Nightmare Neighbors

[goforette]

So I'm thoroughly annoyed and even border majorly peeved (censoring myself for the forum)... with my neighbors and their kids. Besides the trashy way they live (which is an entirely different neighborhood issue) - they have a 16 year old and an 8 year old. I have several issues that are starting to affect my dogs and I have no idea what to do with them. First I have an issue with the types of things that come over my fence. They play baseball with golfballs - found 1 golfball in my garden this morning. They have a trampoline on the fence line and they put balls of all sorts in there and jump until they bounce out and land in my yard - then come knocking begging me to give them back (I already scolded them and told them to stay out of my yard) - and now they have pellet guns, and guns with plastic pellets - not to mention a death threat hand drawn with stick figures left in my mailbox (I'm pretty sure from the punks next door) - the 16 year old thinks it's funny to hang a butane tourch over the 6 foot fence that divides us - parents are rarely home and they aren't taking any of this seriously - and could careless about telling their kids to knock it off. Moving isn't an option - I love this house and I was here first - I need an electric fence! The girls get very interested when they hear the pellet guns or the golf balls being hit around and immediately run to the fence line and I have to go get them because I'm terrified of what could happen. I've called the police on the kids twice - they get warnings every time. What do I do get cameras and tape record it all? I don't want to feel like I've got to hold my Cairns prisioners in the house - Do any of you have scary neighbors? What do you do with that? Is there anyway to teach a Cairn not to run away or stay away from the fence or to beg to come in when the neighbors come out - I can't seem to tame their curiousity with dangerous situations. Any ideas?

[mrskti]

Well i'd definately document everything, keep calling the police if you have to. If the kids are left alone and keep doing this stuff then call child welfare, their not being looked after properly. Sometimes people like that need a smack in the forehead to get it.

It might sound nasty what I've said, but that's why some kids are out of control these days....lack of proper parental supervision.

[dufunny]

I agree that the children are in the very least being extremely disrespectful. However, it is really the fault of the parents who have not raised them properly. I would, as stated above: document everything; continue to call the police; and call child welfare (do not expect much of a response out of them though, they are not likely to consider this a pressing issue--trust me).

There is one thing that I would do if none of the above works, and you may be at the point where you are ready to do this now--do you have any friends or family members that are attorneys? If so, get one to draft and extremely threatening letter and have it served formally to one of the parents. That is what I would do. If you don't have access to a free attorney, maybe I could help you find one if you email me personally.

[kayharley]

Just reading your post made me so angry

I'm going to assume that talking to their parents in a pleasant tone would do nothing to remedy the situation. What have the police done other than warn them? A warning that is ignored should be followed up with an arrest. Hanging a butane torch over your fence, onto your property is a crime. What if he dropped it and it hit one of your dogs?

Is there anyway you can put some type of obstacle around the inside of your fence to keep your dogs from direct contact with the fence? Our neighbors just go a resuce dog and when he's outside my crew go crazy, jumping at our fence. I extended an ex-pen and put it about 5' from the fence...planted some shrubs inside it and now they can't get right up against the fence.

I know this won't help your short term problem but how about planting some tall evergreen shrubs inside your fence to give more privacy.

I would keep a log documenting all their harassing activities and keep the police informed. Calling the Dept. of Children and Family might help also.

Good luck...

[goforette]

Yes I wish that Child Welfare would take an interest - but unfortuantely not since they're technically not neglected and the 16 year old is old enough to be home alone with his 8 year old brother. I work for a Judge in Jefferson County - and I've explored all options. The police I'm purely annoyed with though - as they should have written him a summons to appear in Court as the fire thing really was a crime - but although I work for the law I can tell you justice truly can be blind.... I've tried fencing off that side of the yard - or at least the garden section, but the bad part is those golfballs and other balls go a long ways and no amount of fencing would really adequately protect them. The police department really isn't taking much seriously - no evidence and without really charging a $400 home security system equipped w/cameras I'm not sure there's much I can do. It's so frustrating. The parents are like these biker people - and you can tell raising children isn't their first concern. Last night I was up until 1:30 in the morning because the 16 year old and 4 friends were tossing bike wheels in the street and cusing up a storm. If I had been a zombie I should have called for disturbing the peace - but I guess I'm a little worried about ticking off this 16 year old as he's been flipping me off ever since I turned him in for the butane torch incident. His parents could totally care less - kids will be kids you know is their philosophy. But I'm worried that if I have a Columbine kid living next door that he really could harm someone or something. But I think I'm more worried about my dog's safety than my own last night I didn't want to bring Brystal in she was enjoying it so much outside so I just covered her with my body just in case so she could eat her chew bone, so if anything did come over it would have had to hit me first. I was thinking about calling the detective that was working on the threating letter left in my mail box and ask him that if I were to purchase a security system and catch them if they'd be responsible for reimbursing/restitution for the cost of keepin my property safe.

[dufunny]

This sounds like a terrible situation, it seems like at the very least law enforcement could take this kid to dc for a night or so. I am so sorry you and your babies are going through this...it sounds awful.

[kayharley]

How do your other neighbors feel about this ruckus at 1:30 in the morning? I can understand your fear of retaliation but I would definately stick to my "guns" (I don't mean real guns ) and do what's necessary. You have rights and it sounds to me like they are being violated if not harassment then breach of peace or disorderly conduct.

Do you know any attorneys who could advise you on the best course of action?

[bubba]

Well......are the neighbors renters or buyers? If they are renters, I'd hustle my fanny down to the auditors and find out who the landlord is (or check on line if it's there), and contact them asap. If they are buyers and the harassment continues, I would save up the dates/times you have called, the death threat left in your mailbox, etc...and go to court to get an anti-harassment order served on them. If you don't like the action, or lack of action, the police have taken, call again and ask for their supervisor to call you. If that doesn't help solve the problem, call his supervisor. I work at at a large 911 center and we handle calls like this daily....some people just never learn, and as I'm sure you know from your job, yes it does get ugly.

Keep your cool, gather the evidence, and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed.

pat.

[Scully'sMom]

I am SO sorry you're going through this - as I'm going through intimidation with MY next door neighbors. Last year my husband and I put up a six foot solid privacy fence on the one side of our yard that borders our yard with theirs. The other side of the yard and the gate is 4 foot picket. I feel so much better having that six foot piece there. Our biggest problem is out front. We live in what's called a "row home", better known to most people as a "townhouse." Our patio is up against their steps and what we did was put arbor vitae trees in huge pots which gives us a semblance of privacy and if we sit out front we can't see them.

What we're going through is the wife comes out about 3:00 p.m. and puts a boom box out and blasts it - and goes in the house. They leave it out there until about 9:15. The first time they did it someone called 911 and the cop came out and asked them to lower it. As soon as the officer left the husband came out, moved it close to MY house and aims it at my bow window. That's what they do every day. They know that I like to sit out at night and read as does the elderly woman next door to me and I know they think we called the cops - and we didn't. However, we're the ones bearing the radio retaliation now. Thursday evening the idiot next door parked his truck - God knows how - in this small space and left about an inch between his truck and the elderly lady next door. She took pictures of how he was parked and when he left I went with her to look and the ball on his hitch scraped a BIG section on the front of her car. The paint chips were actually lying in a pile on her bumper. She called 911 and the cops came out and of course he denied it. He wanted to know why, if the woman had a problem with him, she didn't come see him. HUH?? She's 75 years old, lives alone and this guy isn't anyone that someone wants to say hello to let alone confront.

What the cop suggested - and I don't know if other police departments have this - is for she and I to go to our police district and speak to the Community Relations Officer. It's her job to go and speak with them and get this resolved. Perhaps your police district has something like this?

As far as the death threat goes, I work for the FBI and my squad handles Civil Rights complaints, Discrimination in Housing, etc. I'd log everything and save the picture and I will speak to my supervisor in the morning and see if he thinks this is something you can go to your local FBI about. (The picture issue)

I can empathize so much with you. We had a problem with neighbors when we were in an apartment and the police told the neighbors they could go down to the District Attorney's office and file a complaint. Maybe the judge could help you with that.

Again, I am so sorry.

[Kathryn]

So sorry you have so many troubles! I know how much it can wear on you when you don't feel safe in your home.

We have some little hoodlums in our neighborhood too, though thankfully they don't live next door to me. Here are some of my suggestions for you:

(1) The next time you give back a ball that came into your yard, announce that the next ball will NOT be returned. And that they are not ever allowed in the yard and you will consider it trespassing. And hold to it. If they knock on the door to retrieve a ball, don't answer. Put locks on your gates so that they can't get in (a good idea in any case). If necessary, put up No Trespassing signs. If they sneak in anyway, call the Police.

(2) Keep a camera handy. We invested in disposable cameras, and kept them by each door and on the porch. When I saw a hoodlum misbehaving, I stepped out in the yard and took a photo. And I did get photos of, for instance, drug deals, and that sure made them uncomfortable. But I also got photos of one being too familiar with a too-young girl (who was clearly uncomfortable with the attention) and of kids urinating on the fence.

(3) Get a few security lights, and put them on motion sensors so that they light automatically in the evening and at night.

(4) Call the police each and every time you witness something outside of neighborhood norms, even if you are not sure it is a crime. Kids throwing tires in the street? A danger to cars, so call the police. Loud noises too late -- call the police. Tell them you have photos if you do.

The 16-year-old is at the age where, if he acts out too much, he's going to be off to a juvenile center or other facility. And unfortunately if he is not getting good supervision, his behavior may escalate to this. Some of our neighborhood hoodlums are gone this summer, and I suspect they are at the county home school.

Where are your other neighbors in this? Certainly they are bothered too? A united front is a great thing -- maybe you should schedule a National Night Out event the first Tuesday in August, and meet everyone!

Good luck.

[goforette]

A regular camera is an excellent idea - as I could definately snap a few of them holding these darn pellet guns with no problem as I have a two story house that towers theirs so I can see into their backyard with ease from my entire upper floor. That may be a more cost effective way of demonstrating what's going on over there. I was going to call the detective again this morning to again voice my concerns. My other neighbors I'm sure are in the same boat I am. But the couple across the street are elderly - I think Jay just turned 91 and his wife is 89, and the neighbors on the other side just moved in 2 weeks ago so they have no idea what they moved in next to really yet - they are still unpacking. And the neighbors on my other side - try to stay away from them (I think it's fear there too). I think that's exactly what I'm going to do with the golfballs and other objects that come over - they've been warned and if they come over they're staying over.

[Scully'sMom]

Taking pictures is an excellent idea from that vantage point! I took pictures of my neighbor's patio area with the boombox faced towards my window and we're giving that to the Community Relations Officer.

[Eliz222]

I just wanted to add that I am sorry you are going through this. I can't imagine having to live next door to people who try to make others miserable!

[goforette]

Good news and bad news: So the Detective called my work today and indicated that the lab was going to run the death threat letter for prints - which is good. The bad news is it will only detect the prints if it's from a prior person that has already been once convicted or arrested in their system. So if it's a new crazy person or the kids next door (who I don't think have a record yet) it won't pick up the prints. He of course is still strongly recommending I get a home survelliance system (I already have a home security system). I'm still thinking it has to be the kids next door. And he agreed it was a pretty juvenile type threat with stick figures and guns - but the handwriting was advanced so it wouldn't have been something the 8 year old could have done but possibily the 16 year old. But again the kids are psycho so I guess I have to worry that they're indeed could be serious too. And of course this morning I'm leaving for work and they have kindly laid out 4 huge piece of plywood with nails spaced every inch on my third driveway - so I'll get to deal with that when I get home

Is it possible to teach a Cairn sick em'.... good little ankle biters.....

[Barney's Mom]

Oh my....I just have such a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach after reading what you are going through. Sometimes I wonder if a little reverse psychology would work. They know they get a rise out of you when they act like animals. Maybe if you just ignored their little games, they would eventually get bored of it all because their antics got no results? I don't know, just an idea. It would be very hard to ignore their behavior though, especially when it is endangering your pets and your property. I can't imagine your frustration with the law and these kids' parents... You will be in my thoughts and prayers, that this whole mess will be resolved and be over soon. The death threat thing would have me up at night. I would think after all the stuff that goes on, the police would have a zero tolerance policy on that kind of thing!

We have lived in our home for 17 years and have gone through about 5 different neighbors on the right side. Our other neighbors have been in their house longer than we have lived in ours! Anyway, there was a young couple that loved to blast a radio outside. We only had one way to solve that one....Illinois winter! No one sets foot outside because it's so miserable, so that was the end of that. They moved away soon after.

When we had our lab Shadow, there was a little boy in the neighborhood who loved to tease him. Shadow was an outdoor dog, so I couldn't keep my eye on him all the time. But I caught this kid throwing rocks at him and I just went out there and read the riot act to him! This kid also did bb gun target practice in his back yard which was behind our house. One day I heard bb's zinging through the trees and hitting my house! The police were called and that was the end of that. But our town is a little like Mayberry, and the cops are so bored half the time that they jump at the chance to go take care of something! Our little town is like a little utopia in this world. Who knows how long it will stay that way...

Hang in there!!!!!!! You've gotten some excellent advice from those who wrote above. I wish you luck and again, my prayers are with you and your family. This is one of those bumps in the road of life. Hopefully it will be resolved very soon!

Take care,

Barney's Mom

[mrskti]

I'd bake the little creeps a nice chocolate cake filled with Exlax!!!!! At least it would keep them busy for a while!!!! LOL

[kayharley]

Does your homeowners insurance policy have any restrictions regarding pets? If you were to get a very intimidating, large dog to guard your property and keep your Cairns safe, would your premiums go up?

Unfortunately these adorable, vulnerable Cairns can be subjected to many types of teasing BUT, if they were to have a "bodyguard" watching over them and their property, it might just be a different story....Rottweilers are supposed to be excellent pets and can definately intimidate. German Shepherds are another wonderful breed.

Although I am 100% Cairn, I would not hesitate in the least to get a "guard" dog if only to guard my Cairns from evil.

[Kathryn]

I still think you have a great opportunity through National Night Out to get your neighbors together. I think National Night Out was started as a crime prevention strategy, so that neighbors would learn who lives in their neighborhood and be able to watch out for each other and feel less isolated. At National Night Out here in Minnesota, we apply for a permit to close down the street and have a barbeque, pot-luck. It's a pretty simple affair, but we do have nametags! The police are available to talk about crime prevention at these events, though we haven't had a speaker at ours. We meet all of the parents, the kids, the dogs.

If your neighbors got together and agreed to watch out for each other, it would be a lot harder for the family next door to terrorize you. You could make sure that all of your neighbors are on the lookout and willing to call the police. (And -- though I admit it's a long shot -- your bad neighbors might show up, learn a little about you, and be embarrassed by their behavior...)

It's a lot easier for those kids to bother you when you're acting alone. As a unified neighborhood, you would be much more effective!

[goforette]

So things around the house are getting creepier - and I must admit I'm not sure what to think. We got another death threat in the mail last night when we got home. I have no idea what this one said or looked like as the police asked we not open it to preserve as much evidence as we could. They are suppose to call me later today to tell me what was in it. Same envelope and same skull drawing seal on the back. Maybe I'm trying really hard to convince myself it's the neighbor kids - I mean they are a pain and playing with toy guns and pellet guns- it's an easy explaination for it all. They are the only ones in the neighborhood with kids - and problem kids at that. All of my neighbors are elderly or retired except for us, and my neighbors next door. And I've even thought maybe I should talk to them all so they could watch my house while I'm away - now I'm finding myself waking up to every little noise and I feel like I'm developing a light case of paranoia - I'm even allowing Hollie to bark in the house at whatever she feels as necessary in case she sees or hears something and I hope I'm not encouraging bad behavior from her and loud barking later on. But she barks even if I flush the toliet upstairs in the middle of the night and I'm not scolding her for it. So really I don't know what to think - do I have just crazy problem neighborhood children or something bigger. And somehow I seem more worried about the Cairns than I do myself or Chris - we haven't really let on to the problem children that they're driving us nuts. We just quitely take the girls in when the pellet guns come out or things get rough over there, but we never talk to them - just go about our business - gosh who knows what to do - maybe I do need to get a larger breed to protect my Cairns... but that would make 3!

[kayharley]

maybe I do need to get a larger breed to protect my Cairns... but that would make 3!

And what's wrong with 3?

[goforette]

Yes three is a lucky number.... but I can't even control 2.... (little golden nugget monsters....) I'd need therapy with 3.... HA!

[mrskti]

We live out in the boonies where the kids get real bored...which leads to bashed mailboxes, hanging out in our gravel pit, trying to climb any hill they think they can with their 4x4's etc. We've caught older kids stuck up on our land cause they were loaded and thought they could get their trucks up the hill etc....and at 2 in the morning had cops up here when they'd take off leavin their truck litterally teetering on a hill of dirt....stupid kids leave their check books on the dash...duh. So I wanted to kick their butts but John said let it go. If you piss off these older kids they just want to retaliate. It might be a good idea to try and befriend them, as hard as that would be, but like said above....if they get to know you it might be harder to be jerks to ya. And if that doesnt work, then you get a few pit bulls and turn them loose on them!

[eastofeden]

If they are sending these threats via the USPS...I believe this constitutes a federal crime. I know you have contacted the local police, you may want to ask if they have gotten your local Federal agencies involved.

I would also ask that the police begin to regularly patrol past your house until you get to the source of the problem. Whomever is doing this, juveniles or not, this has moved way beyond childish pranks.

I would also recommend that you look into something like Dog Daycare or something for your girls while you are away at work. I know you are very concerned for them, and having them away from the house while you and your husband are away will ease your mind and allow you to relax a bit. It can be expensive...but I think you will greatly benefit from the peace of mind.

Good Luck....so sorry that you have to go through this. I pray that this ends for you very soon.

[CathyAnn]

I agree that you should be persistant with the police, the Chief of Police. You might want to consider calling your city council and Mayor, too.

You need to consider your quality of life. If all fails, I'd be packing my bags and moving.

Cathy

[MikeC]

There is nothing worse than being afraid in your own home. I was in that position several years ago and we actually had to move as we were constantly being taunted and threatened by biggoted idiots. I couldn't stand it anymore and was actually considering getting a permit to carry a firearm. Fortunately, that did not become necessary as an opportunity came up in a much better neighborhood and we took it. I don't know what the answer is for you. I wish that I did. Death threats are nothing to take likely and I hope that the police can prove that those kids were the ones that sent them to you and if proven that they can be arrested for it. I agree that you need to be able to protect your Cairns as it sounds like these kids have no regard for humans, let alone small animals. I would definitely not leave them out in the yard by themselves but it sounds like you have already taken that precaution. I would also consider finding out if these people are renters as that may give you some clout with the landlord/owner, especially if the whole neighborhood would get involved. You and your family have my best wishes and I truly hope and pray that this mess works itself out to your advantage.

Mike