To post photos through his door telling him to do one.

[SamanthaCaine]

I've got CCTV. A few years ago I caught a neighbour (fucking old man weirdo) walking up my drive snooping around, looking behind the bins etc.

I left it, but have kept the footage and forgotten about it. Anyway, today he did it again but walked off with one of my recycling bins 😂

Obvs first world problems but I was showing my daughter and saying what a oddball he is. She said I should print off both instances and post it through his letterbox telling him to "fuck off our property you freak". The cantankerous in me says yes. My adult parent in me says no.

But WIBU to do something like this?

Or post it up on the local Facebook page?

Decorate your new bin with laminated pic of cctv footage :)

If you want to be discreet, tape it inside the bin lid

Will also give bin men a laugh if they notice

In fairness that's a possibility. I don't pay enough attention to the bins so perhaps there's a mark somewhere.

Thing is, we live in a fairly isolated estate with probably 20 or so houses but he's right at the other end. The refuse collectors are generally pretty random so they'll pick up bins at one end and dump them all together. So bins get all mixed up but one thing's for sure, with only 20 houses in the vicinity, everyone is going to end up with a bin! It may not be exactly your one (unless numbered) but if there are 5 identical bins left with no ID, you're not going to inspect every one to see which may be yours.

So I guess the question is where did the odd one go? Or has someone got two bins 🤔😂. I genuinely can't be bothered to put on my Sherlock Holmes hat.

I think he thinks you have his bin. I don't think there's anything more suspicious than that going on. He came looking for it before, didn't see it, so checked again and thinks it is his. Maybe he's checked other houses too, maybe he's been told by someone else you may have it. We've all numbered our bins in our little circle of neighbours now as the bin men just leave them all in a group outside one house. We've also had bins broken and taken by the bin lorry before which you wouldn't know as they don't leave notes so he may genuinely think someone else has his bin. Just go round say hi, and ask outright if there's been some confusion over bins as you've noticed on cctv he's taken yours. Far better than going in all guns blazing and it be a simple error easily resolved. Good luck!

Goodness.
Both you and your daughter sound delightful 🙄
“fucking old man weirdo” is especially articulate and charming.

Take screen shots of your CCTV give him 48hrs to return your bin and inform he he is no longer allowed on your property or you will class it as trespass. Write it politely and deliver it.

Putting abuse on it will not go in your favour if the police ever get involved if he's a wierdo.

All thought letters can be funny I once had a real nuisance neighbour I drafted a fake letter from the council to him about his behaviour, he called the police 😂, they came round and showed me my fake letter and admitted all though It was genuinely funny and well done not to do it again 😊

Yep
Was ever Thus, on here.

Well you sound charming. Yes, definitely post abusive messages through an old man’s door over a bin. That’s absolutely sensible and proportionate.

Put your stuff for the bin through his door.

Quite.
Wouldn't have made a frothy nasty ageist thread then though, would it?

Paint your house number on the lid. Or get those sticky on numbers. We all do that around here as the bins are rarely put back where you left them! No issues though, just means everyone gets their own smelly bin back.

I'm old, so probably out of touch, but is it normal now for parents to use language like this or accept it when speaking with or in front of their children? No wonder teachers are quitting in droves.

You've probably taken or he thinks you have taken his bin.

Put numbers on it man. Why wouldn't you?

can i ask whats the point of cctv if youre not going to ask for it back

youhave proof

Seems a horrible overreaction. Just go round and ask for it back

@SamanthaCaine understand the need to vent! I'm just puzzled why you went through the hassle of replacing a bin when you knew where your bin was? Plus, it would have been a good way to shut down his behaviour?

If you are certain, give the thief 24 hours to return your property, make it known the police will be called if it is not returned, and 100% call the police (probably via 111) if your request is not met.

Age is irrelevant.

I'll have a civilised chat with him next time I see him to sort that side of it out.

But I can't be bothered to faff about with getting something back that he may believe to be his. I'd rather do as people have suggested, get a new bin and stick my house number on it. I suspect he's been having sleepless nights over a bin that the council are happy to replace for free at any time. This and a civilised word should hopefully quash this silliness.

I've lived here for over ten years and never had any issues with anyone except for this guy snooping round my drive twice in as many years. Bizarre.

For the record, I'm an old fucker too and my daughter is an adult. It's been a long time since I was in a position to sensor their language.

There are sellers on eBay that make personalised bin stickers. Yes, I know how to splash out and treat myself. Anyway, definitely get some.

this

Has the bloke got dementia?

Keep all communications with him civil, contact the council who will give him a warning.

He has no buisness snooping and by staying civil, the council will give the ASBO to the nutter and not to yourselves.

Are you a grown woman?

Just knock and speak to him. Perhaps he's confused about where his bin went and for some reason thinks you have his. It could be as simple as that. He could also have confusion/dementia.

No need to print the pictures. Just tell him you saw on CCTV he took your bin so you wondered if you could have it back.

If you post on Facebook you're going to look extremely petty and confrontational. If I saw a post like that, I'd roll my eyes and think you were just a trouble maker.

imagine how awful you would feel if it turns out he’s got dementia.
There was a good feature on bbc news this morning about the reality of people living with dementia and how society needs to learn to be more understanding. Maybe many of you on here calling him and oddball, nutter etc should watch it.

'Fucking old man weirdo'.

What he did was wrong but you don't know if his circumstances such as early dementia and shaming him on social media at this stage is wrong. You need to speak to him first and assess his situation.

Just reread your OP. Please do not put anything through his letter box calling him a freak or anything of the sort.
Im imagining a poor elderly man already struggling with life and the fear and isolation of dementia getting post like that.
I may be wrong but it’s seriously not worth the risk.