- Joined
- Nov 22, 2008
- Messages
- 2,005
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- 97
Hello all,
I used to be a regular here but it's been a few years. This morning I was confronted with a very ambiguous situation which ... might be threatening? I thought this might be a good place to turn for feedback. I currently live in a one-story duplex with a tiny backyard that's fully surrounded by a 7' wooden padlocked fence. I have a small garden back there but nothing terribly interesting. For the past two years I have happily left my bedroom window open all summer because I have total privacy back there, and usually leave my sliding back door open all day for the fresh air (sadly, that ends today.) One day about a month ago as I puttered in my garden I found a human turd. I was flummoxed - there was no sign of entry, and nothing else in my backyard was touched that I could see. Why would somebody throw a turd over my fence? I dismissed it as a prank and got over it.
This morning I found a second one, and the fence was damaged as someone had clearly climbed over to take a dump, not disturb anything else, and leave. So now I'm wondering ... my city has a huge issue with homelessness, but there's a perfectly good wooded park right across the street that doesn't involve scaling a fence. And if the motive is vandalism, why wouldn't they have left some graffiti or otherwise done damage? And they went in exactly the same place, all of which constitutes a pattern.
It's not the poop itself that bothers me, but the thought process of someone who would do this bizarre and antisocial thing twice. I'd like to know who it is and why, and whether it's some kind of weird stalking situation that could present a danger. My neighbor on the other side of the fence is sympathetic but not open to doing anything with the fence (it's on her side of the property line so she does have a vote.) I have a porch light that's not terribly effective, and I'll start leaving that on.
Otherwise, I'd be open to some suggestions. I'm a renter so I can't make any modifications to the property. I could get a camera, but that would only help if I recognize the person. And make a police report that I know will fall on deaf ears. If it's a mental health issue I'd welcome it as an opportunity to get the person some help. If it is a stalking thing ... I honestly don't know what I'd do or how I would prove that without a detective's help. It's a sleepy middle class suburb that usually has minimal drama, and my next-door neighbor was shocked when I told her about it.
Thoughts, anyone?
I used to be a regular here but it's been a few years. This morning I was confronted with a very ambiguous situation which ... might be threatening? I thought this might be a good place to turn for feedback. I currently live in a one-story duplex with a tiny backyard that's fully surrounded by a 7' wooden padlocked fence. I have a small garden back there but nothing terribly interesting. For the past two years I have happily left my bedroom window open all summer because I have total privacy back there, and usually leave my sliding back door open all day for the fresh air (sadly, that ends today.) One day about a month ago as I puttered in my garden I found a human turd. I was flummoxed - there was no sign of entry, and nothing else in my backyard was touched that I could see. Why would somebody throw a turd over my fence? I dismissed it as a prank and got over it.
This morning I found a second one, and the fence was damaged as someone had clearly climbed over to take a dump, not disturb anything else, and leave. So now I'm wondering ... my city has a huge issue with homelessness, but there's a perfectly good wooded park right across the street that doesn't involve scaling a fence. And if the motive is vandalism, why wouldn't they have left some graffiti or otherwise done damage? And they went in exactly the same place, all of which constitutes a pattern.
It's not the poop itself that bothers me, but the thought process of someone who would do this bizarre and antisocial thing twice. I'd like to know who it is and why, and whether it's some kind of weird stalking situation that could present a danger. My neighbor on the other side of the fence is sympathetic but not open to doing anything with the fence (it's on her side of the property line so she does have a vote.) I have a porch light that's not terribly effective, and I'll start leaving that on.
Otherwise, I'd be open to some suggestions. I'm a renter so I can't make any modifications to the property. I could get a camera, but that would only help if I recognize the person. And make a police report that I know will fall on deaf ears. If it's a mental health issue I'd welcome it as an opportunity to get the person some help. If it is a stalking thing ... I honestly don't know what I'd do or how I would prove that without a detective's help. It's a sleepy middle class suburb that usually has minimal drama, and my next-door neighbor was shocked when I told her about it.
Thoughts, anyone?
