As the the Five Man Electrical Band sang

[alpha_strike]

At 5:15 this morning there was a young black man in the bushes next to my work truck. My first thought was that it was my next door neighbor's son retrieving Brutus, his mother's little dog that races into our yard as often as Cerberus dashes into theirs*. When I opened the door to say hello and catch up on pleasantries, the man startled like a

Comments

[kefiraahava]

Yeah, that's a problem. Glad it resolved for the moment without incident.

It's probably wrong to burn down the methadone clinic that popped up down the street

Probably. At least without filing the proper permit application. I understand the temptation, however. I guess talking to the clinic proprietors or your various friends in various zoning departments isn't going to help or you'd have done it already.

Is there a way to make the bushes less amenable to people crouching in them/using them as stashing places? No, I'm not thinking land mines because, dog. More along the lines of thorny bushes.

ETA after seeing your ETA: Well, crap. I'm sorry. Do you have cameras rigged? Not that it helps now, but to ID future unwelcome visitors and all?

[alpha_strike]

The bushes are creosote, Texas ranger, and Mexican bird of paradise, none of which are particularly thorny. The hedge is privet, which isn't thorny (or native) at all but is at least 70 years old. I suppose we could rip them out an replace them with crucifixion thorn (nature's barbed wire!) and cat's claw but Cerberus likes to hang out in the bushes to ambush rabbits and I'd rather not.

I'm still voting for heads on pikes.

Cameras are a good suggestion. The police here don't respond to any burglary that doesn't involve a 911 call from someone hiding in a closet because the burglars are actually in the house and would be singularly uninterested in video. Still, the presence of cameras, like an alarm company's yard sign, could be enough to make would-be thieves look for greener pastures.

[brittdreams]

I was thinking cameras or a sign about a dangerous dog. Sorry about your power tools.

[alpha_strike]

I would never post a "Beware of Dog" sign.

The worst personal injury attorney on the planet will use it as prima facie evidence that I knew the dog was dangerous, and I knew the dog might injure someone, and yet I chose to keep this dangerous animal - this serious hazard to the community - in my yard instead of having it destroyed as a reasonable person would

[anonymous]

Well, geez Louise. Sorry about the stolen power tools. Now that it'a jar mw & Mom here at home, I worry more about prowlers and/or burglars. Even though our little town is supposed to be relatively safe.