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.

So, as an over-60 year-old, it's my fault you won't go and ask for it back?

Weird thread.

YABU. Your children need to learn to keep the ball within your garden, or go to play in a park.

It is hugely annoying to have a ball bouncing out of control into one's garden or hitting a car.

Oh my god- just go and ask for the ball back

Maybe it was a last straw situation. Sounds like it happens often that football is played, and it’s a pita when balls are bouncing off your walls, against your cars and into your garden. Take them to the Park or some nearby green space, to play ball games. I always did with mine.

@Nanny0gg

So, as an over-60 year-old, it's my fault you won't go and ask for it back?

And your fault for owning a property. I hope you feel suitably ashamed!

"Most homeowners now seem 60+....and these are the people are kids have lost a year of their lives to protect."

Don't be ridiculous.

@junipertree2

I did not ask for it back as he is unpleasant to children (not just mine) and I don't want to be yelled at or abused, thanks.

A very sad day when two kids can't play with a ball in their own garden without having it taken by a grouch.

When I was a child, the street was full of children playing - rounders, football, cribby. and coincidentally, half of all children weren't overweight, obese, or hooked on video games. But that's a price worth paying for a quiet street, eh.

Just ask for it back! Pretty sure it is theft if he keeps it (and there is no way I would be leaving without it, regardless of financial situation).

@junipertree2

I did not ask for it back as he is unpleasant to children (not just mine) and I don't want to be yelled at or abused, thanks.

A very sad day when two kids can't play with a ball in their own garden without having it taken by a grouch.

When I was a child, the street was full of children playing - rounders, football, cribby. and coincidentally, half of all children weren't overweight, obese, or hooked on video games. But that's a price worth paying for a quiet street, eh.

If it was that long ago, there probably weren't many cars on the street in the daytime.

If your two kids were playing with a ball in their own garden & that's all that happened, he couldn't have taken it. It's the fact that a heavy ball left your garden & landed near his car (possibly hitting it first) that's caused the problem.

@TheGlassBlowersDaughter

So we've had children are all obese and play video games - people over 60 are all miserable grouches and steal DCs balls - did you forget to mention how poorly parked his car was OP? Go on, you know you want to.

If he didn't want his car to be hit, he shouldn't have left it where he did.

Try that one, OP.

You are modelling to your child being a complete wimp. So YABU.

If OP isn’t back in the next hour are we assuming she did go to ask for the ball back and was brutally murdered for daring to ask?

"I did not ask for it back as he is unpleasant to children (not just mine) and I don't want to be yelled at or abused, thanks."

Oh FFS, you're an adult! Just go and get the bloody ball back from him, and while you're there tear a strip off him for beetling out so quickly that your sons had no chance to retrieve it first.

@FrangipaniBlue I suspect the same here. It does feel like half of the story.

How old are your boys? If one of them is old enough to have bought himself a £17 ball then I would suggest that you all go round together to ask for it back.

FGS go and get the ball back! Either that or £17 quid. Don’t be such a woose!

"I did not ask for it back as he is unpleasant to children (not just mine) and I don't want to be yelled at or abused, thanks."

Are you related to my neighbour? She's said the same thing about me to anyone who'll listen to her tales. Every other child around here says hello Jennifer when they see me in passing so I can't be that nasty . We're you actually there or are you just believing what the boys told you? Kids do embellish things sometimes you know even our own.

Why can't the boys go down. Knock on and say sorry can we have our ball back please. But I suspect there's more of a back story than we're being told.

If I were him I'd burst the ball, and flatly deny I'd ever seen it!

there now seems to be zero tolerance of any kind of disturbance or noise from children. Read messages here from people complaining about the noise of children playing on trampolines, etc. Is it because so few young families own homes? I do remember having far younger neighbours, most of whom were parents with young kids themselves

Or maybe more likely that people are getting less tolerant of being expected to play ball boy 20x a day when there's a park five minutes walk away but are meant to drop everything whilst working from home as to not upset the neighbours?
DC2's ball went over someone's fence last week from our back garden. I told them that we wouldn't be knocking on as they were working and they'll throw it back when they have time and have spotted it. I went outside yesterday to it returned now the couple had spare time, they had been out gardening and had noticed it and were probably glad I didn't go knocking down their door after a 12 hour shift.

How do we know the man hasn't took it in for safe keeping until someone knocks on for it?

@Daphnise we had a neighbour who did this when I was a kid. And then wondered why her car got its tyres let down and potatoes shoved up its exhaust. And why no one ever saw anything. It was weird.

Sounds like you are guessing he has the ball? I would knock on the door and ask. People on the thread suggesting to call the police, seriously need to get a grip.

Op, go to the door and ask for your sons ball back, if he refuses then phone the police, its theft

Yes @Nanny0gg it appears it is. If you also own your own home then shame on you!

The neighbour sounds unpleasant.

But a small garden isnt a great place for a football. I'm also willing to bet a) the ball hit his car (there must have been a noise to draw his attention to come & see hit) b) your kids ball probably hits his house a lot and this is the culmination of a long run of events.

Kids don't play in the street any more because there are far more cars, it's less safe.