to think this neighour should not have taken kid's ball

[junipertree2]

My sons were playing with a brand new football in our very small back garden yesterday when it bounced over the wall, down a path (our street is on a slope and we are the higher side) and came to rest on the opposite side of the street behind the back wheel of a neighbour's car. (The houses have no fences or gates.) Within about thirty seconds, he had raced out of his house and taken the ball.

Needless to say, my son who had just paid £17 for this ball was very upset and annoyed. AIBU to think that this man had no right to do this? He is a middle aged man who doesn't like children playing in front of his house, hates footballs and shouts a lot at boys in the street. But I am on my own and money is very tight.

I think it could have hit the car. It's unlikely the ball bounced once then began rolling; it's more likely it bounced several times.

Regardless, you should ask for it back.

Maybe your neighbour is fed up to the back teeth of footballs landing on or near his car?

@WidowTwonky
Well mine would be apologising for the inconvenience?
I wasn't commenting on the ball rolling onto the man's car.

If it was a £17 ball I'm guessing it was quite heavy, a proper football rather than a lightweight one. If it hit his car then I do see why he was annoyed, or maybe even he is just worried that it will hit his car at some point.

I don't think he should have taken it so I voted YANBU, but I think he would have been well within reason to come around and complain to you about it.

If you have a tiny back yard then maybe use a lightweight ball or go to the park to play with the heavier one.

Go and knock for it back otherwise report it to 101 outside his house loud enough for him to hear, he has no right to do that.

😂 is that the first call the police

Knock, ask fir it back. If he says no or gets arsey then tell him you're calling the police - horrible man

I'm assuming you asked for it back at the time? Feels like 1/2 a story.

Call the cops, for a ball?
Ok.

Gosh some people are determined to not let kids be kids aren't they? They were playing football in their own garden! Fresh air, exercise-the horror! Whilst unfortunate it rolled over the street, hardly the crime of the year is it? Why shouldn't kids be allowed to enjoy their own gardens during the day?

I am interested though to know if you asked for the ball back OP? Maybe the neighbour didn't realise it had just appeared and moved it? If he refused to give it back after being asked, then yes that's unreasonable.

So the ball rolled down a hill and came to rest at the back wheel of his car. So on a public road and not his property. From what you said there would not have been any damage. He would have no right to take the ball of the street and keep it because that is theft. So if asking for the ball back hasn't worked I would ring 101 and ask for advice. And for people saying it's only a ball anyone remember the person who ate a bag of crisps at work after being locked in a storeroom and was sacked for stealing them.

It is a tough one. My neighbour on the right throws anything back we never knock and treat him at Christmas.
NDN on left will never give anything back she buys the DC chocolate at Christmas and Easter, I've done a shop run plenty of time for them.
They are cheap €2 balls so easily replaced.
90% of the time he plays on the green.
My Dsis was the same in her ex corner house she kept many expensive balls I'd say neighbours were delighted she moved.

Oh come on, it's a right of passage to go and ask for your ball back from a grumpy neighbour. It's character building. What's the problem OP?

If it’s a case ball he has every right to be concerned about it damaging his car. They are a nuisance and I only ever let my DS use them on a park.
I had a case ball bounce off my lounge window once 😡

Off subject a bit
I think the bigger issue is the lack of large safe localised public places where children can play ball games on housing estates with family homes with minute back gardens
I was lucky I grew up somewhere where that when they built new housing estates they had to have open play areas for each areas

My neighbours boys scream at each other (and their parents), kick footballs about (this this) and play cricket (thwack thwack) all day every day, I've heard the youngest (he's around 10 I think) since 8am this morning.

Same kid has taken to playing in the street outside my house (they live on the street behind me) and yesterday there was a football print on the back of my car, on my driveway.

There are at least 2 green spaces plus a park designated for this all within a 5 minute walk. The older two are 13 & 15 so there is no reason the three of them have to stay in their own back garden.

I suspect your neighbour may have just reached the end of his tether.

@MrsClatterbuck

So the ball rolled down a hill and came to rest at the back wheel of his car. So on a public road and not his property. From what you said there would not have been any damage. He would have no right to take the ball of the street and keep it because that is theft. So if asking for the ball back hasn't worked I would ring 101 and ask for advice. And for people saying it's only a ball anyone remember the person who ate a bag of crisps at work after being locked in a storeroom and was sacked for stealing them.

I really don't think 101 have the capacity to deal with missing footballs? It would never even occur to me to involve them? Am I in the minority?

(miss out the "that" edit!)

I meant thud thud not this this - damn you no edit feature 😂

Did it break your window @DinosaurDiana or just bounce against it?

The neighbour's behaviour sounds bizarre. Im sure up here in Scotland, it would be illegal for neighbour to keep the ball as it is not their property. Here, he would have a legal obligation to return it. All the neighbour needed to do was give it back and ask the children to please try and keep it away from car, garden, whatever they were worried about the ball damaging. I have found most children quite reasonable about stuff like this.

@PhatPhanny

Go and knock for it back otherwise report it to 101 outside his house loud enough for him to hear, he has no right to do that.

I love mumsnet

@GoodbyePorpoiseSpit

Did it break your window *@DinosaurDiana* or just bounce against it?

Bounced off it. I had already asked the kids, then their parents, to play with the case ball away from my cars (why can’t they play outside their own house ?) and suggested that they go on the park 10metres away from where they were playing.

Maybe the man picked the ball up to stop it rolling away again and getting popped or causing an accident by it rolling in front of a moving car. He's not necessarily stolen the ball for goodness sake, he might be doing a nice thing and keeping it safe!

But of course, the OP will come back in a minute and let us know what he said when she and her son went to ask for the ball back... Although she'll probably say he screamed and swore at them and then popped the ball with a big old knife because he's well known for being horrid. Or maybe he just gave the ball back and asked that they were more careful. I wonder if we will ever know?

It is theft, he is not entitled to do that.

You or your DP should go and ask for it back.

Don't send the child if this person is known to be arsey.