Neighbour has stolen my clogs

[MongoAkimboAGoGo]

I had a decorative pair of clogs outside my front door and this morning they have disappeared and a pair of old trainers put in their place. I only have 3 neighbours - I messaged the one I thought had done it saying “haha great joke, can I have my clogs back now and you can have your trainers back” and she read the message, put a laughing face on it but never replied. I went around kept it friendly, said my kids had found it very amusing but seriously, can I have them back now and she made out she didn’t know what I was talking about but was clearly trying to hold in laughter. I just want them back. I never found it funny to begin with, I was just trying to stay light hearted but I’m getting annoyed now.

You need to fight fire with fire op.

She sounds incredibly childish for a grown woman but you need to try to rise above it.

I would put her skanky trainers on her doorstep and just wait for her to return your clogs.

Does she not have a job or something to occupy herself with? Sounds like she’s way too invested in your life, which is pretty sad really.

@Miniestelle

Maybe it was a little mouse?

Yeah, she’s a dick. Pranks are only funny if you know the other person very well and you know they’re going to find it genuinely funny too. I did a brilliant (minor) one on my friend a while back butI knew she’d find it hilarious and I immediately owned up to it and rectified things. Your neighbour is now pushing things into the CF zone by refusing to give you your clogs back.

I think all you can do is go back round, give her the stupid trainers back and tell her you want your clogs back where they were by the end of the day and that she’s not to touch your stuff again. Im not sure phoning the police is warranted but I’d be v close to falling out with her if she didn’t return them.

I’m sorry OP. I would have to move.

Can you go NC?

@Miniestelle

Maybe it was a little mouse?

I love that song!

It’s a joke, I can understand you are upset, but honestly why would someone suggest calling the police, OTT or what. I am sure the clogs will be returned.

😂

Can you go NC?
No Clogs…?

I agree that she’s being a dick. She shouldn’t interfere with your belongings…your relationships is that of neighbours, it’s inappropriate.
I’m not a fan of pranks. Much of the time it’s just covert bullying that serves the pranker. I’d be fucked off about this too.

You need to be straight with her that you don't find this funny.

And get a Ring so you can see it's her so the silly denial games she plays can stop.

Or, you know, laugh it off. Instead of framing it as someone messing with your stuff, frame it as someone making your kids laugh. Mildly irritating, but worth it for the smiles on their little faces.

Put a brick through her window...

Or a biiiig bag of tulip bulbs on her doorstep

@AnneFuckingKirrin

Can you go NC? No Clogs…?

Sorry OP, but that is really funny @AnneFuckingKirrin

She was probably not willing to fold because you were round there before 8.30 am asking for the clogs back. If you’d given her a few more hours to enjoy her lame joke she’d probably have given in.

I think it was a mistake to say at the outset you / your kids found it amusing

A polite / slightly curt email asking if it was her, if so please return the clogs today and collect the trainers, would have been better

What an arsehole she is. Bet she was a bully at school.

You'll have to wait and she'll put them back in due course. I would tell her in a very direct way that her behaviour is tedious, passive aggressive and she can find someone else to direct it towards, or get a life, whichever is easiest for her.

@MongoAkimboAGoGo

I know it’s her because this is the kind of thing she does. At Christmas I decorated one of my little trees out front with red bows and the next morning she had covered it in one of those Halloween webs with spiders on it. My kids think the pranks are hilarious but it annoys me as I don’t like people messing with my stuff. She admitted the Christmas prank and apologised saying she’d had too much to drink. A few nights later she pulled my father Christmas’ trousers down. I feel bad because the kids find it really funny so it makes me feel like a spoilsport but I just wish she’d stop messing with my stuff

The trousers 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

@thatonehasalittlecar

Or, you know, laugh it off. Instead of framing it as someone messing with your stuff, frame it as someone making your kids laugh. Mildly irritating, but worth it for the smiles on their little faces.

IMHO, pranks are like banter ie only funny if the victim thinks it's funny

When the clogs finally come home, may I suggest playing, windmill in old Amsterdam, in celebration.

Buy a camera for the front door!

What do you mean 'my pot'??? Are clogs a code for marijuana, or do you mean that the 'clogs' are plant pots???

Perhaps your clogs could live inside OP, I'd be tempted to remove any decorations from outside the house to avoid her (odd!) pranks. Not that you should have to, of course!

Hope you get your missing clogs back soon.

I think OP means they are made out of pot. As in pottery. Not the other kind of pot.

@MongoAkimboAGoGo

They are pot.

I don’t understand this - what do you mean “they are pot”

Ugh, she sounds insufferable. A real 'local character'. Ring doorbell sounds a good idea.

A very tempting yet terrible idea is to take or interfere with something of hers.

This is a nuisance, not a prank, especially after it's been called. A prank is like the wind-up chattering false teeth that went round our family for a dozen Christmases. We all looked forward to seeing whose present they fell out of. Cue general hilarity.

If the clog pots are planted, is she even caring for the plants?! It's not funny any more.