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Neighbor harrasing/trespassing

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bkpc83

Junior Member
Good morning! I hope I can find someone here who can help! :)

I am 22 years old. My mother and older brother, and I live in a small town on the shores of Lake Erie. My mother and late father have owned our home since the early 1960's, and have enjoyed the neighborhood over the years. All of a sudden, that has changed.

In the summer of 1997, a man, his wife, and their twin daughters moved in across the street. They seemed like a nice family at first, but little did we know. For no reason at all, the husband began to care a great deal about what went on on OUR side of the street. When my mother would rake leaves into a pile on our side of the street, or blow leaves, or mow, he would shout obsceneties at her and call the police. This perplexed us a great deal because why did he care so much about what we did? He has also started to sit on his porch late at night, just staring at our house, even in the dead of winter. Years later we came to find out that he and his family were "forced out" of their old neighborhood because of his prowling and trespassing.

Add to the yard mess, he would slowly drive his truck up and down the alley, glancing into our house. It's come to the point where we've had to put blinds up. And numerous times, my mother and brother have caught him standing in the alley behind our house, glancing inside. We have confronted him about this, but his response is to stare and then laugh, or to shout obsceneties. We have called the police twice about his behavior, but to be honest, they don't give a damn. They always take his side, and threaten us with disorderly conduct charges or warn us to never call the police again. It's gotten to the point where we don't, for anything.

We also have a rock fence on the side of the house and in the back on the alley. It had never been bothered before, and every night the rocks are knocked down and scattered in our yard on in the alley. We have yet to catch him doing that, but with the way he walks behind the house at night, it's pretty clear to us that he's the one.
Also, he has videotaped my mother working in the yard, and then he goes around and shows it the other neighbors, and the police when they come. One day my sister was helping my mother, and he videotaped them from under his bushes. He couldn't do anything with the tape because my sister is a minor, but that still bothers me a great deal. If I sat out with a camera and taped his wife or daughters, he would have the police on me in a second.

Things came to a blow two years ago. My mother was picking up leaves at about 9 at night, and he came running out of house, and was shouting at her as she was picking up the leaves. She ignored him, and he pushed her away. She was so distraught, we buckled down and called the police. They were very rude and slapped my mother with a Disorderly Conduct charge, and took the neighbor's side. That is the night they made the warning of never to call them again, for anything. To date, we have fought the charge in court and had it erased from my mother's records.

This used to be a wonderful neighborhood, until the "plague" across the street moved in. Now he and his wife have turned the other neighbors against us. Who we used to have conversations with and be friends with, now converse with him and laugh at us. He has befriended the neighbors next door just so he can stand in their driveway and look into our house. One of our new neighbors approached us and said that the neighbor knocked on their door, wanting to warn them about "the crazy lady" who works in her yard. That....that's just not right at all. Why would he spread lies about us?

We just want this all to stop. I am just amazed on how it all began in the first place, why he "snapped" and started to care so deeply on what we do, inside and outside of our house. My family and I are very private people, we don't bother anyone. This used to be a wonderful neighborhood, and then they moved in. All of this daily torture causes my mother stress, and it's affecting her health. It's come to the point where we've had to put up blinds, and am considering buying security cameras.

Since the police are of no help whatsoever, I would like to know what our options are. We are not going to move at all, because that would be letting him win. So please help!
 


seniorjudge

Senior Member
bkpc83 said:
Good morning! I hope I can find someone here who can help! :)

I am 22 years old. My mother and older brother, and I live in a small town on the shores of Lake Erie. My mother and late father have owned our home since the early 1960's, and have enjoyed the neighborhood over the years. All of a sudden, that has changed.

In the summer of 1997, a man, his wife, and their twin daughters moved in across the street. They seemed like a nice family at first, but little did we know. For no reason at all, the husband began to care a great deal about what went on on OUR side of the street. When my mother would rake leaves into a pile on our side of the street, or blow leaves, or mow, he would shout obsceneties at her and call the police. This perplexed us a great deal because why did he care so much about what we did? He has also started to sit on his porch late at night, just staring at our house, even in the dead of winter. Years later we came to find out that he and his family were "forced out" of their old neighborhood because of his prowling and trespassing.

Add to the yard mess, he would slowly drive his truck up and down the alley, glancing into our house. It's come to the point where we've had to put blinds up. And numerous times, my mother and brother have caught him standing in the alley behind our house, glancing inside. We have confronted him about this, but his response is to stare and then laugh, or to shout obsceneties. We have called the police twice about his behavior, but to be honest, they don't give a damn. They always take his side, and threaten us with disorderly conduct charges or warn us to never call the police again. It's gotten to the point where we don't, for anything.

We also have a rock fence on the side of the house and in the back on the alley. It had never been bothered before, and every night the rocks are knocked down and scattered in our yard on in the alley. We have yet to catch him doing that, but with the way he walks behind the house at night, it's pretty clear to us that he's the one.
Also, he has videotaped my mother working in the yard, and then he goes around and shows it the other neighbors, and the police when they come. One day my sister was helping my mother, and he videotaped them from under his bushes. He couldn't do anything with the tape because my sister is a minor, but that still bothers me a great deal. If I sat out with a camera and taped his wife or daughters, he would have the police on me in a second.

Things came to a blow two years ago. My mother was picking up leaves at about 9 at night, and he came running out of house, and was shouting at her as she was picking up the leaves. She ignored him, and he pushed her away. She was so distraught, we buckled down and called the police. They were very rude and slapped my mother with a Disorderly Conduct charge, and took the neighbor's side. That is the night they made the warning of never to call them again, for anything. To date, we have fought the charge in court and had it erased from my mother's records.

This used to be a wonderful neighborhood, until the "plague" across the street moved in. Now he and his wife have turned the other neighbors against us. Who we used to have conversations with and be friends with, now converse with him and laugh at us. He has befriended the neighbors next door just so he can stand in their driveway and look into our house. One of our new neighbors approached us and said that the neighbor knocked on their door, wanting to warn them about "the crazy lady" who works in her yard. That....that's just not right at all. Why would he spread lies about us?

We just want this all to stop. I am just amazed on how it all began in the first place, why he "snapped" and started to care so deeply on what we do, inside and outside of our house. My family and I are very private people, we don't bother anyone. This used to be a wonderful neighborhood, and then they moved in. All of this daily torture causes my mother stress, and it's affecting her health. It's come to the point where we've had to put up blinds, and am considering buying security cameras.

Since the police are of no help whatsoever, I would like to know what our options are. We are not going to move at all, because that would be letting him win. So please help!

Cut this in half

Omit the editorial comments

Ask three questions
 

annegg

Member
Let me try

HomeGuru said:
**A: I guess the writer did not know where to cut.
Hi, I'm new on board, from California, and this Thread reads of possible stalking and slander issues.
Questions 1, 2, 3
SO...can these nice people get a restraining order against their neighbor to deal with the trespassing/loitering/peeping behavior? :eek:

AND...can these long time residents sue for slander since long time and new neighbors behavior toward them is changing as a result of the actions of these not so nice folks? :(

MOST OF ALL...in what State can the Police react to a frightened, and/or victimized citizen with, "don't call us again or YOUR in trouble"? :confused:
 

John Se

Member
What would be the neighbors motive?

Why would someone do this, I mean waste their time worrying or caring about what your doing? There must be something more? do you know someone you can ask for a "favor".
 

mama

Junior Member
Video tape everything. Plant video cameras in front and back of your house. Make sure they are hidden. If you can't afford to buy them, borrow or rent them. Clearly there is more going on here unless this person is just plain clinically insane and has a brother on the police force.

The only way to stop this is if you document everything. Write it all down and get it all on tape.

Call an attorney and see what they can do.

Good luck.
 

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