Caught neighbours using my garden

[Weird21]

I have a block of flats next to my house and I thought for a while things have been moved in my garden and it seemed a bit weird. I’ve got a lock on the gate and it’s always locked. So over the weekend I’ve installed a small out door camera under my guttering which records the whole back garden.

So I’ve come home tonight after work (I work the late shift) and found two cigarette butts on the path by my seating area. So I checked the camera and the neighbors have climbed my wall and been sitting in my garden from 2pm until 8pm using my seating and table. To say I’m annoyed is an understatement but how to I confront them as they aren’t the friendliest of people at the best of times. So I guess they’ve been doing this since the nice weather began.

Unfortunately it’s not difficult to see i’m out as I have to drive to work and so once my cars not there they obviously know I’m out.

I just don’t know how to approach this as I’m a single woman and just concerned it’ll escalate but I can’t allow this what would you all do? I thought maybe a note through their door asking them to not use it anymore. They haven’t seen the camera but now I wonder how long it’s been going on.

An alternative is a ring doorbell that captures them in the garden, then as soon as you get an alert, notify the police that you have intruders. They will respond quickly. It happened to our neighbours.

Thick grease plastered all over the wall should do the trick. It’s no fun sitting in someone’s garden when you’ve got grease all over your hands and can’t wash it off!

They will probably smear it on the poor OP’s cushions in revenge.

Mind you, they have probably already sweated into them. Grim.

Trellis with thorny roses is an obvious long term solution though these obviously don't care about trespassing or damage! Roses are also beautiful (spikes and anti climb paint not so nice)

I think it'll take more than a holly bush to deter CFs like them.
Are motion-activated sprinklers a thing? Y'know, to deter cats, those foxes...

Get anti climb paint slapped everywhere and spikes. Yes to the cameras - but I’d also inform the police immediately with the evidence you have to get them warned off

Actually sprinkler on timer is perfect - nobody gets hurt by water (you don't want to be liable for them being injured they will sue!)

@Monestera

Sorry if this has been said already but trespass on its own is not a criminal offence in England

There was a way you could have known.

I was trying to be helpful and didn't have time to read the entire thread. I apologise if someone has already mentioned this.

If you get a Eufy doorbell or something similar, you get an alert on your phone that the camera has picked up movement but more importantly, you are able to actually communicate with the CF garden intruders there and then - so tell them to Fuck off/ that the police/Big Dave the Security Guard have been called.

What CFers!
I hope you get rid of them soon but without getting any hassle from them.

@gogohm

Actually sprinkler on timer is perfect - nobody gets hurt by water (you don't want to be liable for them being injured they will sue!)

You can get motion activated sprinklers, my neighbour has them to deter cats.

that is CFery of the absolute highest order

like the Olympic gold medallist of CFery

Urgh, putting COVID germs all over your cushions

I think if it were me, I'd ask some friends or family who were at a loose end to come and sit in the garden very quietly when you knew the CFs were on their way there. They could pretend to be terrified (maybe have a baseball to hand, or at the very least a NERF gun or one of those really strong water pistols, ready for any intruders ), shout "What the...? Call the police! Call the police, quick! Or get Gary round!" Then they actually dial 999 - because a crime IS happening, of trespass.

Or get your friends to sit there in druid type outfit around a witch's pentagram, with effigies of the CFs and pins in their hand, chanting.

If your neighbours phone the police while you are at work then there won't be any repercussions.

@Mrstreehouse

Crying at someone suggesting to dig a moat. 😂

Not as mad as the person who suggested pouring honey or paint on the chairs !!

@HarebrightCedarmoon

I'm sure the holy bush will deter them.

Ha ha, I was waiting for someone to comment on the holy bush :)

Don’t think a sprinkler will work - if I had the brass neck to climb over a wall to sit in a garden I’d probably have no issues with turning off a tap!

@Aquamarine1029

I would make a sign to put on the table top.

"You are trespassing, you are being recorded, and the police will be called."

Trespassing is not a police issue - most people know this

Plants with pricks for pricks- Berberis, Yucca, Mahonia. Berberis are the best. They have little fans of three thorns under each leaf, all pointing in different directions. Some even have thorny serrations along the leaves. Bastard plants they are in the wrong place but quite nice to look at if planted carefully. Can be kept under control. Mahonia on the other hand grow erratically but are also very anti social - a bit like your neighbours.
If using anti climb paint mix some indelible dye into it before use.

@AddsVsGeorgs

Can you view the camera without being in the house? If so, drive the car away, ‘to work’ sit around the corner and wait and then ring the police and say there are intruders in your garden and explain to the police how to get to the garden without them seeing!

Bet they wont try it again

Trespass is a civil matter. Police will not be interested

@MooseBeTimeForSummer

I’d take screenshots of the video and send them to their housing association.

Where did OP say there were with a housing association?! Nice bit of stereotyping there!!

It's a coincidence, isn't it OP, that it's this year you've decided to make sloe gin which of course will require a blackthorn bush. You know, the ones with the enormous thorns. And would you believe it? It's been planted right where the CFers are climbing in

@PerciphonePuma at 00:41 this morning.

@PerciphonePuma

the whole street knows where they live they’re housing association and they give the tenants a really bad name all the other tenants are lovely but this family are a nightmare,

The op posted this. Cant quote as it was on a quoted post.

The OP literally said that they live in a HA property (as do I).