Cheeky neighbours

[Pinot4me]

Last night we went to a 50th birthday party. There was one of those picture boards of the birthday girl with lots of childhood pics along with snaps of fun times with friends, neighbours and family etc..
I think everyone at the party featured - some of the pics were great.
Imagine my surprise when one of the pics, taken in our ndn’s garden, last summer had all our garden furniture, bbq, patio heater etc in it.
It was taken at a do they had - we were invited but couldn’t attend as we were on holiday.
We always leave a front door key and alarm code with ndn (who are also good friends) just in case there is a problem.
Some of the items they ‘borrowed’ were in our garage. The only way to get in the garage (unless you have a key, which they didn’t) is to go in through the front door, unset the alarm and got through the internal door to the garage.
It transpires that they ‘didn’t think we’d mind’ and let themselves in and borrowed what they wanted. They then put it all back and didn’t say a word.
If they had asked, I really wouldn’t have minded but AIBU to feel pissed off and annoyed at their cheek?! I’m really pissed off! DH thinks I’m overreacting...

@BloggersBlog I did confront them but they couldn't see what the problem was, because my job meant that loads of kids used the toys anyway so what was the problem......

That’s really cheeky.

I would feel creeped out and I definitely wouldn't leave a key with them again.

This is the Mexican House Thief all over again . . .

I'd be changing the locks and alarm code. How do you know they didnt go through your stuff inside the house?!

Were they also at the 50th birthday party, and if so did they not realise you would see the picture?

Hate to think what else they "borrowed"!

Mexican house thief territory IMO

Yanbu...what else they done..let your house as airbnb.. seriously op never give them key again. Be polite and neighbour friendly but dont trust them

That's beyond cheeky actually as someone said a couple of chairs meh but to go rooting I'd be really fucked off.

If you feel it would still be useful to leave a key with them in future, given their proximity etc, could you put a couple of nest or hive cameras inside your home that would send you a notification if anyone came into the house?

God, i've text my neighbour whilst they have been on holiday to ask if I can park on their drive!!!

Borrowing your garden furniture is

Thanks for all the responses. To answer a few questions.
Yes, the neighbour in question was at the 50th. When I saw the furniture, I was a bit 😲... I asked her outright. Is that my furniture, patio, bbq? She just very casually said, oh yes, we borrowed it when you were away..ou don’t mind do you? I was really taken aback and said something like, I don’t mind you borrowing our stuff at all but it would have been nice if you’d ask.... she made me feel unreasonable for querying it. We had all had a drink so I decided to leave it as falling out with them would be the last thing I would want...and DH was making me feel as if I was OTT. I’ve spoken to another friend tonight who was at the summer bbq and she said, that she had no idea that we hadn’t been asked and nothing was mentioned. For clarity we have all chipped in and lent each other stuff in the past but this feels different. I hadn’t even thought about the gas. I certainly didn’t notice at the time...
Oh well, it’s done. I’ve got over myself a bit tonight. It’s nice to know that I’m not being unreasonable!

I still think that when they go onholiday you should take their fridge some of their furniture onto your lawn and hold a party round it . . .

Wow seriously? Yep change alarm code and find some excuse to get your spare keys (like you need to loan them to a family member as they're going to be popping over when you're out).

I'd be raging, giving them your house keys is most certainly not an invite for them to borrow your furniture without asking! So rude and it looks like they've only told you because you've seen the picture.

Imagine if they broke items and never said? Or been rifling through your house. Nope.

I would definitely let them know it was cheeky, they only had to ask, it was a shame

Giving your keys to anyone is a huge sign of trust and I certainly would be massively selective in whom I gave them to.

This was knowingly a huge breach of trust.
Most people wouldn't dream to doing this. Most people would be massively pissed off at the breach. Make no mistake about that.

Goodness knows, what else they have been doing.

I would remain polite but I would be cool with them going forward.

I also would quietly let others know what they did.

They certainly are not to be trusted.
And to be so brazen about it🙄.
Tacky, vulgar people IMO.

So cheeky! This happened to my parents when I was a child. Before we went on holiday one summer, my parents bought an entire set of new garden furniture. When we got home from our holidays, my dad noticed that the table was badly, deeply scratched down the sides. Turns out our neighbours had borrowed all our new furniture for a party they had and dragged the table along the side of the house, damaging it quite badly. They also didn’t ask and only owned up once my dad had asked if they had seen anyone in our garden! Some folk!

Well, lesson learned. I think a bit of a cooling off of friendship so they're not so familiar with your might help.

Not overreacting at all. How incredibly ignorant of them!

And if it were me I'd be getting the lock changed and choosing somebody else to trust with a copy.

I think you need to change the locks, don't mention it to them. When you go on holiday you can see if they try to come and borrow stuff, When they pop up on the motion activated ring trying to get the key in the door, ask what do you want? in a loud voice, it'll scare the crap out of them.

I'd say they owe you a case of wine in lieu of the loan and the gas.

I'd change the lock (s) if i were you, in case they've taken copies of your key (s)

(was it the Mexican House Thief thread where this happened?!)