Entitled little shits! Rage with me!

[PeapodBurgundy]

How would people handle neighbours children helping themselves to things from the garden? When we first moved in, there were some tyres and planks of wood that my son plays with (making balance beams etc) on the front lawn (fenced off so clearly our lawn) that a friend had collected from our old house and dropped off while we were out. I arrived home to find two lads helping themselves to the tyres. I said that we needed them and that they weren't rubbish, ans asked them to put them back on our lawn, to be met with an argument and an earful of cheek. (I was a hell of a lot more polite than they were, and much more so than I felt like being). Any time there's anything out there, they try to take it (not an option to play in the back at the moment as there's a half built conservatory and associated tools etc all over the garden, my kids are 2 and newborn so it's not appropriate to take them out there). I don't leave anything out there really any more, but in the time it takes me to bring the toddler in for a wee, our property is off out on the green, and I have to fight to get it back. I've just had to go out and retrieve the football goal that they were merrily lifting over the fence (no room for it out back until the conservatory is finished). I'm not precious about our garden or our belongings, if they'd asked in the first instance I wouldn't mind them being borrowed, but given their entitled attitude, I won't loan them anything, because it just gives ammunition for them to continue to take what they want from us, and I doubt we'd get it back. They're the same with next doors too, who we get on well with.
Their parents and their Nana (I assume) are sat on the front, so the adults responsible for caring for them are fully aware of what's going on. OH spoke with the Nana a while back when they were ripping bits off our fence, and he got an earful about how the fence was broken already and nothing to do with them. (It was broken, and does need replacing, but we need to fix up the inside first. You could clearly see the colour difference in the wood where the freshly snapped bits were, and there were splinters on the ground so very obviously fresh damage).
We've put cameras on, with no effect. They're currently kicking the football at the window, and knocking on the door and running away every time they come into the garden to retrieve it.
I want to contact the police/PCSOs but I'm worried about the fallout. Any ideas of an alternative? Or how I'd find out if they have a landlord I could speak with?

[Catanddogmake6]

Berberis (an extremely spiky, completely legal plant). Plant it along the fence line where they are climbing over. You will want to somehow make a border in front of it so your children don’t touch it. Also would one of those lockable low plastic sheds be suitable to throw toys into/ chain things like goalposts to.

[EllenRipley]

Oh god, how bloody infuriating. I'd make it quite clear to the adults in charge of them that if their kids set foot on your property or steal so much as a plank of wood you will be getting the police involved. It's fair warning that you've reached your limit. Then follow through if needs be. I know folk will say that the police have better things to do but a visit from a friendly local community copper might be needed.

[IABURQO]

Ask in the legal section, but the vendors should have had to declare the problem neighbours, so you have a case to sue them. If you report this to the police, you'll have to declare it when you move. I'd report them to the local housing association or landlord who owns the house. You can find out who owns the house here: www.landregisteronline.org.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjworfdBRA7EiwAKX9HeG9UqsZdb3599YGtHfJB9ThF3OUrVpz4-e-L8y-GyFFgOhlj6Bn8nxoCsa4QAvD_BwE.

[Rainbunny]

Oh dear, I think you're going to have problems with these kids for many years to come tbh. They've been caught trying to take things from your garden, told clearly not to and they continue to do it apparently with the blessing of their parents. They are annoying little buggers now but in a few years they may have graduated to full on criminal behaviour. I would make sure my home security was in good shape in the future...

[PeapodBurgundy]

Even if we do report them to the police IABURQO, we'll be here until the kids move out at least, so 'mouthy nana' as we call her will likely be 6 feet under by then, so no longer causing a neighbour dispute. Thanks for the link.

Rainbunny, we've ordered new doors and windows on credit as they're all questionable and I don't feel safe here. OH requested not to be put on nights for the first two months of us having the baby, but that's going to fly past. I'll admit I'd have felt uncomfortable here overnight by myself.

[IABURQO]

I don't feel safe here

That's just not right. You absolutely need to find out your legal rights. (And see if there's a landlord who's prepared to remove them.)

[Hoopaloop]

Ask in the legal section, but the vendors should have had to declare the problem neighbours, so you have a case to sue them. If you report this to the police, you'll have to declare it when you move. I'd report them to the local housing association or landlord who owns the house. You can find out who owns the house here: www.landregisteronline.org.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjworfdBRA7EiwAKX9HeG9UqsZdb3599YGtHfJB9ThF3OUrVpz4-e-L8y-GyFFgOhlj6Bn8nxoCsa4QAvD_BwE.

Don't use that link. It's not the Land Registry. It's a third party website which will charge you a service fee on top of the nominal charge (£3ish) that the Land Reg charges. Use this link instead: //www.landregistry.gov.uk

[TheOxymoron]

I have another....
Bird spikes!
They can’t climb over and all you’re doing is stopping birds crapping all over your fence.

[Cauliflowersqueeze]

Appalling. I’d have to move I think. Can’t bear that kind of thing

[PeapodBurgundy]

We've priced up the new fence (spiked railings ) just need a few months to get the £ together. Once we've re done the posts for the porch we'll be able to put a gate going from the shared path onto our garden which WILL be lockable
Previous house was a townhouse which opened right onto the street. Out back was a yard with 7ft walls. I'm not used to having to deal with this sort of fuss on.

[PeapodBurgundy]

They just asked OH if they can use the goal. He fecking helped them lift it over the fence. Bouncing with him!! He's effectively given them carte blanche to help themselves to what they want, when they want, and now A) I have no comeback because he's let them, and B) I'm now the arsehole one in their eyes, so I'm going to be the one getting even more stick while he's out for 13 hours most days! Seriously considering LTB!

[Fiffyshadesofgreymatter]

Is he aware of what's been going on and how you feel about it?

Why do people on here always seem to have husband's who go and do something which completely makes the problem worse.

[PeapodBurgundy]

He's fully aware, as they don't listen to me, so I often send him out to speak to them when he's here. He also went and spoke to who we assume is their Nana (they don't actually live on the street, but are here every evening form school, and some time over the weekend also) when they were ripping bits of our fence.

I suspect a lot more husbands/partners IRL behave this way; we just don't speak about it so openly face to face. I only have 3 people I speak openly about relationship issues with, but I speak freely on here. I don't imagine I'm the only one.