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Woman Calls Cops After Neighbors ‘Stole’ Package That Was Accidentally Delivered To Her Porch

A man picks up a package on a porch
SDIProductions/GettyImages

The more places you live, the more you learn that neighbors are nothing like sitcoms portray them.

At least not in most neighborhoods.

Neighbors aren’t always best friends.

In fact, in this day and age, some neighbors have become the worst of enemies.

That’s no way to live peacefully.

Case in point…

Redditor ringpackageaita wanted to discuss her experience and get some feedback. So naturally, she came to visit the “Am I The A**hole” (AITA) subReddit.

She asked:

“AITA For calling the cops on my neighbor after they took a package off my porch?”

The Original Poster (OP) explained:

“I (38 F[emale]) live alone in the house I grew up in.”

“It was left to me by my mother after she passed away ten years ago.”

“About four years ago, a couple about my age moved in next door, and we’ve pretty much been at odds since day one.”

“There have been numerous times and issues that we’ve disagreed on.”

“I have three cats that I sometimes let out into my backyard.”

“My neighbors have a dog that would jump the 5-foot chain link fence separating our yards to chase my cats.”

“I told my neighbors if I caught their dog doing it again, I would call the cops.”

“They actually had the audacity to ask if I would be willing to split the cost of a taller privacy fence instead of, you know, training your dog not to jump the fence.”

“Obviously, I refused as I wasn’t the one causing the problem, and the fence is technically on their property anyway.”

“They ended up putting in a taller fence.”

“Then, they asked me to split the cost of taking down an Ash tree that was on their property.”

“It had become infested with some bug that killed the tree, and dead limbs were falling on their driveway.”

“They had the city come out, and the survey guy said the tree was actually about 10% on my property.”

“I told them the tree was theirs, and if they want it down, they’ll have to pay for it because I don’t have a problem with it.”

“Needless to say, we’re not friends.”

“They’ve also thrown some loud, late-night parties that included bonfires and loud music that I had to call the cops for as well.”

“I am currently out of town visiting family for a couple of weeks.”

“I have a friend who comes over to my house every day to check on my cats and check for mail and packages.”

“I have medication for my cats that is delivered regularly.”

“I got a notification the other day that some packages were delivered, so I texted my friend to let them know.”

“But before my friend could get there, I got a notification from my Ring doorbell.”

“I pulled up the live feed and saw my neighbor on my patio.”

“I asked him what he was doing, and he said a package of theirs got delivered to my house by mistake, so he was just grabbing it.”

“I told him to leave and that my friend would bring over his package when she comes over.”

“He said he’s not waiting for that and tried to leave.”

“I told him if he takes a package from my porch, I’m calling the cops.”

“He shoved the package in front of the camera and said, ‘That’s my name and address, OP. I’m taking my package.'”

“Then he walked away.”

“So, I called the police and told them that he stole a package from me, and I have video proof.”

“They said they would investigate.”

“When my friend got there a little later, the police were talking to my neighbors.”

“The police must have left while she was checking on my cats because when she went to leave, it was just my neighbors outside.”

“The husband yelled at her to tell me that I’m a huge a**hole and that I need to take the police off speed-dial and let them deal with more important crap instead of using them as my own personal problem-solving service.”

“So AITA?”

Redditors shared their thoughts on this matter and weighed some options to the question AITA:

  • NTA – Not The A**hole
  • YTA – You’re The A**hole
  • NAH – No A**holes Here
  • ESH – Everyone Sucks Here

Many Redditors declared OP WAS the A**hole.

“YTA. I get the fence thing.”

“You could have pitched in on the tree just to chill things out.”

“Calling the police about the parties without talking to them about it first is very a**hole.”

“If it was his package and it had their name and address on it, calling the cops on them was also an a**hole move.”

“You’re officially an a**hole neighbor now.”  ~ Independent_Tie_4984

“This is a toxic situation.”

“At each step prior to the Ring conversation, I think that you did the right thing.”

“Even calling the cops when they are being loud after previous bad experiences makes sense to me… you don’t need to go beg them to be quiet.”

“But, telling them to leave a package with their name on it is being an a**hole.”

“Sure, call the cops for them trespassing, but they aren’t stealing from you.” ~ odubik

“Because you haven’t tried to build up trust with the neighbor.”

“So, of course, you will be hostile at every interaction.”

“A tree is 10% OPs problem, and they are on the hook if the tree falls and damages property.”

“Whatever your H[omeowners] A[ssociation]’s rules have zero relevance to this situation.”

“I hope you are nicer in person than you act online.”

“It would be hard being friends with someone who only looks out for themselves and disregards anything that is not their problem.”  ~ dragonkin08

“Good neighbors mind their own business.”

“A good neighbor wouldn’t be strong-armed into installing a fence that isn’t theirs or wasn’t intended just because another neighbor can’t control their animals.”

“A good neighbor wouldn’t be strong-armed into contributing to cut down a tree that isn’t their problem, even just 10%.”

“It’s not a problem for you, so why should you have to pay for it.”

“A good neighbor to you just seems like someone you can steamroll to get what you want.”

“Who cares about property value if op didn’t want any of this sh*t to begin with.”

“These neighbors are basically bringing problems to her doorstep she never had, so why is it somehow her responsibility or fault to be the bigger person.”

“Entitled as heck.” ~ skoomakang

“Brit here – if I were picking up a package, I’d walk over to their door and knock on it to say what I was doing, but if they’re not answering and my parcel is right there, I’m taking it.”

“I’d expect them to do the same.”

“Walking up to someone’s door and ringing the bell is not trespassing.”

“If you’re asked to leave, you should obviously do so immediately, and you shouldn’t walk over their garden or anything.”

“But walking up a path to knock on the door of your next-door neighbor is totally normal behavior.”

“In the United Kingdom, police would tell you to stop wasting their time if you reported a neighbor for picking up their own package from your porch.”

“I don’t know what American police would say though.”

“The whole situation is toxic, which is why OP escalated immediately.”  ~ BigBunnyButt

“YTA, huge time.”

“I can’t believe you called the cops after he showed you his name and address on the package.”

“What did you think the cops were going to do once they saw the package had his name?”

“Why do you waste the police’s and everyone else’s time?”

“Do you not have any work to do?”

“He’s right. Stop running to the police. They aren’t your Mommy.”  ~ unpopularcryptonite

“Don’t forget to mention that it’s illegal to use police the way that they’ve been doing.”

“What if there was an actual crime being committed and police couldn’t attend because they were dealing with OP?”

“I’m pretty sure police can arrest people for nuisance calls like this.”

“Also, for parties, isn’t there a time limit with some countries?”

“Like in Australia, anything after 11 pm is a no-no, but until then it’s free for all. Op YTA.”

“I’d hate to have a neighbor like you.”

“You’d probably call child services on a crying baby because it’s disturbing you.” ~ FickleInteraction980

“YTA. Even with the tree, my foot would be down on not paying.”

“What would be the 10%? the branches that overhang the property line? or part of a root?”

“The tree wasn’t planted on OP’s property, so shall bare no responsibility towards it.”

“However, my family had to go 50% on a fence rebuild cause, even though it was on their property, it was considered ‘communal’ as it ran the length of the property line.”

“If anything with the cops called on the last instance, they were technically trespassing.”

“Doesn’t matter if the mail was delivered to the wrong address, they still had to go onto someone else’s property to retrieve it.”

“OP had also got a notification that packages were left and believed it was his cat’s medication.”  ~ RageTiger

“YTA- in soooo many ways.”

“You know in my neighborhood, when something happens, I talk to my neighbors before I do anything else.”

“And you know what has never happened?”

“I’ve never had an issue where I’ve had to call the police.”

“You are seriously an awful neighbor.”

“I get not necessarily wanting to pitch in on the fence, but the way you handle, everything else is rude and confrontational.”

“All the problems that are occurring are stemming from you, not your neighbors.”

‘I actually feel sorry for them. I feel like they would probably be the type of people writing on the Neighbors from Hell sub in Reddit about you based on the things you have listed above.”

“Honestly, become a human and start talking to them versus escalating it, especially since it was their package.”  ~ Roadgoddess

Well, OP, sounds like Reddit has a few issues with your actions.

No doubt, you are in a difficult living situation.

But in order to calm things down a bit, you may not want to be so drastic.

Maybe y’all could try a nice dinner together and talk it all out.

Good luck.