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.

@Miniestelle

Maybe it was a little mouse?

😂😂😂😂

I actually lol'd at that.

You had me at decorative cloggs 🤣🤣🤣

So she's fallen out with another neighbour, hmm. She sounds like a dick. I would retaliate but after a while, dish best served cold and all that.

She sounds a total pain, OP. It's a kind of bullying, I suppose you're going to have to draw a line. Wait until you're calm - she's trying to get a reaction out of you. Then explain that you no longer find this funny and tell her to stop.

I'd be really annoyed as I can be a little precious about my things. Not too fussed if things get damaged by accident but people deliberately messing with stuff makes me see red. So unnecessary.

She sounds like a bored child.

Amazing what passes for humour with some people. Does the neighbour pride herself on being 'wacky'? Have one of those signs saying 'You don't have to be mad to work here but it helps!'? Tedious.

Practical jokers are a pain in the arse and this person sounds like a particularly childish and bullying one. Is she playing to an audience as these sorts of people usually do?

I would so have to take revenge. But I can be quite petty like that. I would bin the trainers for a start.

I can’t be bothered by these type of people, it’s really not funny, it’s just really boring

I’d be fuming; this kind of thing isn’t funny. As others have said, it is like the bullies at school. Or the nasty colleagues that I currently have who hid some of my stuff recently. Nasty, bullying bitches.

YANBU. I'd be upset about this, too. It's one thing having a bit of a sense of humour: my DH and I sometimes prank each other by leaving a cuddly toy around the house for the other one to find, or something like that. But we'd never dream of touching a neighbour's belongings unless specifically asked to do so! It's an unwritten rule that you never do that.

I'm so sorry, OP. You you get them back soon.

Could you put dog poo on the bottom of the trainers? Then put them back.

I will admit that I did chuckle about the Santa Claus trousers being pulled down, but I wasn't laughing at you. It reminded ne of a childhood memory I had of pulling a walking, battery operated Santa Claus's trousers down as a child. In my defence, I couldn't have been older than about six.

Twenty-five years on, the trousers still won't stay up when the Santa Claus walks and my father has never let me live it down!

I'd go again and ask her for it back because it was a gift from your parents and you're not finding it funny. If it isn't back by tomorrow put the trainers in her front garden away from anything flammable and set fire to them.

When she complains tell her it was just a joke and she's got no sense of humour.

She sounds a nightmare.

I fully understand I would hate this being done to me

I would be texting again, say the trainers are now missing, you are really upset about the clogs so are going to report both to the police as stolen, because actually they have been

@Miniestelle

Shouldn’t be too difficult to track down…it’ll be going “clip clippety clop on the stair”.

Urg, it would really annoy me too. Fine if you're very close and have the same sense of humour but I absolutely would not find it funny. She knows the police aren't going to care and she may even find the escaltion funny. Or if you accuse her and she's worried about retribution she may just chuck them so as not to be caught. I would just post a note through the door, 'Hi, I spoke to you about the clogs that were stolen from my property the other day. They were a gift from my parents and I'm very upset they've gone missing, they meant alot to me. I've asked no.x to check CCTV but as you're next door did you see anything at all? I'd be so appreciative of any help.'

Then get yourself CCTV.

@AnneFuckingKirrin

Oh god. I would find it annoying too. My in laws are like this they hide your shoes when you want to leave their house and make out that it’s the most hilarious thing ever. It’s not even funny when they do it to someone else.

I'd find that so tedious!

She sounds like a horrible bully.

I would call the police.

Christ she sounds a right annoying twat.

Time for a fake turd on her doorstep.

Or a real one?

Or bleach a giant cock into her lawn?

Petty payback time!!

Has CCTV neighbour found anything yet?

Just a thought... but what if your own dc did it? As they find neighbour's pranks funny they may have been inspired to try their own.

I'm not sure why MN always resorts to 'poo retaliations' as such a go to option for every transgression.

I'm here for a clog update. Still no sign of the clogs?

The cctv does not pick up my front garden unfortunately, it did pick up on her walking past his house but you can’t see where she goes. Anyway a pair of baby shoes have appeared now where the cloggs used to be.