Was I in the wrong to confiscate neighbours football?

[Witsendball]

Our current house is at the end of a new build estate where there is a green space by the side of us.

Over recent weeks, secondary age kids have been playing football outside and kicking the ball repeatedly against our wall.

I’ve asked politely that they stop using the wall, and each time they stop for a bit then it starts again.

I finally had enough yesterday and took the ball off them, and said I’d return it if one of their parents knocked on our door so I could have a chat with them about their little darlings’ behaviour.

No one has been round as of yet.

Before anyone asks why we moved there, it’s a rental and we’ll be moving on soon hopefully.

I think it’s a bit mean TBH.

I get your annoyance about their behaviour, it would piss me off too, but you have in essence stolen their ball, so from that perspective you’re being unreasonable. They probably haven’t told their parents. If you know where they live you could always go and speak to them.

Of course YABU, it's not yours to take.

I don’t blame you. I hate that ball on wall thudding sound.

I don't blame you. One of them can tell the parents and then they can come and get it back like you said.

If the kids are all too sheepish to do that perhaps it will teach them to stop kicking the ball against your wall.

I used to live on an estate where the footballs would hit our living room windows. It nearly drove me insane. I had my babies out front sometimes (big balcony with plants ect) and i was worried the ball would hit one of my kids.

I asked and asked them to aim the ball the other way. In the end the ball hit the pram and i took the fucking ball inside the house stuck a carving knife in it, stood on it and handed it back flat as a pan cake.

A parent arrived about 15 mins later - i told them what was going on and they apologised and told their kids off!!

As an aside, I despise the phrase ‘little darlings’. It is dripping with sarcasm and somehow manages to denigrate both the young person and the parents at the same time.

I think legally you can’t go about taking other peoples things so don’t be surprised if the entitled little brats’ parents get the police involved.

Luckily you’re moving soon! I don’t blame you though it must be v annoying to have to put up with that inconsiderate behaviour.

but you have in essence stolen their ball

No she hasn't. Stealing or theft is taking something with the intention of permanently depriving the owner. They know how to get it back if they want it.

They absolutely should not be kicking a ball against the wall of someone's house.

It's not your ball to take! I'd be absolutely fuming if you took my child's ball. They shouldn't be kicking it against the wall but that does not give you the right to take it.

Children, playing on a green space. How dare they! Why aren't they off shoplifting and vaping like normal secondary age kids.
You've inspired me. My neighbours power washer drives me bonkers. I'm going to go and confiscate it from him. Sick of all these people thinking that normal family neighbourhood activity is acceptable 🙄 Seriously, pick your battles.

House wall or garden wall?

@Cheerupluv123 they are not playing with the ball in the green space they are kicking it against OP’s wall. They need to aim the other way

YANBU. I’d do the same.

If you live in a family neighbourhood you need to accept the behaviour and noise that comes along with that. That's just life. No point getting annoyed at the small stuff.

Matters not, both are HER walls not bits of play equipment for badly raised children.

@Cheerupluv123 if he's using it on your property fair call, if he's not, it's not the same thing.

shes not injecting to the playing in the green, she's injecting to the booting the ball against her walk, which they continue to do despite being asked several times not to.

As an example, my neighbours cat shits in my garden. Another has a very barky dog. Another neighbour parks really awkwardly. The list goes on. We are all annoying in our different ways. Especially other people's kids. But like I say, it's all just normal life so don't waste your energy getting wound up about it.

As a parent t to kids who love football, YANBU. Kicking off off your wall is disrespectful and they've been warned. They won't do it again. Even if a parent comes round, regardless of if they agree with your reasons, they'll still probably tell their kid to pack it in as they don't want to come again 🙈

If it was accidental I'd say YABU

kuds playing in ggd green - yep

kuds accidentally kicking ggd ball over your fence - yep

kuds boiting the ball against your house.fence/walk/car. Absolutely fucking NOT.

if you ket your kids do this, STOP & start actually partying then.

Lol, I have 2 gorgeous young adult kids at university. I did an amazing job at parenting them (and a little bit of "partying" them too). Trust me, the kids playing football are usually the lovely ones. It's not that deep.

And if she hadn't they would still be kicking it against her wall.

Trust me, the kids playing football are usually the lovely ones.

They are not 'lovely' if they persist in doing something they have been repeatedly asked not to do.

Do you know them?

BTW, if they did actually cause any material damage the OP might have grounds for legal redress. But as it stands the only person on the wrong side of the law here is the OP who "took" the children's property. The parents would be well within their legal rights to ask the police to make OP return it.

YANBU. They've got two choices - tell mum and dad and get their ball back, or abandon their ball.

I imagine your house will be egged around the weekend or a particular target on halloween.