. . .to get this upset about a wheelie bin?

[Moominfamily]

3 weeks ago, our neighbours stole our wheelie bin. This is because theirs has a bent wheel that looks like it is about to fall off. I know my bin because my house is painted blue (I know, I know, it was dh) and some paint was spilled on the bin lid. Otherwise it has no identifying marks.
They took our bin, we assumed it was an error and swapped it back. They took it again the following fortnight and put hideous stickers of gnomes all over it. I asked if they had seen our bin and mentioned the paint on the lid, and they said no and very quickly changed the subject.
They are on holiday just now and I am so tempted to take it back and try to take off the stickers, trouble is I don't think I can do this successfully(and they would notice anyway as their bin wheel is dodgy!).
I don't want to confront them as I had ASBO neighbours in my last house and as a result am absolutely terrified of disputes, this is probably why I am so upset over something so minor. On the other hand, we cannot afford to replace theirs if the wheel breaks.
AIBU? and WWYD?

Runnybottom, that's terrible - have you said anything to them?

going

my council tried to give me a "summary amount to pay", I believe they stated it, when my bin got stolen. I cheerfully pointed out that I had spent the last of my money on grappling hooks so we could climb back out of all the pot holes in my street. They replaced my bin the next day for free.

Moominfamily

Fair enough. I think Tiredmumno1 post brought me to my senses. I hope I did not offend too much.

Not directly, they are the type that would punch you argue...I know one of my other neighbours said it to them and they denied it. They dumped their trash in my pay by weight bin too.
Fuckers.

I'm another for grabbing it back and painting your door number on it - only because our Council charges some ridiculous fee for replacing lost/stolen/broken bins.

And yes, I know it's only a bin, and yes, there are far more important things in the world, but it will still be very satisfying for you to get your rightful bin back

Absolutely take it back and paint your house number on it, in neon numbers. Thieving sods.

Take it back donate it to the school or somewhere charitable. Then report your bin stolen and get a replacement from the council, Immediately marking each side and lid with your house number.

Take it back, paint it up to your taste, and get hold of the hideous gnome stickers online somehow and put them back on the broken bin in the same place. Then snurk to yourself when they come home

I'd say take it back and pint it neon pink

Our council charge £35 for new wheelie bins, but my Dad managed to get a free replacement by telling them that if they made pay for it, he would expect the bin men to knock on his door when they wanted to empty it as he wouldn't be leaving it in the alley to be stolen again. He wouldn't go to Tesco and buy £35 worth of alcohol and leave it in the street so why would he leave a bin worth £35, out to be stolen!!

He also threatened to start hoarding his rubbish and thus encouraging rats if they did not give him a free bin.

I tried the same thing after mine was stolen, but they just told me to steal someone else's bin on the next collection day

No problem Oyama .

Maisie, you have it in a nutshell.

runnybottom that is terrible, can you sown stinging nettles in with your flowers? That would be fun for them to find when they try to repot them.

Rockbird, tartan, glitter and neon. It will be fabulous.

Our neighbours stole our bin too (twice) ours had just been scrubbed inside & out, theirs was dirty & lichen covered. Some people are frickin bonkers. We gave up & laughed.

go and put some meet in their bin and enjoy the knowledge that there'll be magots by the time the neighbours are back from holiday.

I was about to suggest what Portia said about putting their stickers on the broken bin when you swap back. Definitely take it back though and paint it vividly

I have had 2 stolen in the past few weeks.I thought it would be just a case of calling the police and getting a replacement from the council. Oh noooo! £38 plus £10 delivery thank you very much.
Wankers. Luckily for me I have a neighbour who gave me a spare.

We had almost exactly the same from our neighbours! They took our bin, and added it to their collection of bins (yes, really!)We too were incensed, but too scared to steal it back, so told council our bin gone, they just gave us another one! Luckily, this one is black, unlike others, and we did put stickers on. They are in Gaelic, so as far as the Thieving Neighbours are concerned could mean fuck off and don't steal me! I know, I know, am tragic, but it was reeeally annoying, I don't know why!!

Order yourself a new bin, and set fire to theirs .

Oyama, my husband is in Afghanistan at the moment, but still got miffed when I told him last month someone nicked our brand new wheelie bin because the council wouldn't send the stickers for the lid in time.

My DH wouldn't want us knee deep in rubbish. The next door neighbours 3 sofas and crap in the garden have already brought rats to the area. Do we want our kids to be ill or infected? Don't think so....

Not everyone can/should spend all day worrying about conflicts overseas. People have a right to lead their lives in a clean and comfortable fashion in the UK. That's what we've worked and paid for.

you dont know how lucky you are, i would LOVE to own (or be loaned by the council) a wheelie bin - our council do not even provide bins at all - hence piles and piles of black sacks outside the houses of those
who cant afford/dont bother to buy a bin. and then litter all over when the birds/rats/foxes rip the bags open

my nana (different county) on the other hand lives in a block of 12 warden controlled flats with another block of 12 opposite and to each side forming a square shared courtyard - EACH flat was given its own designated wheelie bin about 15 years ago but nana and her neighbours in their block use ONE between them - the others sit there never touched. its mad.

I would definately steal it back...if replacements are not free..

By MrsChemist Thu 24-Jun-10 21:06:33
Get some paint and write BIN THIEVES! on the bin that they stole, then see if they still want it.

Do not laugh but I have been working in a restaurant where all the pepper grinders where engraved with those words "stolen at the (name of restaurant" because so many had been stolen by customer before. Did not happen so much after that

Take it back and take the stickers off. Re-stick them onto their dodg old bin

OK, I have phoned the council and they will repair the dodgy wheel for free! It will take a week or so to order parts, but I am so chuffed that at least I don't have to pay, all I want is a bin that works!

My nephew has suggested that I wait until it's repaired, paint my number on it, and then sabotage the wheel of my neighbours bin. He is an evil genius so I will toy with the idea every time I become annoyed thinking about what they did .

I'd still go and get the bin back.

I have just been next door to retrieve my garden crap bin. Neighbour left HER bin on the street and put MY bin in her side alley. Mine has a lovely big green sticker on it and everything, so I have been and put my house number on it in permanent marker as well.

I did bring her bin off the street though, I'm not mean

why not get one of those giant sticker things that cover the bin from the top to the bottom - it would save you having to try and remove hideous gnome stickers. Then on top of that put your house number!! It'd make it REALLY obvious that it's yours!