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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

to challenge my paper-stealing neighbour?

202 replies

Thingaling · 28/04/2021 15:24

I have a newspaper subscription I pay a fair bit of money for, which gives me digital access during the week and then the actual weekend papers delivered.

But for months now, I have only been receiving Saturday papers maybe twice a month and Sunday papers only once a month. The rest of the time they “disappear” before I can collect them from the entrance hall to our mansion block.

Two weeks ago, I saw my Saturday paper there (which has a label with my name and address on it) in the morning on my way out to the corner shop. When I came back ten minutes later, it was gone.

Armed with this intel, I asked the building security people to look at the CCTV for that ten minute window to see who had taken the paper.

It turns out that the thief lives in the flat above me - a normal looking woman, AFAICT from a non chaotic household. I don’t know her to speak to although I’ve talked to her husband before about water pouring into my flat from their broken loo and he seemed perfectly pleasant.

The security people (somewhat reluctantly) agreed to speak to her - basically saying we’ve seen you on camera doing it, just please stop. She apparently denied it then went mental “Are you accusing me of being a thief?” etc and then claimed she also had a subscription and thought it was hers (although we’ve never seen another paper delivered to our block, ever).

Security are now saying there’s nothing more they can do. AIBU to be really really cross about this? The brazen cheek of her!

Short of getting up at 5am to grab the paper as soon as it’s delivered, what else can I do? ?

OP posts:
ClarkeGriffin · 02/05/2021 11:44

@SpiderinaWingMirror

Well they weren't going to take it were they?after being told by security there was CCTV, no one is that stupid.
Hahaha you underestimate the stupidity of thieves. She may not take it yet, but she will slip back into old habits.
toffeebutterpopcorn · 02/05/2021 12:09

You could get a Video door bell. This is exactly what they are made for...

“Mrs Miggins from number 24... out down the Sunday Times slowly and back away from the paper... we have you surrounded... give up now and you will be treated fairly... if you run, we will release the hounds...”

CanofCant · 02/05/2021 13:20

I can't believe she took 7 of your last 8 Sunday papers! Fucking brazen.

sergeilavrov · 02/05/2021 14:04

Wee on a tray, freeze it, then slide the frozen wee through the gap in the coal shed door. Repeat.

Everyone will think she’s lost it and she’s using her coal shed as a bathroom/she has someone hostage in there and the mystery of the coal shed will be revealed by police booting the door down.

scaredsadandstuck · 02/05/2021 14:04

@Thingaling

Well. I hovered by my front door listening from about 8.30am...and sure as eggs as eggs at around 10am i heard the perp’s door slam, some footsteps and then the doors to the street opening.

So my DS and I opened our front door and sprinted to the hall in our pyjamas dressing gowns and - there was the paper.

BUT

There is a small round hole in the packaging- consistent maybe with that made by a Calpol syringe. Do we think it’s safe to open????

Hmmm - hole is suspicious! Have you opened it? Are you covered in glitter? Is the paper thief a Mnetter who has been following this thread closely all along? Grin
SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/05/2021 14:17

Four inches?

That is a BIG gap!

I would start going out in the early hours and rolling stuff under there - lettuces, potatoes which have seen Better Days, floppy carrots with Whiskers (don't lie to me - there is at least one one every fridge!).

Eventually the shed will fill up with slugs and woodlice. (Don't put ANY cooked food or meat in there, otherwise it will fill up with rats, and we really don't want that). What we want is nasty, rotting vegetable matter and a lot of creepy crawlies . . . .

SchadenfreudePersonified · 02/05/2021 14:18

@sergeilavrov

Wee on a tray, freeze it, then slide the frozen wee through the gap in the coal shed door. Repeat.

Everyone will think she’s lost it and she’s using her coal shed as a bathroom/she has someone hostage in there and the mystery of the coal shed will be revealed by police booting the door down.

GENIUS!!!
jacketdrama · 02/05/2021 15:29

@SylHellais the bookmark button will literally change my life. I spend hours trying to find my place in various threads. Thank you.

jacketdrama · 02/05/2021 15:33

So what happened when you investigated the hole in the wrapper? Hope you're not stuck to your flat with superglue unable to access phone phone.

Xenia · 02/05/2021 15:35

Wow.... hold could just be damage in post or she might have not Novichok virus in there I suppose - does she have Russian connections?

I moved for paper just to pdf newspaper about a year ago - huge change but at least it avoids this.

Tavannach · 02/05/2021 18:21

Have you opened it? Are you covered in glitter?

GrinGrin

VodkaSlimline · 02/05/2021 19:36

@sergeilavrov

Wee on a tray, freeze it, then slide the frozen wee through the gap in the coal shed door. Repeat.

Everyone will think she’s lost it and she’s using her coal shed as a bathroom/she has someone hostage in there and the mystery of the coal shed will be revealed by police booting the door down.

This is evil genius!
gord2018 · 02/05/2021 19:51

Op I would get it delivered to her adress and ask the paper people
To put an extra note inside saying once you have finished with my paper can you please leave it outside my door 😂

tentative3 · 02/05/2021 20:13

@sergeilavrov

Wee on a tray, freeze it, then slide the frozen wee through the gap in the coal shed door. Repeat.

Everyone will think she’s lost it and she’s using her coal shed as a bathroom/she has someone hostage in there and the mystery of the coal shed will be revealed by police booting the door down.

You and I could definitely be friends.
SylHellais · 09/05/2021 22:34

I really want to know if @Thingaling got her paper this weekend. Grin

Thingaling · 09/05/2021 22:48

Yes paper yesterday (Sat)
No paper today (Sun)

I like wee on a tray and rotting veg idea but potentially self defeating as my flat is the closest to the coal shed; in fact the perp doesn’t even have any windows overlooking it.

The nosey neighbour has found the perp on FB so might try voodoo.

OP posts:
Jannetra17 · 10/05/2021 11:29

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Ollinica · 11/05/2021 02:18

This reply has been deleted

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DancingInTheGarden · 11/05/2021 16:16

So no Sunday paper - did you not go and ask her for it?

Thingaling · 11/05/2021 16:45

@DancingInTheGarden

So no Sunday paper - did you not go and ask her for it?
Given the potentially 🧨 consequences of accusing her, I want CCTV evidence it was definitely her again first
OP posts:
InTruth · 11/05/2021 17:35

Report it to the police, the fact it is repeated ongoing theft which has easily accessible cctv footage, and security staff who will verify they have spoke to the perpetrator but the problem has persisted, will likely mean you get a response, as it’s a slam dunk situation. Even better if the building management also report this to the police.

Some people have no shame. There might be some mental illness, as even the worst kind of thieves don’t like to do it on their own doorstep.

WiddlinDiddlin · 11/05/2021 18:05

Ooooh, duh duh duhhhhh.. cliff hanger. Am using the bookmark feature to find this later... the mystery continues! Will paper theif admit it, will she quit it, will paper owner leave a paper boobytrapped with glitter willies.... who knows!

SylHellais · 11/05/2021 20:51

Report it to the police? Seriously? Good luck with that.

I’d watch for her picking it up then go out into the hallway and say, ‘oh, is that my paper? I was waiting for it’, and get her to let you check the address.

VodkaSlimline · 20/05/2021 11:31

I am still hoping for an update on this one!

Weenurse · 20/05/2021 11:38

Any news? 😎