I wouldn't normally post here for this kind of advice, but at the very least it will be good for some comic relief I am sure. Been renting this house in a quiet working class cul-de-sac neighborhood for 3+ years, good relationship with landlord and community. The neighbor on one side is sort of an odd duck. He's in his 50s, lives with his morbidly obese mother, and he is now an unemployed diesel mechanic. Until the other day his behavior has always been harmlessly quirky, mowing the lawn in the dark, walking around without a shirt outside in the dead of winter, lots of odd projects that never get finished but left outside. A couple weeks ago we had a twenty minute conversation about motorcycles, we've always been friendly, but definitely not friends. Two days ago there is a violent knocking on my front door that has things falling off the walls. It's so hard I think someone is trying to kick it in. I can see it's my neighbor and figure there must be a goddamn fire somewhere. I open the door and he starts screaming at me about "stealing his shit" and a bunch of other nonsensical garbage. He is livid (still no shirt on) and very aggressive. He cocks back his fist like he is going to punch me. I stepped forward intending to knock him backwards over my porch railing. As soon as I moved towards him he ran down the steps. I followed, asking him what the fuck his problem was while telling my roommate to call the police. He has calmed down slightly, but still agitated. He starts listing off all the items he is missing (many of which can be clearly seen in his backyard) and says that it must be me since I am from New York and that is "what we do for sport up there". I tell him I am willing to discuss this, but that he is way out of line. He agrees and tells me he is "off his medication" and has been sleeping and drinking most of the time. He says that he "loses things" and "thinks funny" sometimes and mentions he saw me walking back and forth from my garage "smirking at him". The police finally arrive and clearly have no interest in this. They speak to him for two minutes and then come to me. The officer says they are very busy and can't deal with anything unless it's an emergency. I ask him what I should do if the guy returns. He says, "defend yourself and your property however you need to". About 30 minutes later this guy and I are both outside and he apologizes, but is still speaking irrationally and telling me about all the guns he stole when he was in the Marines. There has been no interaction since then. When I told the other neighbor, she said he came to her and other people in the neighborhood about 10 days prior and told them he thought I was stealing his stuff. She says she didn't tell me because she didn't want me to get upset about it. Obviously the guy is unstable and stewing over a situation that doesn't exist (I'm not stealing his shit). I do not know what he is capable of and now I find myself worried in my own home. I have never been armed or felt the need to be, but this has me questioning lots of things. The last thing I want to end up is a short blurb on the evening news with all the neighbors going, "He was a little weird, but we never thought he would do something like this...". I realize most answers will be variations of "Move" (not possible short term) or "Shoot him". I am interested in what steps I can take to protect myself physically and legally. Would like to see the guy get some help, but I am more concerned about my own well-being at this point.
Did he take pain pills and drink on top of it? Dude, just avoid him and maybe you should stop stealing his shit. You are from New York and people from New York steal.
Invite him over, give him another beer and tell him to look anywhere he wants to for his shit. It isn't here.
That's funny you say that, I offered to let him go through my garage, his response was, "You already sold the stuff. That's what you do."
Invite him over then beat the shit out of him.Then punch yourself in the face,and then call the cops while he is still at your house and say he started the whole thing and you just defended yourself in your house.............sound advice,no?
Move. Life is too short to deal with bad neighbors. As a society, we've done a deplorable job of taking care of the mentally ill since, well, forever. This guy isn't likely to get the help he needs and even if he does it will most likely only be temporary as there is no way to force someone to take their meds. He's made you a target. Defend yourself and your home if you must. But is this really a battle worth fighting for, especially if it might result in him attacking you and you killing him in self-defense?
So you already know the best course of action... This isn't a short-term problem. You're not going to "fix" your neighbor. The variable in your control is where you choose to rent. In what state do you reside? Laws vary by state. Acquaint yourself with them and consult a licensed attorney (in your state) before you assume you understand the law. Even then, being right and dead is a shitty outcome for you. Be happy you're renting and don't OWN this house. The middle ground between moving and shooting him is whatever your state's version of a civil protection order is called. Violating a CPO is likely a crime (again, laws vary by state). Then the police may take it more seriously - but your neighbor isn't going to get locked up forever for that, so he's coming home eventually, and unlikely to forget that you "got him arrested." I would still try to move out as quickly as possible. a CPO will be perceived by him as escalation, regardless of your intention.
I would say get a camera or two to keep an eye out and document his movements. Especially if he comes snooping around your property. Sounds like dude has some serious mental issues going on. We had a similar situation in my neighborhood. Lucking the guy moved before anything serious happened.
Just set up a camera outside to make sure he isn't f'ing with your stuff. If the guy goes off the rocker again, file a complaint for trespassing and or harassment( I don't know the law). I wouldn't lose sleep over it and I damn sure wouldn't move just because some fat ass if off his meds. I figure you can get a trespassing notice, it WILL be the cops problem after that.
Sounds like he is full of berserker rage (and some oxy, a few coors lights and maybe some fumes from huffin' paint). Kill him and drink his blood and harness that berserker rage (and maybe the strength of some oxy, a few coors lights and maybe some fumes from huffin' paint) in battle!
Tall fences make good neighbors...I wouldn't personally avoid making contact with him -- that might make him more agitated and suspicious -- but I wouldn't strike up a conversation with him either. If you have to call the police again -- bring up Kendra's law and ask that they enforce it. I'm pretty positive that the person has to get a psych evaluation on a regular basis or will be involuntarily committed for 72 hours. Some states have a 5150 law -- which is is enforced if someone is mentally unstable and is a threat to either themselves or someone else -- and they're placed on an involuntary 72 hour hold. If you have to call the police again, just be sure to reiterate to the officers that show up that you not only fear for the safety of yourself and your family -- but the safety of him and his family. Hope you get it figured out. Good luck.
This "must be me since I am from New York and that is "what we do for sport up there"" has me crying, why oh why wasn't this last year? Anyway, I agree with the post recommending a shotgun. Dude is nuts, probably has 3 deep freezers in the basement full of long pig he feeds mom.
