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.

• you can tell them that you can see what they are doing I mean

@BadLad

Moat?!? What on earth?

Yep. Another cracking bit of Mumsnet advice.

'Tis good advice!

OP can put crocodiles in it.

@Littlekittyscupcake

Ring camera. You can actually speak to them via a speaker on the camera. It will pick them up on your phone. Then you can ask them you can see what they are doing and to leave or you will call the police. They sound like utter scum.

Get the one with the siren !

Check your camera whilst you are at work snd call the police to report the unknown intruders. Make sure to stress to the police no one has access or is allowed in your garden or anywhere else also paint your walls with anti climb paint snd plant some holly bushes or spikes plants by the wall. There’s only so many times they will want to be covered in that stuff.

Could you leave work earlier one day and surprise them?

Smear dog shit on the top of the wall / fence / gate. They'll die 🤣

OP can put crocodiles in it.

Do this. And make it snappy.

Badoomtish

When your phone shows that they are there can you get a loud alarm that you activate? It will draw attention to them, but they also won’t want to be sitting somewhere with an alarm continuously going off.

Loud continuous alarm is really going to make the whole rest of the neighbourhood happy

Short term pain for long term gain

Cannot believe the cheek of some people!!!

@Littlekittyscupcake

Ring camera. You can actually speak to them via a speaker on the camera. It will pick them up on your phone. Then you can ask them you can see what they are doing and to leave or you will call the police. They sound like utter scum.

Blink cameras do the same and you can save the footage without needing a subscription

Big trampoline under the fence. When they jump down into your garden, they'll bounce right out again.

We had a couple who set out a picnic on our front wall last week. They sat on the wall for quite a while eating it. It’s a very wide wall it’s not an amazing view or anything - just suburban gardens.
That was bad enough.
I didn’t confront them as he was very large, shirtless and heavily tattooed. Not a pretty sight! He did take all his litter and cans when he left. So I shouldn’t really complain.
It did make me feel very uncomfortable for a while though.
I hope you get it sorted.

Try one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Bisley-Security-Burglars-Intruders-Galvanized/dp/B0049ACMC6?tag=mumsnetforu03-21. Very effective.

@HectorPlasm

Big trampoline under the fence. When they jump down into your garden, they'll bounce right out again.

Problem solved.

Extra points if you stand outside with an unloaded shotgun & shout, "Pull!" as they bounce off the trampoline.

DO NOT DO THIS IN REAL LIFE

Contact tabloid newspapers let them out them

RTFT, Nick.

I know this is not what the thread is about but it did spark something in me. The OP says she was suspicious because of two cigarette butts. I wonder if the neighbours would have left anything else.

Now this is not an excuse to get at smokers but some people do seem to behave as if butts were invisible - the same people who would never even think of throwing any other piece of litter on the ground happily throw away cigarette butts.

"Big trampoline under the fence. When they jump down into your garden, they'll bounce right out again"

The visual I have after reading this has really tickled me, cheeky fuckers flying around the neighbourhood

@FamishedAtAnAirport - I know there are sheriffs in Scotland after working in a law based job many years ago. I think you should definitely campaign for them to dress like a Wild West Sheriff, though. Moseying down Princess Street in Edinburgh and tying their horses up outside a Wetherspoons (or equivalent). I mean, Canada has Mounties and nobody bats an eyelid!

If the fence they climb on is yours you could attach fine wire netting to it so they cant use it as a ladder. Maybe gardener could help with that too.

I do hope the OP’s neighbours don’t read the Mirror.

OP's neighbours don't sound the sort who are troubled by the ability to read.

Extra points if you stand outside with an unloaded shotgun & shout, "Pull!" as they bounce off the trampoline.

[quote iklboo]@FamishedAtAnAirport - I know there are sheriffs in Scotland after working in a law based job many years ago. I think you should definitely campaign for them to dress like a Wild West Sheriff, though. Moseying down Princess Street in Edinburgh and tying their horses up outside a Wetherspoons (or equivalent). I mean, Canada has Mounties and nobody bats an eyelid! [/quote]
I'm fully on board with this idea!

But we'll need to replace sarsparella with Irn Bru or Buckfast...

Definitely Famished.