General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: My new neighbor is very clever. [View all]rufus dog
(8,419 posts)I put up a roll up hoop almost 10 years ago, my girls used it a little, but then some other kids asked if they could shoot. No problem, occasionally i have to replace a net, other than that nothing. Kids have even asked to borrow a basketball and it has never disappeared. In fact, I somehow ended up with a second ball left in the front yard.
We also have a small park down the street, drops down into a canyon so quite often kids drink beer at nights. Some of the neighbors go crazy and have even come to me to go chase kids off. I take the dog down quite often and when I see them I only hassle them if I see a bottle, which has only happened twice. I explain to them it is a kids park and I have seen broken bottles which is unacceptable. In both cases the kids collected all the bottles and began to walk off. I walk out with them, ask for the empties and throw them away, ask if the driver has been drinking, in both cases they claimed not. Check them out closely then tell them I can drive them home if the driver has been drinking, both times polite, not enough empty beers to assume anyone was close to the limit and that is it.
On other occasions I have seen kids doing nothing wrong, just hanging out and a security guard will hassle them for being in the park past dusk. I walk up and explain that they are behaving, know where they live and they are just leaving. Other than a pissed of Security Guard, no problem.
Finally, I have a dog that occasionally gets out. A neighbor a couple houses down puts a bag with poop on our front door with a note. Fine, could have been my dog, make sure we watch him close and not let him go near the yard. They put a handmade sign up stating "Keep your dog off the lawn." Fine again, It could have been my dog, if they talked to me I would have apologized, and picked up any droppings, and explained to him he bolts in their direction because their next door neighbor gives him bones every time the dog gets out and after about 5 minutes the dog comes back home. Anyway the lame sign has been up for about six months, whatever.
Last Friday I left my garage door open overnight, in the garage is a laptop, two computers and my wallet/money clip with $100. Not a thing has been touched! Walk out to pick up the paper and notice the house with the dog sign has some strange stuff in the driveway. Now they have fake snakes and pinwheels that I guess are there to scare bunnies, so I just think it is some more weird stuff they are trying. Later in the day my daughter points out that someone has tagged their garage door with a "F&%* YOU! Luckily it turns out to be with some washable paint so no major harm.
Anyway, it seems highly unlikely that my house is untouched while the grumpy house takes abuse, unless it is one of the multiple neighborhood kids that have either used the hoop or who I have treated with respect at the park. Point being Mineral Man, your house will likely have "protected" status for the next 10 years.