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Original poster

Weird neighbour behaviour what do I do

247 replies

Hoorayforsunshine · 08/04/2021 05:57

Posting for a friend who has shared vids from her security camera.

While they are away from their home (permitted travel), NDN has:

— jumped over the garden fence
—gone to the house to stare inside
—poked around items on the patio
—- spend a couple mins overall in the garden before leaving.

To me it looks like he was looking for a spare key/ way to get in while they were away. Don’t think he realised that they have a security camera which recorded all the above. Apparently he has asked for a key before.

Yes - there is no innocent explanation here.

No - there is an innocent explanation.

What on earth should they do? My suggestion was to have a word on their return so they can gauge his response but my friend said that this guy has always seemed creepy.

OP posts:
Brindisi32 · 09/04/2021 21:05

Sounds weird...If the neighbour had genuinely heard noises and gone round to check, they would've mentioned it to your friend. The ndn is v nosey and if he'd been given a spare key he would've been in there looking about. The suggestion of leaving a false key outside under a mat and then announcing they're away for a few days is a good idea Your friend would then have more footage to show police if the ndn becomes a pest in the future.

mrslrc · 09/04/2021 21:58

@Aussieadopter

Put movement sensitive sprinklers all over the back garden
I like this idea, do it!
expat101 · 09/04/2021 22:01

If someone had said to my Dad, hey D we are going away for the weekend/week, would you keep your eye open on the place, Dad certainly would have and if he had any concern, would have immediately gone over and around to rattle the locks so to speak and generally check everything was ok. And yes he might peer through a window to check that everything appeared ok.

However, if it was my neighbour down the road, he frequently helps himself to jump the fence/gate to nosey about. He was stupid enough to call me and tell me the other week, as he wants us to move things ''as we have plenty of room for them to go elsewhere'', so he was given his pedigree, and his wife, who wasn't there, has posted on social media we are bullying them.

So yeah I get both scenarios and have also considered calling the police on the neighbour. There is some really other odd behaviour too. If I was your friend, I would be very caustious about leaving curtains open of a night time. Does she turn the cameras on of a night time when they go to bed?

memberofthewedding · 09/04/2021 22:23

I caught a neighbor on CCTV dumping rubbish on my lawn. I posted the thumbnails through his door with a message that if it was not cleared up within 24 hours the police would be informed. He cleared them up at 6.15 am next day. The stupid thing is that there is a prominent notice stating i have cctv so the silly old bugger has only himself to blame. Now he knows I have those pictures and can post them on social media anytime I like.

I saw him on wednesday as I was bringing the bins in and gave him a good hard stare.

Since then we have installed cameras in more covert places so we can keep an eye on next door.

mrsbyers · 09/04/2021 22:36

Is he aware they are away ? Maybe he is concerned at not seeing them for a while

mathanxiety · 09/04/2021 22:43

No innocent explanation.

I would look him straight in the eye one day and say, "You know we have security cameras, right?"

Then turn around and walk away.

mathanxiety · 09/04/2021 22:45

I love DasPepe's idea.

VenusTiger · 09/04/2021 22:46

Cannot believe how many pps are suggesting your friend 'asks' him what he was doing or actually giving him a reason 'did something happen that you were checking in on'.
FGS what?!
My DH would be round there like a shot giving him a verbal! What's wrong with some of you?
He broke into a garden and looked through the windows? after having asked for a key?
He can bloody well deal with the sharp end of a hissy fit that's for sure - no pussy-footing around here!

Original poster
Hoorayforsunshine · 09/04/2021 22:48

Thanks for all the thoughts and suggestions.

I’ve shared with my friend. Will add the point about making sure curtains are closed etc!

I think their cctv is always on and picks up human shapes as opposed to just motion.

Neighbour apparently wanted them to take down the fence (their fence) between their two gardens to open it up. Most strange thing I have ever heard between neighbours...not jointly owned land or anything, just two gardens next to Each other.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hoorayforsunshine · 09/04/2021 22:50

I’m a bit confused by people who have said he’s just having a nose.

I get nosiness but...trespass and nosiness?!? Maybe this is a man / woman thing. I would never contemplate going into someone’s property (at the back!) to peek.

OP posts:
Original poster
Hoorayforsunshine · 09/04/2021 22:57

@InFiveMins that’s really awful, I’m sorry you went through that. I can’t imagine being made to leave because of an awful neighbour like that!

OP posts:
Closetbeanmuncher · 09/04/2021 22:57

He would exercise naked in his garden (in the middle of the night). Or have sex out there

Wtaf.... I'd have to hosepipe that fucker for sure.

sunflowertulip · 09/04/2021 22:58

Innocent reason could be a missing animal but sounds very dodgy.

Well before mobile phones our cat went missing, put notes through neighbours' doors and someone had heard a cat so we went for a nose in their back garden and saw her through the window. Then found a neighbour who had their key and retrieved our cat. Obviously neighbours were told once back.

mooonstone · 09/04/2021 22:59

I would report to police AND post the footage on social media

sunflowertulip · 09/04/2021 22:59

(The person who heard the cat didn't own that house, different neighbours, the neighbours who owned the house the cat was stuck in were away.)

Ginburee · 09/04/2021 23:00

Tell your friend to 101 it, the local police have been amazing to us over lockdown.
Sadly because of neighbour issues, not a lot that they can do but they can speak to them.

LadyDangerfield · 09/04/2021 23:03

I've installed motion sensored security lights above my patio and front doors, similar to these security lights

My mum has put some by her back gate as there is a path leading into the garden which is dark. The lights are very good, they come on as soon as there's a bit of movement outdoors.

Mummyyyyyyyyyy · 09/04/2021 23:04

Is it a possibility that the neighbour heard/saw something that worried him?

I would ask 'was everything ok while we were away?'
This would give him the opportunity to tell you what he had been doing (& why).
If he doesn't volunteer this information then I would mention the cameras & watch his expression.

SoMuchBadInfo · 09/04/2021 23:07

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SoMuchBadInfo · 09/04/2021 23:11

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mooonstone · 09/04/2021 23:28

@SoMuchBadInfo but the neighbour wouldn’t need to poke through the items on the patio to do any of that surely? OP said it looks like he was searching for a key, so was definitely being more thorough than merely checking a fence or looking for a fox

StoneofDestiny · 09/04/2021 23:48

I'd say "I have been told you were on my property and looking in my windows when I was away, can you tell me why".

Then if he denies it say

"Well, when I heard that I checked my CCTV and saw you doing it. So why were you".

I would report to the police and get it on record, they might have a file on him you know nothing about - always worth putting down markers.

Goldieloxx · 10/04/2021 00:02

Used to have a neighbour like this, he was a bit eccentric and would climb over our gate into our garden, sometimes he mowed the back garden lawn while we were out, it didn't bother me

SionnachGlic · 10/04/2021 01:41

What reason did he give when asking for a key to their house? That's v odd...I can understand offering to keep one if they mentioned getting locked out previously & not having spares....but not asking for one in any circumstance.

I'm torn betw saying nothing & laying a trap with dummy key & see what happens versus letting him know he was seen on cctv. Are they overlooked by more than one neighbour (to rear/sides) ? Could they not mention cctv & just say someone was seen hopping the side fence without disclosing who 'told' them...ask him if he noticed anything. Personally, if he is creepy, I think I'd feel safer if he didn't know there was cctv for now in case he could be more careful next time & avoid it (or damage it). Why on earth would someone behave as he did...??

Ddot · 10/04/2021 06:19

U must log it with police. Say nothing, or maybe point out camera

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