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“[Am I The Jerk] For Refusing To Let A Woman Take From My Greenhouse And Pressing Charges”
Woman caught stealing vegetables arguing with police and the actual owner holding a basket of fresh produce outdoors.

“[Am I The Jerk] For Refusing To Let A Woman Take From My Greenhouse And Pressing Charges”

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According to the biblical version, the entire history of humanity began with plucked fruit in a garden, and since then, apparently, this has become a common theme for many conflicts between people. Especially if these people live next door to each other and are still not very familiar.

We’ve told you many stories about neighbors fighting over all sorts of green spaces on their territories – and it’s time for another plot. It first appeared in the narrative of the user u/AITAGreenHouse and, as you probably already understood from the author’s username, we’ll talk about a greenhouse in their garden. However, let’s talk about everything in more detail.

More info: Reddit

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    The author lives in a house in a small, nice neighborhood with kind neighbors with whom he’s always ready to share some vegetables from his greenhouse

    Security camera mounted on a white wall monitoring the area after a thief caught stealing vegetables from the owner.

    Image credits: EyeEm / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    Recently a woman moved into the neighboring house – but the man ended up getting acquainted with her under strange circumstances

    Thief caught stealing vegetables from the actual owner claims she knows the owner in neighborhood garden dispute.

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    Thief caught stealing vegetables claims she knows the owner while picking tomatoes and peppers from a greenhouse.

    Image credits:

    Young woman picking vegetables in greenhouse, caught stealing from the owner and claiming she knows them.

    Image credits: standret / Freepik (not the actual photo)

    The author saw on CCTV camera that someone was in his greenhouse, went there – and caught the neighbor and some teen there, stealing his vegetables

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    Text showing a thief caught stealing vegetables who claims to know the owner but is challenged and threatened with charges.

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    Text screenshot showing a person describing a thief caught stealing vegetables claiming she knows the actual owner.

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    Woman caught stealing vegetables from owner argues with police outside a greenhouse, holding a basket of fresh produce.

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    Image generated by Bored Panda using chatGPT

    The woman first told him that “she had the owner’s permission” but when the author told her he was the owner, she just got dramatic

    Woman caught stealing vegetables claims she knows the owner while being confronted by the actual owner outdoors.

    Woman caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the owner standing near a garden with fresh produce.

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    Text excerpt about thief caught stealing vegetables, breaking a pot with chives after police involvement declined.

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    Text excerpt about a thief who claims to know the owner after stealing vegetables including peppers and tomatoes.

    Image credits:

    The woman refused to drop the vegetables and leave, so the man simply called the police on her – despite all her rants

    So, the Original Poster (OP) tells us that he’s 30 years old and he lives in a small, nice neighborhood, where everyone has known everyone well for a long time. Recently, a woman moved into the neighboring house, but the author met her under very unusual and rather unpleasant circumstances.

    Our hero has a greenhouse in which he grows vegetables. Being quite a kind person, he’s ready to share part of the harvest with his neighbors – if he is asked, of course. But when he saw some movement in his greenhouse through the CCTV camera, he met a new neighbor and some teen there, picking his tomatoes and peppers.

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    When our hero kindly asked what she was doing there, the woman calmly stated that everything was fine and she was friends with the owner of the garden. Then the OP, not so friendly this time, told her that he was actually the owner and that he demanded that she immediately drop all the collected vegetables – or he would call the police.

    Then the neighbor threw a real tantrum, saying that she needed to feed her kid, and the toxic OP wasn’t letting her do it. Our hero didn’t succumb to this provocation, but simply waited for the police, who took the offender away. Most of the neighbors sided with the author in this conflict, but the neighbor’s friends found his Facebook profile and started badmouthing him there.

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    Person holding a basket of fresh vegetables, highlighting a thief caught stealing vegetables from the owner.

    Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)

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    In the comments to his post, the author says that he lives in New England, and if simply trespassing according to state laws is a civil matter, not a criminal one, then stealing vegetables from a neighbor’s garden could cause problems for this woman. Especially if she has also been caught doing something similar in the past. Judging by her behavior, by the way, it’s quite possible.

    Our hero also noted in the comments that he gave the neighbor the opportunity to simply leave, leaving the stolen goods on the ground, but she chose audacity, causing a scandal and even breaking a pot that had some chives growing. Moreover, the behavior of this woman’s friends is also inappropriate, as they found the author’s name on his mailbox, found him on social media and criticized and insulted him.

    People in the comments unanimously supported our hero, claiming that he did everything correctly, and that technically it was indeed theft. She could’ve contacted the original poster beforehand, asked if she could take some vegetables from him – and, quite likely, would’ve received an affirmative answer. But she chose conflict – and got what she deserved.

    Moreover, responders are sure that the initial attempt to lie, that she allegedly knew the owner and had permission to do so, is also an aggravating circumstance in this case. “Get a trespassing charge on her too. If you catch her again, the charges will be worse for her. She deserves it,” someone wrote reasonably. So do you, our dear readers, also agree with this?

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    Most commenters sided with the man, even urging him to get a trespassing charge on her as well

    Comment discussion about a thief caught stealing vegetables from the actual owner, with advice on food assistance programs.

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    Screenshot of a Reddit discussion about a thief caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the owner.

    Screenshot of an online discussion about a thief caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the garden owner.

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    Screenshot of an online conversation about a thief claiming to know the owner after stealing vegetables.

    Screenshot of an online discussion about a thief caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the owner.

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    Online discussion about a thief claiming to know the owner after being caught stealing vegetables from the owner.

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    Screenshot of an online comment discussing a thief caught stealing vegetables who claims to know the owner.

    Comment describing a thief stealing vegetables and lying about knowing the owner of the private greenhouse.

    Screenshot of a Reddit comment discussing a thief caught stealing vegetables who claims to know the owner.

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    Comment discussing consequences after thief caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the owner from the actual owner

    Screenshot of a forum comment discussing a thief claiming to know the owner after stealing vegetables from the actual owner.

    Comment defending owner after thief caught stealing vegetables, mentioning trespassing and stealing without permission.

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    Comment discussing a thief claiming to know the owner after being caught stealing vegetables from the actual owner.

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    Screenshot of an online comment discussing a thief caught stealing vegetables claiming to know the owner.

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    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

    Read less »
    Oleg Tarasenko

    Oleg Tarasenko

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    After many years of working as sports journalist and trivia game author and host in Ukraine I joined Bored Panda as a content creator. I do love writing stories and I sincerely believe - there's no dull plots at all. Like a great Italian composer Joaquino Rossini once told: "Give me a police protocol - and I'll make an opera out of it!"

    What do you think ?
    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
    Premium
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood. Sheesh.

    Betsy S
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Weird thing happened. I have a pear tree and take small bags of pears around to my neighbours. I'd do this even if I had spare of anything. What happens then is the neighbours show up every so often with apples for me. Blackberries they've picked in the park, the too many extra zucchini that their other neighbours gave them, bags of plums, etc. If you show a generous spirit, many people will be generous back. That woman could have shown up with a plate of homemade (or not) cookies to introduce herself and asked if it would be possible to take a couple of tomatoes for their dinner that night. The phrase is "GIVE and take" not "TAKE then give". Always give before taking or ASKING to take.

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    Emilu
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a leech. Ask and people will be a lot more generous than if you steal as though you're entitled (which, protip: you aren't). And to lie when you're busted? Add 'not very smart' to 'leech'. Unbelievable.

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    Mel in Georgia
    Community Member
    Premium
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a way to introduce yourself to the neighborhood. Sheesh.

    Betsy S
    Community Member
    3 months ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Weird thing happened. I have a pear tree and take small bags of pears around to my neighbours. I'd do this even if I had spare of anything. What happens then is the neighbours show up every so often with apples for me. Blackberries they've picked in the park, the too many extra zucchini that their other neighbours gave them, bags of plums, etc. If you show a generous spirit, many people will be generous back. That woman could have shown up with a plate of homemade (or not) cookies to introduce herself and asked if it would be possible to take a couple of tomatoes for their dinner that night. The phrase is "GIVE and take" not "TAKE then give". Always give before taking or ASKING to take.

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    Emilu
    Community Member
    3 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What a leech. Ask and people will be a lot more generous than if you steal as though you're entitled (which, protip: you aren't). And to lie when you're busted? Add 'not very smart' to 'leech'. Unbelievable.

    Load More Comments
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