I live on a lake. We have wonderful homes here. most folks go away for the winter, and the street is deserted. This year the biggest house decided to rent out their in-law apartment. its been a round robin of bad tenants. (remember the lost beagle?)

The newest tenant is a nut job! Since his arrival, we have been hearing an air horn at all hours of the night and day. The police and the neighbors have been trying to hunt down where this is coming from. Recently in the last month, the air horn is followed by a gun shot. The new tenant is convinced that the other neighbor is blowing his horn at all hours to express his discontent with someone renting the apartment. The neighbor said that the gunshots are coming from the house where the new tenant is at.

DH was out for a walk this morn. the horn blows, and he saw the new tenant lean out the window, aim a rifle at the neighbors house, and FIRE! My DH tried to flag him, yell at him, and get his attention, but he appeared to not even see my DH. SCary!

The police were called. officers showed up, and searched his home. Not only did they find the 22 rifle that has been doing the shooting at all hours, they found the air horn! This man claims he has a sleep walking disorder, and he has the air horn because we are so far in the woods. If he is in trouble he can use it to get help. He said he must have been "sleep walking" and wasnt aware that HE was the one blowing the horn! That he has been firing the 22 rifle at the squirrles to keep them away from the house.

The problem with that story is that he is feeding the squirrels! The yard that is normally manicured is now littered with peanut shells, bird seed, suet, and so forth. Why would you feed the squirrels only to scare them off? He also wasnt aiming at the squirrels when he was leaning out the window! he was aiming at the neighbors house!

How in criminy are we supposed to enjoy the peace and quiet of a winter on the lake, when this nut ball is using an air horn at 2am, scaring himself awake, and then firing a gun to protest the air horn??!!! OMG! What a nut job!

I told my away neighbors that I will NOT be going back to water plants, or check bird feeders. Until the tenant is removed, I dont care if all her plants die. Im scared to walk my normal walking route now.

What should I say to the away neighbors? What should i say to this nut job should I see him. He lies so much I dont think he would know the truth if it bit him. Im scared now. Btw, the cops took his guns, and air horns, but WOW, whats to stop him from getting more?

Wow! Makes my irritating little neighbor with the leaf blower seem comical!!

I hope he's made to move out. Ya'll don't need someone like that in your neighborhood.

Wow!!!!! Dej.

You are right a NUT CASE. Just be careful. I wouldn't walk
around anywhere near him. Your life is more important then the plants.

Just have to tell your neighbors whom you are taking care
of the plants, what is going on.

Jappy

I just got off the phone with the owners of the house. I told her that I am NOT going near the house while this nutter lives there. We reported him to the police, and they came and took away his gun. They searched his house, and took all his weapons. I explained to my friend, I am sorry, but no way am I going near that place. She said she understood. You could hear the frustration in her voice. sorry. not happening.

Thanks for the support.

Never a dull moment in Dej's Hood.

A man who is shooting a gun and trying to blame it on sleepwalking is obviously a threat to others as well as himself. I think social services should be called to determine if the man is mentally sound. The police should have contacted them and had a TDO order issued and he should have been taken for a mental health evaluation. What happens if there are children out there playing during this man's naptime?

I don't blame you I would stay away too!

Yup, your craziness makes my neighbors seem like saints!

Wear a flak jacket and a combat helmet when out on walks from now on...

We used to have neighbors who would come down to the trees behind our house with shotguns to go hunting when we first moved here.

They fired towards the houses once or twice, until I called the Sheriff's office and they quit hunting in the trees behind our house.

Now we've got homeless people in the trees a little further back from the trees at the end of our yard that come and steal things out of our backyards.

Too funny that you mention social services. Last night about dinner time a state vehicle pulled into the driveway there. two nicely dressed women, and one man got out. Clip boards in hand. They stayed about an hour, maybe a bit more.

I got a call from my friend who owns the house before I went to bed. The tenant called them to say Adult protective services paid him a visit, and they dont feel him to be safe out here in the woods. He admitted he doesnt feel safe being so isolated. They are providing him with a city apartment in the elderly section within 60 days. I guess the house was a mess, and it was clear that he isnt capable of basic understandings. He asked them what would happen if he said no, he didnt want to go. They told him they would be required to have him see a therapist, and an MD to determine if he could make such a decision on his own.

After that I got a call from this man's sister. She apologized for the upset that was caused, and told me that she and the other sister were the ones that called APS on him. This incident scared them. They encouraged APS to place him elsewhere, closer to the city, so he can be near services.

I am thrilled! This is scary! For the first time in 60 days NO horns! no gun shots this morn! Wooo! How bizaare.

Where does your neighbor find these tenants who occupy their apartment? Me thinks they need to be a little more selective in the future...

First, its a teeny, tiny apartment. Like 300sq ft. TOTAL that is bed, bath, kitchen, LR and so on. They charge ...get ready...$900 per month! OMG just because its on a lake? It includes all expenses except phone. Most folks just use their cell, and it includes a cell booster plug in should you not be able to get a signal. Its teeny for one person.

When they advertize it to be rented, folks come out of the woodwork! single moms with 3 kids, couples with a big dog, I think its attractive because the apartment buildings in the city do a credit check, and a back ground check. These folks who rent apartments out of their homes, dont. This makes them an easy target for those who are nut jobs, and broke. When they show it to a single woman who announces she has 3 kids, they are amazed at how often the women say "I can make this work."

I think since the financial collapse and so many folks being hucked on the street with the loss of their homes, we have many walking wounded out there, who cant meet the requirements of renting an "official" apartment. These two simple folks who own the house, are not worldly, nor have they had any experience with being hurt, used, or taken advantage of. They tend to be quite trusting, and go out of their way to be helpful.

Its not my house, so I have limited say, but I do encourage them to at least do a police check. You can do a back ground or credit check on someone for very little money. When this guy rented, they said "oh, he is just a sweet old man." I said "something about him bugs me. he seems weird." I asked them to please check him out. The only references they checked were his sisters!

I hope the next tenant gets better screeening. I think these folks are starting to learn that not everyone is truthful.