Neighbor Writing on Vehicle

[Living42Day]

Would you file a report if your neighbor wrote "**** you *****" on your vehicle in the dirt? I still need to go through our camera as we've been out for the last week to see when it happened and possibly who, but wondering if it's going too far to have the police come by.

I know it's going to be asked - I know it's a neighbor who did it because 1. no one in our life would do this and 2. we live on a dead end street with very low traffic.

 

[fly girl]

Would you file a report if your neighbor wrote "f*** you b***" on your vehicle in the dirt? I still need to go through our camera as we've been out for the last week to see when it happened and possibly who, but wondering if it's going too far to have the police come by.

I know it's going to be asked - I know it's a neighbor who did it because 1. no one in our life would do this and 2. we live on a dead end street with very low traffic.

In dirt? That you could easily wash off? No, I wouldn't. I would wash it off and keep an eye on the camera to see if there is a reoccurrence. Then maybe I would consider pursuing.

 

[SC Minnie]

In the dirt on the car? No. If it was scratched or written in paint or marker that would be damage to property. I'm not sure what they police would do about it written in the dust/dirt.

That being said, it would still tick me off.

 

[RUDisney]

On a window or on the paint?

My parents always taught me that window are ok, but you don't write in mud on the painted part because it can scratch the paint.

Find it on your camera and then call the non-emergency line for your police department to see what they say. The least they can do is report it and scare your neighbor. If, after you wash it, there are scratches, you can decide whether you will make them pay for it.

 

[Lilsia]

Is there a history of aggression from this neighbor? It is such a weird thing to just randomly do unless there are previous issues. If this is one of several problems, then I would probably report it just to have it on record in case things escalate.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Probably not worth a call to the police, but definitely worth monitoring. Sounds like such a cowardly anonymous thing to do - probably the less attention (for now), the less personal 'satisfaction' they'll get from it. Run it through the carwash and keep an eye to see if you can get proof of who is doing it. Then escalate if it happens again.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'd probably do an online police report for my area. It's not the dirt part which can be washed off but rather the wording is harassments and the police report would be tangible evidence should it happen again, further harassments by other means or an escalation. PP did however have a point about potential damage to the vehicle.

I would not however call the police out for it at the moment.

 

[sam_gordon]

Look through cameras? Absolutely (because despite what you put in your OP, it COULD have been someone else)
Keep watching? Yes
Wash the car? Yes
Report to police? I wouldnt just for this.

 

[mom2rtk]

Look through cameras? Absolutely (because despite what you put in your OP, it COULD have been someone else)
Keep watching? Yes
Wash the car? Yes
Report to police? I wouldnt just for this.

I agree and would add “photograph the car” to the list.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Initial post of mine no longer needed.

 

[Living42Day]

Just an FYI, you might get a whack from the moderator type people for bypassing the word filter. Best is to just spell the actual word out in your post (or an edited post) and let the filter do it's job. The f would come out ****, not sure what the 4 letter b word is.

Good to know - thank you for the heads up. I just edited.

The b is the word used for a female dog. Lovely, eh?

 

[Living42Day]

I think I agree with most - I'm just going to wait it out and hope it stops, mostly because this neighbor scares me a bit and I don't want any retaliation.

This particular neighbor has been a little off since they've moved in (coming out on patio/front porch to stare when I'm out there alone bringing in groceries, cleaning the car/garage, etc). Their kids have thrown rocks at our cars twice that I know of, once almost hitting me in the head when I had the hood up putting washer fluid in. I think the last time was just collateral damage because she was intending to throw the rock at a squirrel that she chased up in our yard trying to catch it with her hands. I said something at that time (not mean, just sternly said do not throw rocks again). The other time left a minor white indentation/mark but nothing significant or worth my time in getting worked up about or having to deal with them.

The video did show the ~12ish year old at our car around dinner time on Sunday and making a motion with her finger that she was writing in the dirt, she runs back and then the dad and her both go inside the house.

Suburban living...got to love it.

 

[Genie+]

I’d document. Take the photo, circumstances, date. If no further escalation, then let it go. If escalation, then records will help add weight to making a report.

 

[GreatLakes]

The incident itself isn't worthy of police action but taking it as part of what seems a larger pattern I would get something on the record. It seems like they are escalating something, not sure what, but I'd be worried about where the end is.

 

[GAN]

Is there a history of aggression from this neighbor? It is such a weird thing to just randomly do unless there are previous issues. If this is one of several problems, then I would probably report it just to have it on record in case things escalate.

I agree. If you've been having any kind of an issue I would go to the police department and file a report. Worst thing to do is to have no record of previous incidents if something worse happens.

 

[brockash]

Would you file a report if your neighbor wrote "**** you *****" on your vehicle in the dirt? I still need to go through our camera as we've been out for the last week to see when it happened and possibly who, but wondering if it's going too far to have the police come by.

I know it's going to be asked - I know it's a neighbor who did it because 1. no one in our life would do this and 2. we live on a dead end street with very low traffic.

If you have video evidence; 100% I'd make a report. If you didn't, I would pretend it didn't happen and get a security camera, as there's nothing you can do and not worth your energy for a he said she said.

 

[brockash]

I think I agree with most - I'm just going to wait it out and hope it stops, mostly because this neighbor scares me a bit and I don't want any retaliation.

This particular neighbor has been a little off since they've moved in (coming out on patio/front porch to stare when I'm out there alone bringing in groceries, cleaning the car/garage, etc). Their kids have thrown rocks at our cars twice that I know of, once almost hitting me in the head when I had the hood up putting washer fluid in. I think the last time was just collateral damage because she was intending to throw the rock at a squirrel that she chased up in our yard trying to catch it with her hands. I said something at that time (not mean, just sternly said do not throw rocks again). The other time left a minor white indentation/mark but nothing significant or worth my time in getting worked up about or having to deal with them.

The video did show the ~12ish year old at our car around dinner time on Sunday and making a motion with her finger that she was writing in the dirt, she runs back and then the dad and her both go inside the house.

Suburban living...got to love it.

Oh it was a kid? Then no, I probably wouldn't but would calmly tell the weird parent and if something happened again with video evidence than I'd call the police.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

The neighbor sounds creepy and aggressive. I would not confront him at all, you don't need him to decide to start shooting.

 

[tvguy]

I wouldn't both the Police with something so trivial. Not that they would take a report for something so trivial. Well, they might have one of the senior citizen volunteers call you back and take a report over the phone, but I hear it takes about two months for them to call back.

 

[Lilsia]

I think I agree with most - I'm just going to wait it out and hope it stops, mostly because this neighbor scares me a bit and I don't want any retaliation.

This particular neighbor has been a little off since they've moved in (coming out on patio/front porch to stare when I'm out there alone bringing in groceries, cleaning the car/garage, etc). Their kids have thrown rocks at our cars twice that I know of, once almost hitting me in the head when I had the hood up putting washer fluid in. I think the last time was just collateral damage because she was intending to throw the rock at a squirrel that she chased up in our yard trying to catch it with her hands. I said something at that time (not mean, just sternly said do not throw rocks again). The other time left a minor white indentation/mark but nothing significant or worth my time in getting worked up about or having to deal with them.

The video did show the ~12ish year old at our car around dinner time on Sunday and making a motion with her finger that she was writing in the dirt, she runs back and then the dad and her both go inside the house.

Suburban living...got to love it.

That is NOT normal neighbor behavior. Document everything because this is one of those things that will probably progress. They think that it is funny to harass you.