Neighbor(s) throwing trash in front of my house

[trevor15]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? FL
By "trash" I don't mean furniture and garbage but sandwiches, beer bottles etc...Nothing major but still not a pleasant thing to open your gate and find shattered glass and trash everywhere on the street and swale areas.
I catch them on my cameras and it's been going on for quite some time now.
They got smart and started doing it at night only when my cameras don't have great visibility.
I happened to be outside last night when I heard a very loud bang from a shattered glass and quickly ran outside as I saw my neighbor's car passing by and watched him pull into his driveway few houses down the street.Turned out that loud bang was a beer bottle he smashed...

What can/should I do? Is that considered "illegal dumping"?Anything the cops can do or that's a city issue?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

P.S. Just for the record - we don't know them, never even spoken to them for the 8+ years we've lived here.So there is no beef going on between us.Not exactly sure why they are doing it but I'm getting tired of it.

 

[xylene]

What happened when you contract the police about the documented repeated intentional nuisance behavior.

 

[xylene]

Thing is, you don't need to figure it out before going to the police. It is enough that they are breaking bottles on your property. And you have it on camera and saw them with your own eyes.

 

[trevor15]

What happened when you contract the police about the documented repeated intentional nuisance behavior.

I haven't contacted the police yet.Wasn't sure that's an issue they can deal with.That's the reason why I decided to post in this forum first trying to get some help/guidance before I decide what to do.
Should I go and try to talk to the neighbor first or ?...

 

[Zigner]

It is enough that they are breaking bottles on your property.

For the OP: Are they actually putting this trash on your property? Or are they putting this trash on the city street in front of your property?

 

[xylene]

I haven't contacted the police yet.Wasn't sure that's an issue they can deal with.That's the reason why I decided to post in this forum first trying to get some help/guidance before I decide what to do.
Should I go and try to talk to the neighbor first or ?...

Talking to the neighbor sounds like a good way to start a fight. Do you really think anything good could possibly come from that.

You should report the matter to the police. Someone committing a crime against your property is certainly a matter for the police.

If you have other reasons to not involve the police, that may even be understandable, and well that's ball is back in your court. But trying to get satisfaction or a resolution from your neighbor alone is asking for trouble.

Realistically, your options are contact police on a non emergency line, or ignore it

 

[trevor15]

For the OP: Are they actually putting this trash on your property? Or are they putting this trash on the city street in front of your property?

it is not on my property ,it is on the street/swale area right in front of my house.We park our cars on the swale and he broke the bottle right besides my parked car.

 

[xylene]

For the OP: Are they actually putting this trash on your property? Or are they putting this trash on the city street in front of your property?

Smashing up bottles in front of the OP's house could be harassment. A neighbor repeatedly messing with a neighbor for no discrenable reason certainly happens. Especially when it is one of those classy people who are drinking a beer while driving type...

 

[trevor15]

Talking to the neighbor sounds like a good way to start a fight. Do you really think anything good could possibly come from that.

You should report the matter to the police. Someone committing a crime against your property is certainly a matter for the police.

If you have other reasons to not involve the police, that may even be understandable, and well that's ball is back in your court. But trying to get satisfaction or a resolution from your neighbor alone is asking for trouble.

Realistically, your options are contact police on a non emergency line, or ignore it

Yeah, I know.I thought about it and came to the same conclusion so that's the reason I haven't talked to them yet.But if I was gonna do it I would be nothing but nice and polite...definitely not trying to start a fight.But I guess they are looking for one?! IDK..
I was raised not to throw my garbage onto/in front of other's properties.And more than anything I'm just curious to find out what their motives are?! We don't know those people,never talked to them,never done anything wrong ?...like WHY?

 

[Zigner]

Smashing up bottles in front of the OP's house could be harassment. A neighbor repeatedly messing with a neighbor for no discrenable reason certainly happens. Especially when it is one of those classy people who are drinking a beer while driving type...

Not sure why you're addressing that to me...
I was trying to help us (and the OP) figure out the remedies that might be available. Since the items are not being deposited ON the OP's property, the OP has no real civil action to take against the other party.

At this point, the OP needs to be complaining to the police about this matter.

 

[trevor15]

Talking to the neighbor sounds like a good way to start a fight. Do you really think anything good could possibly come from that.

You should report the matter to the police. Someone committing a crime against your property is certainly a matter for the police.

If you have other reasons to not involve the police, that may even be understandable, and well that's ball is back in your court. But trying to get satisfaction or a resolution from your neighbor alone is asking for trouble.

Realistically, your options are contact police on a non emergency line, or ignore it

and no, I absolutely have no reason not to get invloved with the cops.I'm clean as a whistle

 

[not2cleverRed]

I haven't contacted the police yet.Wasn't sure that's an issue they can deal with.That's the reason why I decided to post in this forum first trying to get some help/guidance before I decide what to do.
Should I go and try to talk to the neighbor first or ?...

It's called littering.

The laws against littering are on the books, if rarely enforced. In this case, the fact that it is repeat littering, and involves glass, might interest police. Broken glass is a danger to pedestrians and tires.

 

[trevor15]

Not sure why you're addressing that to me...
I was trying to help us (and the OP) figure out the remedies that might be available. Since the items are not being deposited ON the OP's property, the OP has no real civil action to take against the other party.

At this point, the OP needs to be complaining to the police about this matter.

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do.Thank you for your help guys. I really appreciate it!

 

[Zigner]

I was raised not to throw my garbage onto ... other's properties.

it is not on my property...

Which is it?

xylene mentioned that this might be considered harassment. Here is the link to the law for stalking, which includes harassment. I don't think this action rises to the level required...

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0784/Sections/0784.048.html

 

[quincy]

Here is a link to Florida's litter law: http://codes.findlaw.com/fl/title-xxix-public-health/fl-st-sect-403-413.html

Your city may also have a litter ordinance.

If nothing is being damaged by your neighbor's actions, your neighbor can be fined $100 for the infraction.