Anyone have experience with trespassing neighbors?

[American123]

I have video of my neighbor (behind my house who I've never met since we moved in about 5 months ago), coming through his fence, 15 feet onto my property which is clearly defined as not his yard as it is not inside his fence, and then take a hedge trimmer to several of my bushes.

This neighbor is actually the reason I bought the cameras in the first place because this happened once before when a tree was topped, but I had no proof of who did it, only suspected it was him. Now that I have video evidence, I have already contacted an attorney to see what the best options are to nip this in the bud, but I'm curious what others have done in the past. If there is anything I should be avoiding, etc. I purposely have not spoken with the neighbor yet because I did not want to jeopardize pursuing anything through counsel, but if they say it's not really worth pursuing, then of course I will report it and have a chat with the neighbor.

To be clear, that fence is the property line, and actually, it's a bit over on my property, but that's not the topic.

Edit to add: His access panel normally is closed, I didn't know it was even an access panel until I caught this on video. Didn't know he even had it built into the fence.

Update: went to talk to the neighbor, range the doorbell three times, he never answered. Came back into the house, an hour later my wife saw him in his window looking at our house, I went back over, rang the doorbell, three times, he never came to the door.

Any good experience or input from the NWFA crowd?

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[CountryGent]

I live on a decent chunk of acreage in area with virtually no law enforcement; yah, jackasses trespassing is pretty much the norm. Unless violence has gone down, or the puke in question is someone the Sheriff's department really wants to nail to the wall, it just ain't worth the bother. But the virtual anarchy of southern Oregon may be quite different than the Seattle area. Godspeed.

 

[Howard1955]

You are doing the right thing by contacting an attorney. But call law enforcement, too. Show them your trail cam video. They'll probably ask you if you want to press charges.

If you take matters into your own hands, things can escalate pretty quickly.

If you don't have a 'No Trespassing' sign, post one (or more) where it's easy for your trespasser to see.

Someone coming onto your property and causing damage is a fairly aggressive act. Be careful.

Good luck.

 

[Alexx1401]

Sadly it's going to come down to how much is this worth to you to spend? Probably the cheapest way is a court order. Since you already talked to a lawyer maybe have the lawyer send some letter about it. If nothing is said, then you could ask how much to get a court order blocking him. If you do and he does it again, then you could get LEO's involved as he is now violating a court order. It's all going to come down to how much time, effort, and money you want to put into this. Fence may be cheaper? Sucks to have asshats like that for neighbors but it happens.

 

[trevi]

Wow!!! Someone cutting you plants! SMH!

Back in PA, I only ever dealt with hunters trespassing, even when it is clearly posted NO TRESPASSING. When hunting season came, and they show up on my trail cam, I send a copy of their picture to the local sheriff who then sends out $300 citations for 1st time offence; the penalty goes up from there. If they were tracking an injured deer, I would forgive and help them (maybe),but doing a drive or stalk - hell no!

For you, seeking counsel may be costly for the situation, unless you can forward them the bill.

Are these plants of value to you? That counts!

 

[Stomper]

I know what STOMPER would do in this scenario....

 

[American123]

You are doing the right thing by contacting an attorney. But call law enforcement, too. Show them your trail cam video. They'll probably ask you if you want to press charges.

If you take matters into your own hands, things can escalate pretty quickly.

If you don't have a 'No Trespassing' sign, post one (or more) where it's easy for your trespasser to see.

Someone coming onto your property and causing damage is a fairly aggressive act. Be careful.

Good luck.

Having one in my fenced in back yard literally facing the neighbor behind me who lives on another street seems a little absurd don't you think?

 

[American123]

I know what STOMPER would do in this scenario....

I'm trying to handle this lawfully.

 

[Howard1955]

Having one in my fenced in back yard literally facing the neighbor behind me who lives on another street seems a little absurd don't you think?

Nope.

 

[American123]

Wow!!! Someone cutting you plants! SMH!

Back in PA, I only ever dealt with hunters trespassing, even when it is clearly posted NO TRESPASSING. When hunting season came, and they show up on my trail cam, I send a copy of their picture to the local sheriff who then sends out $300 citations for 1st time offence; the penalty goes up from there. If they were tracking an injured deer, I would forgive and help them (maybe),but doing a drive or stalk - hell no!

For you, seeking counsel may be costly for the situation, unless you can forward them the bill.

Are these plants of value to you? That counts!

Define "of value" - I probably value them as much as my neighbor would value his plants if I went into his yard and chopped on them without permission. Without ever speaking to each other before.

 

[American123]

Nope.

Ok, from my perspective, it would make sense on the front of the house where there is a public sidewalk and potential access, but not the back of the house where there are defined fences that separate property.

 

[Howard1955]

I think you're covered without posting any signs, but then I'm not a lawyer.

Spending a couple of bucks for an absurd sign that is posted so your idiot neighbor can't miss it is a cheap way to remove any claim of "I didn't know I was trespassing".

 

[American123]

I think you're covered without posting any signs, but the I'm not a lawyer.

Spending a couple of bucks for an absurd sign that is posted so your idiot neighbor can't miss it is a cheap way to remove any claim of "I didn't know I was trespassing".

Not disagreeing with that. My interest in planting tall and fast growing poplar trees increased 1000% this week though. I hear they are more beautiful than a view of Puget sound and I'd be happy to help my neighbor experience it compared to the current view.

Because I'm such a nice guy

 

[CountryGent]

I know what STOMPER would do in this scenario....

(teehee) Reminds of a fateful encounter a couple years back. A POS meth idiot liked riding his dirt bike on, and tearing up, our property and I'm pretty sure was responsible for ripping off small, and smallish, objects on our property. I gave chase on foot and on mule a few times, but never caught the SOB in the act. One day I came home early from work and decided to mend the fence up top. I hike up the hill, in one hand a mallet, the other a stake, and on my hip a holstered 6" .357 Magnum revolver. I get up top and said POS, who is a pasty, short, sickly, junky, maggot comes down the hill on his scooter to encounter a 5'11", ex-boxer, guy who is very much not amused at his presence on his land. A look of pure horror crosses the goober's face. A snarl crosses my normally, smiling, joyful face and I say "This is private property. Get off it and don't come back. Understand?" He coughs out a "Ok ... ok, I'm going." Punk.

 

[trevi]

Define "of value" - I probably value them as much as my neighbor would value his plants if I went into his yard and chopped on them without permission. Without ever speaking to each other before.

The 'value' can be anywhere from "prized" to "emotional support." My old and dying pine trees were 'prized' to me and anyone putting bullet holes in them, other than me, were affecting that to a great deal. Your property has added value, expound on that!

 

[Nick Burkhardt]

Homeowner finds wall of cemented cinder blocks lining his driveway

Oliver Lynch, 79, said the unidentified new neighbor, who is building a home on the vacant lot next door, is not backing down on the issue. The homeowner is shocked he will have to seek legal action.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[P7M13]

Lombardy Poplar
Italian Cyprus
Giant Bamboo (fastest of all)
Grow hops inside your fence line. Enough, and you can have complete obscuration of the view in a summer.
And bear traps for that horrible 'coon infestation you have.

 

[coop44]

Carefully transplant poison ivy? Home made bouncing bettys? I planted roses, lots of them in socal, to discourage fence jumpers taking shortcuts through my yard, funny as hell. Really enjoyed the roses too. Actually found a. blood trail once, my wife and I were delighted.

 

[L84Cabo]

Why is this happening? It's very odd that a neighbor would just arbitrarily come on to your property and hack down your bushes for no reason. Have you had issues/dealings with him prior to this? Or was he "trimming" them to improve his view?

A nice row of thorny cactus or similar can be a better deterrent than a fence.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Plant either Black Hawthorns or Columbia Hawthorns around the areas the trespasser's acceessing. Theyre beautiful shrubs