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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

One of my neighbours is targeting me ?

33 replies

Glitterzzz · 29/10/2018 10:33

Hello.

Not sure really where to start but do not think I am being paranoid after this mornings discovery.

I have lived on my road for 7 years. I don’t interact with my neighbors always keep myself to myself. We are a busy typical family household.

I have a mobility car as my eldest is disabled. It’s a nice BMW one. In August my partner also got a BMW as he works for uber and uses that for work.

In August we both got punctures in one of of our car tyres. Thought it was a strange coincidence. Last Saturday he got a puncture again. And on Monday so did I. Both times it was a nail. In the same tyre on each car.

Started to now think okay this doesn’t feel like a coincidence anymore.... we don’t have a drive way. I park in a blue badge bay that is out eye view of the house and he has to park way further up the road as the parking here is always over crowded.

Starting to feel that it could be sinister the only advice I could get considering cctv isn’t an option due to the parking locations and that we don’t have a drive way and it isn’t an option all I could see as my option is to check my tyres every time I leave which is hard to do when I am often in and out 7 times a day with school runs and nursery and general stuff. Easier for partner as he leaves once a day.

Anyway went out this morning and debated whether to get on the ground and check but glad I did but gutted to discover another nail laying near my back tyre.

It’s always nails on the tyres closest to the pavement and not the road. I assume that’s because the person is more out of view than bending down road side.

To be honest my heart has sunk. We keep ourselves to ourselves and haven’t had a fall out with anyone. I did have my car covered in crap and the tyre let down 2 years ago because I parked in ‘ someone else’s ‘ blue badge bay but I confronted who I believed to have done it and in our discussion it was obvious it was the lad in question but I had no proof. Despite that I cannot see him being the one to do this as I haven’t parked back there since over 2 years ago.

Someone is going to effort as our cars are parked on completely different ends of a very long road and it’s beinf done at night I assume. It’s easy to target my car as I park and it will be there from early evening to the following morning whereas my partner works nights and he returns never at the same time could be 1 am could be 5am.

This just seems like a lot of effort for someone to go too. I feel by both cars being done in August and last Monday that they want us to know it’s malicious.😢

I have a dash cam on the front but it wouldn’t pick up even if I placed a camera also in the back. I don’t think they relaise but as a mobility car I don’t have to pay for the damage of the nails but my partner does and he’s angry.

The nail I found this morning wasn’t propped up it was laying long ways in front of the tyre it’s a chunky one and most likely would have caused damage.

I live in social housing and not an option to move. I know I have no chance to prove it and it has to be malicious even though I was still hoping it wasn’t.

Any advice

OP posts:
Blondebakingmumma · 29/10/2018 10:38

I don’t think they are targeting you personally but nice cars

GeoffreysCat · 29/10/2018 10:40

Is it just your cars? Maybe it's also happening to other cars in the street.

AjasLipstick · 29/10/2018 10:44

Get a camera INSIDE the car looking out. CCTV can work like that too.

CantWaitToRetire · 29/10/2018 10:44

Sorry you're experiencing this OP and it does sound as though it's beyond coincidence now. You can get dash cams that record when the engine is on or off. The camera could be moved to the side window of the car when parked up to catch any malicious behaviour. Would that be an option?

PJBanana · 29/10/2018 10:45

It may also be happening to other cars.

You can get motion activated dashcams now, which will start recording if they sense movement when your car is parked.

Might be worth investing in one and setting it up facing the tyre next to the pavement.

RevRichardWayneGaryWayne · 29/10/2018 10:57

Are there workmen parking vans in the same road? Where I work the guys used to take in things in and out of their vans in the par park. People often got punctures when screws and things accidently ended up on the ground - could it be something like that?

BollocksToBrexit · 29/10/2018 11:00

You can get car cameras that record 360 degrees around the car now.

paintinmyhairAgain · 29/10/2018 11:18

i would def be speaking to local pcso about this and keeps dates of what has happened,and yes, cam record it is possible. it might well be happening because of the make of car - there are a lot of jealous knobs out there - we had problems with a group of teens a few years ago on a fairly regular basis. pcso was so helpful and reassuring.they knew one of the kids from a description we gave and they went to see the parents who were horrified he was involved, word must have got round as there was no more problems after that. you have my sympathies it's scary and nasty being on the receiving end of such behaviour.

SistersOfHearsey · 29/10/2018 11:20

In the first instance I'd print out a small sign that reads 'This car is fitted with CCTV' Might be enough to put off whoever is doing this. If you can rig up some kind of flashing LED as well all the better.

SirVixofVixHall · 29/10/2018 11:21

I would call the non emergency police and have a chat about it. It may well be happening to other cars, it may be smarter cars that are being targeted. It could be a spiteful/bored teenager, rather than a neighbour with a personal grudge.
Also car cam a good idea.

sadkoala · 29/10/2018 11:24

Also suggesting investing in some good dash cams, maybe motion activated or ones that work all the time and positioning them in spots to catch anyone around the vehicles. Even if it means getting a few.

PositivelyPERF · 29/10/2018 11:26

Going against the grain, here, but I can well believe it’s some jealous wanker targeting your cars. When my husband and I were getting a mobility car, the sales guy asked us where it would be parked. We explained that we have a big driveway and asked why he wanted to know. According to him, many mobility cars are vandalised by numpties that are jealous that disabled people get ‘free’ 🙄 cars.

You can put a camera up in your house that takes in the road. There are no laws against that. Or put one in your car. Have you reported to the police?

Havaina · 29/10/2018 11:29

Putting on my sleuth hat, could you pick up the nails (without using your fingers) and put them in a sandwich bag and give them to the police? Might be a serial offender.

BlankTimes · 29/10/2018 11:30

i would def be speaking to local pcso about this and keeps dates of what has happened,and yes, cam record it is possible
Agreed.

I am so sorry you're on the receiving end of some idiot's stupid behaviour.

Google for Magnet telescopic pen or magnet telescopic tool, at least it will be easier than bending down to try and get the nails out of the way before you set off, presuming nails would be attracted to a magnet that is.

SheBangsit · 29/10/2018 11:33

Well someone really doesn't like you and clearly knows both of your cars, so it's someone who would see you both going to your respective cars from your home. So it's someone very close to home.

Can you think of anything you might have done to piss off particularly a direct next door neighbour? Otherwise, the other disabled parking person is looking good for it. It's a narrow pool. Can you spend a night or two watching? Are either of the cars visible from your home? I think you said yours isn't, but is your husband's ever visible (I guess depending on where he is parking on any given day)?

SheBangsit · 29/10/2018 11:36

So I presume they're not actually puncturing the tyres, just placing nails in front of the wheels? Are they upturned thumb tacks? I'm surprised a nail laid sideways would puncture a tyre?

SheBangsit · 29/10/2018 11:37

You really need cctv - if as someone mentioned, you can get a camera covering 360 degrees, that would be great.

PositivelyPERF · 29/10/2018 11:40

SheBangsit

Well someone really doesn't like you

That’s not necessarily true. It’s more likely someone that the OP doesn’t know very well, that resents the fact the OP and her husband both have a car, one due to mobility help.

Gromance02 · 29/10/2018 11:43

Could it be the Uber thing? In many places, Uber is banned (for good reason) and maybe the neighbour has had a bad experience with them.

SheBangsit · 29/10/2018 11:50

It has to be someone who knows the cars they both drive since both cars are being targeted, so it likely IS someone they both know very well. I couldn't tell you who drives what car here apart from one neighbour who has a disability car, so that came up in conversation and another neighbour who is a chauffeur so that came up in conversation! And they both live in my small block (8) of flats. So it is very definitely someone very very close (in proximity) to the OP.

GlomOfNit · 29/10/2018 11:53

It does sound deliberate, yes - if the two cars are done so close together time-wise then I can't see it's a coincidence. But it might not necessarily be personal. Have you asked neighbours if their cars are also targeted?

Binglebong · 29/10/2018 11:59

I'd contact the police and also ask neighbours, ideally some with "posh" cars and some without to see if it is make being targeted. Maybe mention the police contact too so it gets around. Good luck!

SheBangsit · 29/10/2018 12:02

I wouldn't be asking neighbours because you will likely be asking the culprit.

SawnUpLooRoll · 29/10/2018 12:35

Will the company that supply the car provide in-car CCTV, since they're having to foot the bill every time this happens?

SoupDragon · 29/10/2018 12:37

I would say you are definitely being targetted - I've had a fair few nails in my tyres but they are different wheels and not regular!

Are you parking in the disabled bay when your son isn't in the car? I've no idea if this is not allowed but could this be what's annoying someone? (Not that it makes it reasonable behaviour to vandalise the car of course. I think it's more likely that you have BMWs whilst in social housing and someone is jealous.)