice (brown instead of yellow). She then eats it outside my fence spitting out the bits that she doesn't like
I need to catch her in the act and I will tell her to stop."

sorry but am in helpless laughter over this

not sure why

Boco · 27/05/2007 14:09

Where do you live?

So she just walks past and takes them - then surely if you know this, you must have seen her,so must have caught her in the act? She's not loading up bagfulls then? Just taking ones to eat then and there?

FrannyandZooey · 27/05/2007 14:10

is it a wind up? It's very very funny

please don't be offended if it is for real, I am not trying to make light of your problems

it was the bit about her son climbing the tree, that and her spitting out the bits she didn't like

Original poster
kid · 27/05/2007 14:12

I don't know if we would eat all the fruit, I am just annoyed at her for helping herself!

OP posts:
lionheart · 27/05/2007 14:12

Hang on, in the original post you said she takes the best.

lionheart · 27/05/2007 14:14

If she's a neighbour would it be worth the risk of offending her/causing friction by saying something?

Original poster
kid · 27/05/2007 14:17

I live in Hackney, it is for real! I'm not offended if you think its a joke though.
(Hoxtonchick knows me, she has been to my house.)

We were walking our dog one day and she passed us in the street. We thought she had taken some of the fruit as she was reaching towards the tree. We weren't sure so didn't say anything. We then saw the trail of stones leading back to our house that she had spat out from the fruit. So she doesn't just take one or two!

DH saw her through the window taking some a couple of days ago. He said he was going to say something to her but when he got to the street door, she had gone.

Its not the end of the world, but she is cheeky, and greedy! LOL

OP posts: