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Problem with a bum
Arch Guru XX
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
My wife and I just recently moved into a new apartment in Long Beach, CA. It's a really nice area, right next to the beach, low-crime, lots of high-income families, etc. Our place is the upper half of a duplex, and the stairs leading up to our door have a switchback in the middle - you go up five or so stairs, then make a u-turn on a landing to go the rest of the way up. The landing, unfortunately, is extremely well-hidden from the street.
We have had a problem with a homeless guy chilling out in our landing to smoke and to sleep. Called the cops on him once, they moved him along no problem. Didn't see any trace of him for several weeks, then we started seeing cigarette butts, matches, and occasional burn markings on the landing (which is wooden - the fire situation worries me). It was clear that he was stopping by either while we were asleep and leaving before we left the apartment, or he was coming during the day while we're at work.
On Saturday morning at about 5:00am I woke up after dreaming about a fire. I was about to go back to sleep when I thought, 'hey what if I'm subliminally smelling smoke or something.' So I got up to check and sure enough the guy was there, sleeping on the landing (there is a mostly-opaque window in our door that has a few spots you can see through, and the landing is well-lit internally). Called the cops, an officer came along and sent the guy on his way.
This morning at about 6:00am I check again, and the guy was back. This time the police sent three cars and hassled the guy pretty good, though they did not book him. Also I'll note here that I have not spoken to any of the officers who came out, just watched from the living room. Anyway, I went back to bed and eventually went out to get breakfast. That's when I discovered that the bum literally took a shit on the landing. So I spent considerably more time than desired cleaning up human feces today.
I don't think I have ever been more enraged at the behavior of a person than earlier this morning. When I was out getting cleaning products I was literally hoping to see him on the street so I could get out of my car and beat on the guy until I got dragged off.
My question to you, H/A, is what can I do about this asshole? I'm going to call the police back to see if there are any options, though since the guy is gone and the shit is cleaned up, I can't see what there would be. Right now I feel like there is a good chance this guy will be back; he doesn't seem to be getting the message from the cops. My first instinct right now is, should we see him on the landing again, to just run down and start kicking the shit out of him, but I don't want to be arrested for assault, and I also don't want to catch any nasty diseases he might be carrying. Thoughts on how to make this guy learn that it is not okay to smoke, sleep, or shit on my landing?
TL : DR - Bum sleeping/smoking/shitting on my landing, called the cops several times, he's been back, what do I do that doesn't get me arrested for felony assault but also convinces this asshole not to come back?
We have had a problem with a homeless guy chilling out in our landing to smoke and to sleep. Called the cops on him once, they moved him along no problem. Didn't see any trace of him for several weeks, then we started seeing cigarette butts, matches, and occasional burn markings on the landing (which is wooden - the fire situation worries me). It was clear that he was stopping by either while we were asleep and leaving before we left the apartment, or he was coming during the day while we're at work.
On Saturday morning at about 5:00am I woke up after dreaming about a fire. I was about to go back to sleep when I thought, 'hey what if I'm subliminally smelling smoke or something.' So I got up to check and sure enough the guy was there, sleeping on the landing (there is a mostly-opaque window in our door that has a few spots you can see through, and the landing is well-lit internally). Called the cops, an officer came along and sent the guy on his way.
This morning at about 6:00am I check again, and the guy was back. This time the police sent three cars and hassled the guy pretty good, though they did not book him. Also I'll note here that I have not spoken to any of the officers who came out, just watched from the living room. Anyway, I went back to bed and eventually went out to get breakfast. That's when I discovered that the bum literally took a shit on the landing. So I spent considerably more time than desired cleaning up human feces today.
I don't think I have ever been more enraged at the behavior of a person than earlier this morning. When I was out getting cleaning products I was literally hoping to see him on the street so I could get out of my car and beat on the guy until I got dragged off.
My question to you, H/A, is what can I do about this asshole? I'm going to call the police back to see if there are any options, though since the guy is gone and the shit is cleaned up, I can't see what there would be. Right now I feel like there is a good chance this guy will be back; he doesn't seem to be getting the message from the cops. My first instinct right now is, should we see him on the landing again, to just run down and start kicking the shit out of him, but I don't want to be arrested for assault, and I also don't want to catch any nasty diseases he might be carrying. Thoughts on how to make this guy learn that it is not okay to smoke, sleep, or shit on my landing?
TL : DR - Bum sleeping/smoking/shitting on my landing, called the cops several times, he's been back, what do I do that doesn't get me arrested for felony assault but also convinces this asshole not to come back?
Should have been a rock star.
Arch Guru XX on
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Electronic composer for hire.
That said, it's not acceptable for this guy to be shitting and lighting fires on your dock. But unfortunately your only real outlet here, aside from gating the area, is the police. It's not your job to enforce the law, that's for a professional to do. You need to have a chat with the local police and inform them of your safety concerns and the dangers. Primarily the fires and your family's own safety. Make a point to stress that your wife is uncomfortable with a strange man hanging outside the house, that will escalate the situation greatly.
Since this is a reoccurring event, I'd ask to talk to the person in charge of the police station. They will want to cooperate with you, especially given the compromises to safety. Also be understanding, though, that the police are extremely busy and moving the homeless around is pretty low on the list of priorities. They probably thought shoo'ing this guy off would be the end of it, as is frequently the case. Your priority here is to stress it is reoccurring and a safety hazard, and simply cannot be allowed to continue.
Other options that are less likely to be effective include making the area he hangs out in less comfortable. Unfortunately, most of these options include costly measures or making your own dock area unappealing to yourself.
Talk to the landlord about installing lighting. Basically, light the area up like a Christmas tree. This discourages people from hanging around. Also consider some sort of gate or fencing if possible. Your landlord likely doesn't want bums shitting or lighting fires on his expensive apartment complex either. You might even want to have your landlord get involved and talk to the police as well. There's no way, in his business, he wants this sort of thing happening on his property.
Good luck and stay safe.
Warframe: TheBaconDwarf
Even if the light suddenly switching on as he arrives doesnt chase him off, it will make it easier for you to know that he is there, so you can chase him off yourself (or get the police to do it).
The key to getting rid of the guy is making it not worth his while to go there. At present he is probably getting a few hours sleep before getting discovered, which is probably not to bad a strike rate when you are homeless. If you can cut that time down to minutes, he will probably try to find somewhere a little easier.
Yeah so he's stepping over glass on his own deck.
Not to mention buddy can sweep it off with a dirty coat or something.
I would suggest not spreading glass.
See if you can't make it unpleasant though somehow.
Perhaps a small stinkbomb or something. I dunno, I'm reaching.
Make sure to talk to the police officers next time. It's possible that they all think this is a first-time occurrence because it isn't the same police officer dealing with the situation.
Now that the fecal matter is gone (my condolences, that is utterly disgusting
If you've been this patient with the guy, don't go beating the shit out of him, even if he deserves it. The fact of the matter is, you don't want to be the guy charged with assault, or if this bum has some sort of health problem, you don't want to be the guy charged with accidental manslaughter for giving him a swift punch to the gut and he can no longer breathe.
In Summary: I'd try a more detailed talk with the police before this happens again. The fact of the matter is, he thinks it's okay to go and sit out on your landing, because there are no consequences - it's a place to rest for hours on end until he eventually gets kicked out.
Anyway, consider getting into Neighborhood Watch. Motion detector floodlight is good. Going down to the police (sub-)station is a good idea, but be sure you don't come off like a pompous jackass. Explain to whoever you can that you've got a wife you're concerned about, and if you've even remotely considered having children, mention that you're having kids soon, and you really can't have a guy sleeping on your stairs and shitting on them -- which he probably did as revenge. I think this is a good sign, in that he's getting annoyed at his treatment. Keep getting him rousted, and he'll move on to someplace that's easier on him.
Oh yeah, if/when you do go down to the cop shop, mention that he pooped on your stairs. Start taking pictures of everything he does, so that if you do have to swear out a complaint, there's something for the cops to know what's going on. And yeah, call your landlord too. Keep him/her/them aware of what's going on, so you don't get hit with damages to the property when you move.
I forgot to mention this :x
Have you considered talking to the police about how he's trespassed on your private property __ times? He's committed the same crime more than once, and his most recent visit, he's broken at least two more laws.. although I'm not sure if you can try for public indecency on private property. He sure did expose himself, though, and that is a crime.
If nothing else works, I'm another advocate for automatic flood lights.
I never thought I'd type that sentence.
What we did was call the police, they took a report, and monitored the area for a few days. We think they caught the guy, since nothing else happened.
My situation is a touch different though, because he broke in and THEN took a shit.
My advice (from experience, sadly) is now that he's shat, you can arrest the bastard.
You know, I can't help but think he didn't flush... the further thought occurs that perhaps said object wasn't near the toilet...
Also, as others have said leave it to the police.. don't do anything stupid like glass on the floor etc. A motion activated light is a good idea you just want to make it uncomfortable for the bum to be there not to cause injury etc.
---
I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
Edit:
Here's from http://www.longbeach.gov/police/info/default.asp
Probably won't be the actual solution to your problem, but seems to me it could lead directly to your solution. Good luck!
Landlord/Police are the best actions as other people have suggested.
Satans..... hints.....
I think the most effective thing you can do is speak to your landlord and get a locked gate put up at the entrance. A gate that is high enough so that he can't jump over it would be best but don't get the ones with the decorative spikes, wouldn't want to find him impaled. Actually, a metal door is probably better.
If the landlord won't pay for the whole thing themselves, speak to the lower tenant and see if they will go halvsies with you. But shit, given your situation I wouldn't mind paying for the gate myself.
However, that being said, talk to your landlord and see if they would be will to press charges. This is more than vagrancy or loitering on public property. The guy is trespassing and vandalizing private property, and possibly creating a serious health hazard both with putting cigarettes out on a wooden deck and leaving his poop there, and causing damage to the property that the landlord would later need to repair. That might put a fire under him, so to speak.
I thought you could just chase them off yer lands with a gun?
has hollywood been lying to me, again?
Give him a good spray down while he is sleeping. It may just piss him off, but if he does anything more retaliatory the cops would probably give him a little more than just a talking to.
Or just set up a sprinkler to water the porch all night. Not cheap, but it might work.
Thanks for all the suggestions/comments. Maybe next time the police come he'll make a break for it or something - that woudl be fun to watch.
Hopefully the shit on the landing was his way of giving you a final fuck you and that'll be the last of him you see.
Of course they would like to live nice area where the trash is gourmet @_@.
― Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You'll Go!
That is a terrible idea.
The shitting should be a breaking point. Not only is it extremely nasty it was likely left as a threat because you called the cops on the guys a couple times. That's called escaluation and it's never a good thing.
Here's what to do: for the next week or so save up your faeces. By the end of this time you should have enough to smear it all over the landing. On the wood, the windows, the railing, even the ceiling. This will completely mask his scent.
Good luck!
That being said you probably shouldnt piss him off too much, what is to stop him from burning the place down? going to prison for arson or murder would still be a step up for him (off the streets and food in his belly). Granted prison is probably not a big step up but it is a roof over your head. He is homeless for godsakes what does he have to lose?
Also i woyuldnt worry too much about a cigarette creating a fire on the deck itself, more likely cause would be a cigarette in the grass during a dry season.
World of Warcraft IS a drug, if you are playing it seek rehab immediately.