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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to have reported a 70 year old granny to the police for maliciously damaging my car?

63 replies

mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 21:54

As the thread title goes, I could not believe my eyes when a 70 year old maliciously scratched my car this evening. I was sitting in the car with my DD who is 10 months while waiting for my DS who is four who was at football practise. This granny was walking her dog and I thought it strange that she was walking so close to my car when there was so much space. I didnt think anything of it until I saw her peering into my car (passenger door, I was sitting in the front). I initially thought she was going to open my car door and nick something but she wanted to see if there was anyone in the car before getting her keys out of her pocket and deeply scratching my whole passenger door.

I opened my car door, saw the scratch and immediately confronted her on her actions. Her response was that I was parked on a pavement (which I wasnt) so that is why she had scratched my car. I then told her that was rubbish as we cant all go around breaking the law and taking it into our own hands because we dont like something. Well basically she admitted doing it and I just called the police because she was getting mouthy. Instead of just apologising for her actions she was developing a serious attitude. Anway to cut a long story short she was given an on the spot fine and cautioned. My insurance company will also be recovering all the money they will spend fixing my car from her.

On one hand I feel that maybe for her those were the first signs of an illness given her age, but then I counteract that with the notion that she couldnt even be bothered to apologise and saw nothing wrong with her actions. To say I was royally pissed off is an understatement. Her son who had now turned up with her husband seemed to think that I had made it up and I just politely reminded them that their mum was caught red handed, she admitted it to the police and the call handler when I dialled 999 would surely have a record of the conversation and they would be able to hear her mouthing off. Sorry its long guys, I just really had to vent

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southeastastra · 25/05/2010 21:56

blimey, what were you meant to do, let her walk off? i would be fuming at her

zapostrophe · 25/05/2010 21:56

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faerie07 · 25/05/2010 21:56

Good for you. Being elderly doesn't give you the right to be a mean old sod! (Grumpy maybe, but not mean!!!)

Plumm · 25/05/2010 21:56

YANBU - why should you let her get away with that?

MaamRuby · 25/05/2010 21:56

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Hulababy · 25/05/2010 21:57

No, YANBU. If she deliberately caused damage then she deserves the sanctions imposed afterwards. By the age of 70y she is certainly old enough to know the rights and wrongs of scracthin the car!

HecateQueenOfWitches · 25/05/2010 21:58

YANBU.

I do not believe that being old should allow you to behave badly, or to get away with things that you wouldn't get away with if you were 20 years younger!

kitcat1977 · 25/05/2010 21:58

Early signs of an illness or not, she can't just go round causing criminal damage, no matter how old she is. It must have been pretty frightening for your DD too.

isthatporridgeinyourzone · 25/05/2010 21:59

YANBU - being 70 doesn't excuse criminal damage.

fireupthequattro · 25/05/2010 21:59

YANBU being old is no excuse for being a vandal. I'll bet if she saw some kids doing some graffiti/vandalism she'd be the first to call the cozzers.

Hopefully this will shock her enough to stop taking the law into her own hands.

PS you are ony assuming she's 70 - she could have just aged very badly from too much sun/fags.

GerbilMeasles · 25/05/2010 22:00

No, YANBU. She may well have done it because of dementia but if that was the case the son and husband would have reacted differently - unless they've been in denial about it.

So, two outcomes - either she was malicious, and you rightly reported it, because being elderly doesn't give a free pass to lawbreaking, or she's in the early stages of dementia, and this might be the trigger for getting her some help.

expatinscotland · 25/05/2010 22:01

YANBU

lal123 · 25/05/2010 22:01

YANBU - why do folk assume that because she's old she's doing it because she must be ill or getting ill? Maybe she was just an old cow?

MadamDeathstare · 25/05/2010 22:02

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mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 22:05

@ fireup

Thanks for the replies, well surprisingly the police officers thought differently claiming that was I willing for a RESPONSIBLE 70 year old to sleep in custody. THat was laughable and I actually laughed out loud. How could she possibly be responsible if she damaged my car for no reason. They just wanted me to exchange details with her and that was it. I told them they were joking, if that had been a 20 year old they would have gone in guns blazing but becaus she was 70 she cant have meant it .

They were of the opinion that she had no previous convictions but I just replied that she could be serial scratcher who has just never been caught before. The way she peered in my window was pretty eerie but professional too imho. Her husband was completely baffled by her behaviour. THe police officers were saying whats the problem she has agreed to repair to which I replied that are you saying that if she was to kill someone and offer to buy flowers for the funeral you would let her off?

Aaarrghhh

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mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 22:07

Madamdeath- I am ROFL. SHe might be the tree fag stabber..............

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toddlerama · 25/05/2010 22:07

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MaamRuby · 25/05/2010 22:09

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jonicomelately · 25/05/2010 22:09

YANBU. I think that this woman's generation can often be very selfish and self-righteous.

BritFish · 25/05/2010 22:10

Criminal Damage isnt acceptable in any bloody circumstances.
there are more people out there who are just horrible people than people that have any condition that causes that behaviour.

MadamDeathStare, i bet it was that old lady too. vandals!

YANBU OP! if someone does something wrong, im not going to let them off for it just because they're 73 or 7!

mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 22:12

MaamRuby, it did strike me that they just couldnt be arsed to do the paperwork. He kept on sayihg oh do you want this 70 year old to have to go to court and you will also have to go to court. I just said I dont want anything but for you to apply the law accordingly. She brought this upon herself so it really isnt me wanting anything to happen her but rather that she should be able to deal with all the consequences of her actions.

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AngelaCarleen · 25/05/2010 22:13

YANBU, what a nasty old trout!

TheCrackFox · 25/05/2010 22:15

YANBU - why should there be different rules for old people?

mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 22:16

Thanks so much for your input everyone - you have certainly made me feel better about the whole situation as I was really upset when I came back home. DS especially was really upset by it as he finished football practice while I was still embroiled with the police.

That thread about the fag and the tree was the funniest thing I had read in a while and I was literally on the floor at work with laughter...

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mumofthreesweeties · 25/05/2010 22:18

Well now I have to cough up £150 excess and be lumbered with a courtesy car while mine is in the garage, not to mention an increase in premiums plus loss of 1 year no claims bonus

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