<p>When my boys were in their early teens, or maybe younger, they used to cut through a yard to get to the main road. Apparently the man had told them not to do it. On this day he saw them and he got in his car and went around so he met up with them (on bikes I think-or maybe just a couple had bikes) and got out and threatened them with a baseball bat. This was a large, former military guy. Luckily, one boy had a phone and called his mom, or she just happened to drive by (I forget). He was very threatening and she was even scared of him.</p>
<p>The police came and he had the kids written up for trespass! It was more like a warning, in that it basically said it would be on file and nothing would happen unless they got into trouble again. We didn’t file charges against him because we didn’t want to escalate anything, and risk the kids getting a record.</p>
<p>My point is that YOU could charge the kid with trespassing. Post a sign that says ‘no trespassing’ and maybe send a letter warning the family that they are not allowed on your property. (I think for trespass the person has to have notice such as by sign or directly told) Then get a camera (preferably not one they’d notice and vandalize) and get evidence of trespass and vandalism. Perhaps a dummy camera that they could see would be a good idea as well. </p>
<p>Or move. Some people are just bad and honestly I wouldn’t want to live next to them. Who knows what happens next. My friend was robbed by a boy (about 10 or 12 yrs old) who was her next door neighbor and she’d always been nice to and welcomed into her house. His parents took no responsibility and she was never repaid.</p>
<p>Did you even ask WHY they have the cameras pointed at your yard? Are you sure they aren’t pointed at the perimeter of THEIR yard to deter intruders? Smooth fences can’t be easily climbed, but tall fences might be against code.</p>
<p>good luck.</p>
<p>PS I love the ideas above of poison ivy, but make it look like it’s a garden! Put it around any trees you plant to block the cameras. I’m afraid they would shoot the mirrors with paintballs, and if they really are whacked out people, would they hurt a dog?</p>
That’s a good point. It’s unlikely this neighbor is all that interested in the OP’s family to the point of watching them on video. However, it is (somewhat) reasonable that the neighbor would have some security cameras looking outward from his property. It s/b easy enough to determine - are all of the cameras only pointed at the OP’s house or are they really pointing to the different directions from the neighbor house? </p>
<p>If I was going to visit a friend’s house but noticed they had a neighbor with cameras pointed outside, I’d just think “so what?” and continue on to the friend’s house. The presence of cameras wouldn’t be relevant at all. It’s very odd that a friend would refuse to visit the house because of this.</p>
<p>Maybe there’s some bit of paranoia/persecution complex going on here and it’s impacting the perception of some of these things. OTOH maybe there’s really a nutty neighbor.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, video cameras are so pervasive in America today that you have to assume cameras are recording you anytime you are outside your own home. Cameras are everywhere: traffic intersections, cop dashboards, on lamp posts in parking lots, in stores, etc. It is not safe to even pick your nose anymore outside the confines of your own home without fear of being recorded by a video camera.</p>
<p>The cameras you bought didn’t work with Macs. </p>
<p>So take them back and buy some that DO work with Macs. Or look on ebay and buy a cheap used Windows laptop for a couple hundred dollars.</p>
<p>Cheaper than getting a divorce or moving.</p>
<p>BTW, please do NOT get a dog. If what you describe here is realistic, you are not prepared to take care of a dog and the neighbor would undoubtedly poison the poor thing.</p>
Please contact an attorney. The 11 year old neighbor is tresspassing, vandalizing, threatening to kill your 8 year old, and causing anxiety to you. I understand your fears, but unfortunately, your anxiety (and combination of emotion with facts) presents you as a nonbelievable witness to the police and to your husband. If you hire an attorney, then the attorney can sort out what is legal and illegal and move your emotions out of the complaint. Then let the attorney figure out what to do for you (i.e. how to file the complaint, or your rights under the law).</p>
<ol>
<li>Please contact a mental health professional, ASAP. I understand your fears and anxiety due to the 11 year old terror/vandal/trespasser and the stresses of caring for your Asperger’s children and husband, but I fear that it is completely overloading you. You sound like you are the verge of a mental breakdown or are becoming paranoid.</li>
</ol>
<p>Op,
I apologize. I take back what I said in my previous post. That sounded overly harsh. Sorry.</p>
<p>You should move. That is the only definitive way to get relief from the 11 year old terror. Everything else “might” work, but that’s the only thing that will definitely work and will give you peace of mind. And you deserve peace of mind.</p>
<p>YoHoYoHo. I don’t think your post #65 was overly harsh at all, I don’t think an apology is in order. I think you just sound very, very worried about the OP and her families safety and mental health. And you are right. We are all concerned about those things. And when I read these kind of problems on an internet forum, I feel so helpless. If this was a friend or family member telling me these kind of things, I feel like I could help her so much more in person.</p>