Webcams and Lousy Neighbors

[CivilWarProvost]

Hallo!
Let me give you some backround info first...
We live in a very nice apartment complex, there is nothing wrong with it except 2 families of neighbors and their friends.

They both moved in about a year or so ago and since the start there have been several complaints. Drinking past 10 (Town curfew / apartment curfew) and have destroyed and not even admitted to us about ruining some of our garden objects. They also make snoody rude comments when my family walks by (My wife is permanently injured from a car accident) because we wish not to have toys and trucks (The big ones young kids can drive) on the side walk in our way. I do not want to sound mean or absurd here but they are saying we complain because we are caucasion and they are African-American. That is very very false! They play in our yard in front our our apartment when there are 5 acres of grass and play things (swingsets, monkey bars) out back, but no, they play volleyball or kickball in front of our window all day.

They are about 30 and their kids are from 3-8. The one family has a girl thats 2 or 3 maybe one but is hungry or such,wants to go in,tired, something but the parents still sit on there drinking hootin and hollerin.
Also they have their computer speaker up so lound it rattes up stairs and to the backs apartment windows. We were sick of it! It finally boiled over yesterday when the whole "gang" of em (friends,them, their kids, people who dont even live here just hanging out ((This is Private Property))). They threw a water balloon at our window, it exploded in our window. Our visiting neighbor (our friend from upstairs) went out and told them to knock it off. She said "crap" and the parents got all offended, believe their rap and language is alot worse! So the apartment manager came and told them this was their last chance, they blew it right then and there with some of the things said. Slurs and such to our neighbor (who is lesbian, but we dont care what she is or anyone is). They are getting evicted, its gone on for too long. But we mentioned we saw who broke our stuff, we have a webcam trained at our garden, that is also catches who makes and breaks our garden things. They were in shock. They were so offended they started to say it was illegal.
(After the cop left to try to settle this people down).

We know its not, its in our house, trained on our garden. So one feller' came up right trhrough our garden and took a picture right into our house by the webcam. The police that came over the second time is going to have someone develope them, and go from there, but his plea was "I was taking pictures of the flowers" A 17 year old male interested in flowers? "?"
Well they are getting the notice this morning, but I am afraid of property damage to like our car or something.

What should we do, please?

[sbrad]

Keep the camera rolling and hope they go quietly.

[Scruit]

Keep it running - just be sure there is no valid complaint for violation of privacy, so make sure you can only see into you own property or public property.

Did you say the police took the camera from the kid who took pics into your house? And the police are going to develop the pics? Either way, can you talk to the police about how to serve some kind of tresspass notice prohibiting him from entering your garden again? Sometimes it's a from, sometimes you just have to tell them to their face (nicely!) while the officer is present to see it.

If you have proof of who is damaging your property then there are criminal and civil remedies available to you but if the damage is cheap then you'd be better just letting it go if it means they will go away quietly. That will get you where you need to go more quickly.

One last piece of advice - what camera are you using? Try a Logitech QuickCam Pro 4000 (or any other CCD camera) - the image quality difference between that and the cheapers CMOS sensor cameras is HUGE.

[CivilWarProvost]

It is just a normal one. Yes, we can see what goes on, its the apartment property the garden is on but we have gotten permission by the apartmewnts for the garden and the camera.


Andrew

[txinvestigator1]

Move?

[CivilWarProvost]

Tx - It is not as easy to just get up and move when you have a whole family here. This is a good neighborhood so people dont move that often where there are houses for sale. We were here first, enjoyed life here, and then that. But we are moving.

Andrew

PS - in NY State Does a Sherrif Need to Serve the eviction? Or the property manager?

[txinvestigator1]

I didn't say it was easy. I haved moved becasue of neighbors just like you describe. PITA, I know.

[REDDEVIL]

I got some lousy neighbors. They're outside day and night. They're always fighting and screaming. The craziest thing is that I have never seen any adults and other neighbors have told me the same thing. I don't think they have any adult supervision. Any cops from123rd precint would like to help the neighborhood. Eventhough cops have been to that location and they looked scared of the freaking teenagers.

[Jynkxxie]

I wouldn't move for ****...What the hell happened to people taking personal responsibility for themselves? You wanna make my life hell? Go ahead...I will just sit and get it all on tape. I am currently doing the same thing to my neighbors...they have no idea what could be in store for their future...

I guess I figure, hell, my tax dollars are already paying their way now, why not make the way a little more uncomfortable...;) I am sure the county jail would be perfect.