My neighbor lives next door to a crazy person

Here's one for the books...my best friend Nancy lives north of Miami...she's in her 60's, is the sweetest lady in the world, would never hurt a fly and is so easy to get along with. She has a 2nd home in Mississippi (we became neighbors when I bought the house next door to her). I know what type of person she is and believe me she would never do anything to aggravate so much as an insect much less another person.

Her neighbor in Miami (I'll call her Burtha) has done the following to Nancy's property (a lot when Nancy's away at her other home in Mississippi).

1. Killed her grass
2. Ripped up her chain link fence (claiming it's on her property)
3. taken her lawn chairs and thrown them in the ally along with her garbage can.
4. Removed her hub caps.
5. Curses her when she sees her. (I can't even say what she's said because it's too profane.)
6. Called the city to complain that nancy's tree was drying and had to come down.
7. Called the city to complain that Nancy's storm shutters were still up and needed to come down (despite the fact that Nancy was two states away and could not take them down).

Nancy is trying to put a privacy fence up and everytime nancy runs a line along the property line, Burtha comes home from work and rips the line and the stakes up. Nancy says she's had the police out 5 times in the past 6 months and they're refusing to do anything and say it's a civil matter.

Burtha is claiming Nancy is on her property but according to Nancy's survey (and careful measuring), she's not on Burtha's property...Nancy even moved the stakes in half a foot but Burtha continues to rip everything up.

Nancy is having a new survey done and a building permit done and having contractor out to lay out where she's allowed to put her fence. If the city approves her plans then there should be no question, right?

Today Nancy walked her dogs and Burtha came out and started curing at Nancy. She said, 'there goes the whore with her dogs'. (She's called nancy much worse). Burtha went in and got her dogs to let them do their business in front of Nancy's house...it's on city property (near the curb) but the woman cursed and shot nancy the finger. nancy had her camera and when the lady volunteered to shoot Nancy the finger again, nancy took her picture.

I've suggested Nancy get a handheld recorder and record the outbursts so she'll have some kind of evidence of what is being said to her. Nancy says it's getting to where she cannot even walk outside or walk her dogs.

Nancy says the latest craziness stems from her neighbor demanding $100 so she could pay for a variance and store her boat on her property. She doesn't want to pull the boat in from the back and if nancy put her a privacy fence Burtha will be forced to use the ally. Nancy just wants to live in peace and have a quiet life but this woman is really make nancy's live hell.

Nancy's doesn't have enough money to hire a lawyer or someone to take up surveilence.

What, if anything, can she do? She's at her wits end and I am shocked that the police can't do more. They did file a police report on the last incident but said that Burtha says nancy is on her property and as long as she is then she's going to continue ripping out posts and strings.

Nancy says according to her survey there is no way she's on this woman's property.

Any words of wisdom here?

One more thing...this woman is baligerant to all the neighbors, not just Nancy...no one on the block is safe from this nut. Burtha works for a Federal Judge and I guess thinks she can do what she wants.

Get the media involved....camera, lights, action!

OK, tell Nancy to do a public records check (if possible) and find any 'dirt' on Burtha.

After Nancy has an official survey, she can file incident reports and if the police do not cooperate, she can and should contact the Inspector General listing the incidents, witnesses, results (or lack thereof) of local law enforcement. I wonder if she'd be willing to obtain/collect witness affidavits from other 'victim' neighbors. Below, please find Florida trespass law:

TRESPASSING / TRESPASS
810.08 Trespass in structure or conveyance.--

(1) Whoever, without being authorized, licensed, or invited, willfully enters or remains in any structure or conveyance, or, having been authorized, licensed, or invited, is warned by the owner or lessee of the premises, or by a person authorized by the owner or lessee, to depart and refuses to do so, commits the offense of trespass in a structure or conveyance.

(2)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, trespass in a structure or conveyance is a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(b) If there is a human being in the structure or conveyance at the time the offender trespassed, attempted to trespass, or was in the structure or conveyance, the trespass in a structure or conveyance is a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

(c) If the offender is armed with a firearm or other dangerous weapon, or arms himself or herself with such while in the structure or conveyance, the trespass in a structure or conveyance is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Any owner or person authorized by the owner may, for prosecution purposes, take into custody and detain, in a reasonable manner, for a reasonable length of time, any person when he or she reasonably believes that a violation of this paragraph has been or is being committed, and he or she reasonably believes that the person to be taken into custody and detained has committed or is committing such violation. In the event a person is taken into custody, a law enforcement officer shall be called as soon as is practicable after the person has been taken into custody. The taking into custody and detention by such person, if done in compliance with the requirements of this paragraph, shall not render such person criminally or civilly liable for false arrest, false imprisonment, or unlawful detention.

(3) As used in this section, the term "person authorized" means any owner or lessee, or his or her agent, or any law enforcement officer whose department has received written authorization from the owner or lessee, or his or her agent, to communicate an order to depart the property in the case of a threat to public safety or welfare.

History.--s. 34, ch. 74-383; s. 22, ch. 75-298; s. 2, ch. 76-46; s. 1, ch. 77-132; s. 33, ch. 88-381; s. 185, ch. 91-224; s. 1233, ch. 97-102; s. 4, ch. 2000-369.

Dee, I'm sorry your dear friend has such a *itchy neighbor and hope she finds much needed peace.

WHen I hear about something like this is reeeeeeeeealy makes me grateful and thankful my neighbors are so nice.

Mustang Gal...I sent you a PM.

I'm with you JJ...I wonder if there's a reality show in this somewhere? Who's got the crappiest neighbor?

This woman sounds like a nut case!!!!

I'd still call the police because if she has the records to show the destruction is on her property, it isn't a civil case...it is criminal trespassing! I might be tempted to get a restraining order too and have her served with it just as a reminder to STAY AWAY. Most localities, you just have to walk into a police department to get a restraining order, no legal fees involved. If not that, just keep filing complaints cops. Just because she works for a federal judge, she's not immune and this isn't a federal level problem, it is a city or county level problem. Your friend shouldn't be afraid of someone simply because of the job they have...heck, for all we know that federal judge can't stand her either and doesn't have a way to get rid of her out of his staff

I would seek a quiet life..Not out of cowardice or fear but because life and each day is so precious .This would bother me too much.
"Shake the sand from my shoes"
Mountain ash

Dee, your friend has to continue documenting in detail every trespass and threats made on her property and person. Likewise, it would help to journal all calls made to the police and the outcome of those calls. In that way, IF and WHEN facts negate offences to property in terms of title and relative damage, the neighbour could still be held criminally liable for offences against your friend under common law assault IF and WHEN the neighbour intentionally or recklessly does an act which makes your friend fear immediate personal violence or suffer injury.

There should be some senior advocate service there she can go to, but she must have all her ducks in a row, proof positive. I would hire a private detective for a couple of days, its well worth the money and shouldn't cost her an arm and a leg. Maybe one or more of the neighbors would share the cost...

Good to see you, Lola. You have been missed.

In addition to all the suggestions above, Nancy might want to call together the neighbors to have a meeting. Eveyone should begin to document, take pictures, call the police, etc. The more documentation, the more calls to the police, the more likely she is to get something done by the police.

On the other hand, Mountain is always so wise. Maybe just sell and move.

The fact this lady has a second home and therefor may have emotional ties in another place let me to say what I shared.
This kind of harrassment must make her life full of anxiety.

A dear old lady (former matron of a mental hospital) moved from next door to me to a home in the city suburbs.Next to a childrens park..At night the older kids gathered on the swings etc. They threw the dog poo bags over the wall.Opened gates..threw bottles that broke etc.Her son did everything.Through police and politics.Nothing worked.I went on one visit and she had up to fifty of these bags gathered in her bin.This saddened me.She was in her nineties a clever woman who had done so much for society.That she should have to tolerate this was criminal.She moved to a safer more secure flat...loved there until 100 years of age.Only moving to care after a hospital stay.
We return to our homes and care and are concerned.The person has to sleep and live in that house never knowing what a day will bring.
Mountain ash

It's a shame anyone has to put up with this kind of behavior from anyone...much less a neighbor...Instead of the good folks moving, the nuts ought to have their own community so they can be disruptive with each other instead of hurting decent people.

I think Anno had a great suggestion in finding neighbors who have had abuse from this woman as well. Band together...take notes, call the media after sufficient evidence has been accumulated and let them know the POLICE have chosen to ignore it. The squeaky wheel gets the worm. Okay, that's not exactly right, but Daddy use to say that when he had dementia and it cracked me up. My point? MAKE NOISE ABOUT IT. Authorities only want the noise to go away...they will listen if you are LOUD enough.

I must agree with Mountain Ash. Git while the gittens good, if at all possible. This horribly sad neighbor will likely never change. Even if Nancy gets through this dilemma there will come another and another. Life and each day is too precious and short for this kind of abuse! I thank the Lord for my good neighbors and Nancy should have the same privilege!

a few things have happened in the past couple of days. A firefighter friend of Nancy's heard of her problems and stopped by to tell her that a police report had been filed awhile back in which this woman was suspected of trying to poison a dog in the neighborhood with a rice cake. The dog had been trained to take food only from its owner and the woman was found hiding in the ally behind a bush at night. Okay...that really sounds weird but Nancy has the name of the guy (a neighbor) who lodged the complaint. The fireman also has a friend who can hook her up with security cameras.

A guy from the city came by today to mark the water line. She also received approval for her fence by the city and her property line is correct. The city rep said if this lady tries to remove any kind of fence again that she can brought up on charges.

As for Nancy moving...she's talked about that...at the moment she's trying to do what she can to make space between her and the lunatic next door. The reason the woman doesn't want a fence is it won't give her enough room to move her boat...she doesn't want to have to bring it in and out from the back by the ally...so she expects nancy to accomodate her instead of respecting that nancy has a right to a fence on her property. Can you spell S E L F I S H

Dee,
My neighbor across the street had an eight foot high privacy fence installed, a sturdy wooden one so his neighbor next door to him can't see through it, or over it. The man was behaving similar to that nut next to your friend Nancy. It sounds like Nancy may be getting the help she needs. Tell her to remain cautious however, these people can be dangerous and vindictive and generally don't go away peacefully...

Sorry to hear about your neighbor...we're certain this isn't going to stop...the fence will probably just make her worse...I'm like JJ...squeaky wheel. I'm a firm believer in fighting for what's right when someone like this pops up into my life...and I quit only when the problem has been taken care of or it becomes not worth the hassle. I guess all those years of being in the military and civil service taught me how to dig and dig until I found a solution (officers don't like hearing no)...so I learned how to ask questions and keep asking until I found the answers and the person who could help me.
When larry and I first moved into our home 3 years ago we were having a problem with the city not coming out to keep a ditch clean that runs through part of our property that belongs to the city. After tropical storms and hurricanes come through here it can be a mess...we do our part but the city tends to lag on theirs...we gave them sufficient time to get to us but when that was ignored and six months went by I finally took photos of the flooded area and emailed them to the town mayor...that afternoon a crew arrived and the ditch was cleaned out. It's all about being persistent and not stopping the first time you hear 'no'. I realize not everything will be solved or resolved or easy, but when it is possible and someone doesn't want to be bothered then I tend to go up the chain until my squeaky wheel gets oiled...9 out of 10 times it works...because people really get tired of the squeak after awhile.
Anyone else have experience squeaking their wheels?

In the past I would have been all for the Police...recording and even confrontation..eg. going to homes(first following the teens who were bothering my friend)Such was my mindset.

My friends son is an influencial business man,.He too took the high road.Go to a Member of Parliament.

But I saw a peson I cared for being scared...angry and picking up bags of dog s--t. A person who was in charge of the main pysciatrict hospital in the city.

This all went on for so long and the out come was she moved,
The person who bought the house...has the same issue..
My friend though as there was a man now there things would change the behaviour continued.
A nasty game from people who will never realise the full impact of the actions.
I saw precious years spoiled by brats.who were led by older and probably antisocial people.who knows what they could have led on to do.
This example changed my perspection.
Mountain ash

Sounds like this neighbor is an angry, unhappy person. Everything needs to be done through the proper channels. Justice will be served.

Nancy received more good news this afternoon...the name and address of the neighbor who filed the complaint against the nut case and the approximate date the incident happened. The entire neighborhood is behind Nancy so I think this will probably eventually turn around...
Anne...I'm with you...I live in a peaceful, quiet neighborhood and love it.
Chickadee...angry, unhappy and perhaps unstable?

I am and always have been the squeakest wheel around. I learned when my first husband was dying to stick my nose in everything and make things happen. I however am more apt to stick up for my friends and family before myself. My family have always lovingly called me their enforcer...

Chatty...THAT's awesome...being there for your family...now that's awesome! I hope your family appreciate you.

My sister always tells them when she is complaining about someone maybe bothering her or causing her to feel bad, "Don't tell Char she'll fly out here and give them a piece of her mind!" Yes, the know me well, and do know what I am capable of on their bahalf. Especilly my mom, no one better ever cause her grief. But on the other hand I also am the peace maker between family members or friends, being able to see and understand both sides of a problem. I think you have to be willing to be both from time to time. It is alot quieter in my life now however, living far from my family... Dee I have a feeling you might be the same way with yours and Larrys familys.

In addition to all the above excellent comments: a motion-sensor hidden video camera.

Dee, glad to hear things are turning for the good!

Chatty...I try to be a peace maker but I'm not always the flavor of the month in his family, especially when I have to go up against members who try to walk on Larry the way they'd done before I came into the picture. Everyone in larry's family (except his older sister) has stepped out of line one way or another and it's taken me and Larry standing together to get them to understand that that isn't allowed anymore. It's taken time but they're coming around and Larry receives a whole lot more respect now than when he did when I first met him. Also, his kids are getting older...I think that helps some, too.
I talked to Nancy today and she's got her work cut out for her but she's determined to see this thing through. I'm hoping, for her sake, that things calm down once she gets the privacy fence put up. Merideth, we've talked about her getting motion sensors...she's looking into it as is the camera. Thanks for the suggestions.

Nancy's neighbor came home today with a security team who rigged her boat with cameras and security sensors. Nancy thinks her neighbor knows nancy is going to erect a fence and of course her neighbor's boat is on the property line which may set off the alarm as they try to erect Nancy's fence. This is really getting bazaar.

I suggest a restraining order backed up with the finger photo and anything on tape. She can have the restraining order delivered by a guy with a gun (like I did once). Good story, you could see his gun when he walked up to a person and you could see his other gun when he walked away. That sent a message.

Then get the media involved as JJ suggested. Your friend can't change this woman, but your friend can put a "For Sale" sign in her front yard. I sure hope her house is worth more than she paid for it and this nut case isn't armed.

The LAW is on Nancys side so tell her to have a Sheriff's Deputy or Police Officer there when they begin the work. I am sure they would be happy to oblige Nancy, and she needs to be sure she has her legal documents in hand.

If this b/witch were my next door neighhbor, I'd find the nearest Oleander Bush and make her a cocktail!!!
BYE, BYE, to one nuisance neighbor.

It's gotten much worse. Much worse. Nancy went out to walk her dogs. She has them on leashes...she'd just seen her neighbor go into her house so Nancy felt safe about going out. Evidently, this woman raced out her back door with her own two dogs, went down the ally in the direction she saw nancy going and was walking towards nancy. She let her dogs go and they raced towards nancy and her dogs...the dogs got into a fight...she said the woman was laughing at her. nancy was so distraught that by the time she got home she called me...I begged her to call the police but she said she couldn't think straight, her heart was pounding and she needed to lie down. I called the police in her district and spoke to an officer who said Nancy must call them when these things happen...we talked a bit about what's been going on...he found it a bit humerous that nancy would call me instead of the police...I didn't think any of it was funny and steered him back to the issues I felt were important.
I called nancy back...by then she had taken her sleeping pill and was too drowsy to talk...I called her this morning and she said the police had just left...she was upset with herself for not having the strength to call them last night but at least she finally did. They took her statement and have lodged a harassment complaint and will go to this woman's home tomorrow morning before she goes to work. Nancy feels like she's a prisioner in her own home now and the incidences are escalating to violence. This woman is insane and dangerous and twisted is she finds sicing her dogs on a 66 year old woman who is out walking her dogs.
The policeman looked at the fence the woman has torn down and the boat and has included in his statement that Nancy is in fear of her safety. Is this not the unfairest thing or what? I truly fear this woman is going to do something that will hurt Nancy or worse.

If that neighbour were here, I'd have had those dogs taken away from her in an instant! Surely there must be some legislation in Nancy's neck of the woods regarding owner's liability and responsibility for their dogs where Nancy can have her written up for that as well. Seems to me to be an irresponsible owner apart from being such an anti-social neighbour. Does Nancy have a camera phone? Might be best to have that on her when she takes her dogs out and document what goes on.

I have read where ongoing disputes end in someone collapsing.A man protecting his property in one instance.

What I have realsied is that although I like my life to be peaceful...as do most people.
Others differ.
Indeed seem to thrive on confrontation.These people are good at what they do..go on as if driven.Most likely be a mental health issue.I am sorry Nancy has to put up with this.
Mountain ash

I am sure the dog pound could be called if the dogs are running loose.

Is Nancy close with any of the neighbors? Could she ask one of them to accompany her when she goes out to walk the dogs? With a camera, of course.

I need to clarify letting her dogs go...she had them on a releasable leash...the kind that will allow the dog to move ahead but they're still on a leash...that's what she did...allowed the dogs to run ahead to where nancy was...they were still on a leash...doesn't matter...she allowed her dogs to attack Nancy's...
the police went to Nancy's neighbor this morning to speak with her and after they left her neighbor stood in her back yard staring into nancy's yard with a reall pissed off look on her face...god only knows what's going through her mind.

Send Nancy a can of Mace or Pepper spray (perfectly legal to carry) that she can take with her when walking her dogs. If Looney Tunes lets her dog go towards Nancy and her dogs again, spray them...They get a snoot full of either of those and they will never forget it and NEVER approach Nancy or her dogs again. Too bad she can't spray the old bat from next door. Isn't there a man she knows that can stay there awhile with her and act as her body guard? May sound dumb but if that woman sees a man around she may back off.

So Dee, what ever happened to Nancy and the neighbor from hell . I am hoping 'no news' means 'good news.'

Oooooohhhh! Dee, where are you???

Nancy put up a privacy fence...that's working so far...we'll keep our fingers crossed. Nancy's in Mississippi for 3 months...that's also time when her neighbor likes to destroy her property, kill her grass, etc...we'll see.