Unscrewing my outdoor lights.

[Rathji]

My wife came home at 2:30am last night and our motion activated lights did not come on. She assumed the switch was flipped off by mistake and leaves it at that.

Fast forward to today, and one of our neighbours comes over to inform us that she saw someone (another neighbour) come into our yard and unscrew them both from the sockets. We check and sure enough, they are both unscrewed.

I have lots of idea about how to proceed, but I thought the CP brain trust might be able to give me some options that are not based on the hostility I am feeling about the situation.

[Dion]

Do you know this nieghbour and why they might have unscrewed your motion lights?

[flip]

First thought was that they are set off in the night accidentally (maybe you have the settings too sensitive) and they are constantly shinning in someones window and they don't like it.

I know some people that live on the ravine here in Tuscany and they HATE their neighbors because they refuse to take down their sensor light in the backyard, which of course is set of 20 times a night by people and/or animals walking by on the path.

If they didn't have the balls to just ask politely for you to do something about it I say you go out and buy the highest most powerful wattage you can find and turn the sensitivity way up. Maybe get that Canadian company who supplied the giant flood lights for the 9/11 memorial and shine a couple of those bad boys at their house.

[iggnuef]

steal their extension cords!!

or rent a huge flood light from a contruction rental place and blast it into their window at night.......kind of like Clarke Griswald in "Christmas Vacation"

The civil thing to do would go ask them why.....if they get ignorrant then mention that the were trespassing etc etc

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Dion

Do you know this nieghbour and why they might have unscrewed your motion lights?

We know most of the neighbours, but we don't know which one did the unscrewing.

As for why, I can only guess. No one has complained about them before. They only go on when someone gets within about 10-15 feet of the house. The one neighbour said there might have been some drinking going on.

Originally Posted by flip

First thought was that they are set off in the night accidentally (maybe you have the settings too sensitive) and they are constantly shinning in someones window and they don't like it.

I assume that if someone was having this issue they would first ask us to change something, which we would gladly do if we had any idea it was annoying someone. They are set to go on right when you are about to step up onto the deck and stay on for 5 mins.

[SportsJunky]

WTF? Why wouldn't they just come talk to you?

Edit - I see you mentioned drinking. That would explain the shenanigans.

[FlamesKickAss]

Yeah thats Fataing BS. Not safe at all, you have those for a reason.

[photon]

Yeah with the drinking this sounds like one of those "hey watch this'll be funny" kind of things.

[taco.vidal]

1) Do the lights shine directly into anyones windows or even their yard? Does light indirectly lightup someone else property?
If so, Id re-adjust the lights.

2) If the lights dont appear that they should be bothering someone, Id turn them on tonite. Not just the motion sensor but turn them right on. Then go sit in your yard or by your nearest door and watch for anyone that comes into your yard. Leave them on for half an hour or so. If no one comes in, do it again tomorow night.

Either you have an idiot neighour or someone that might want to cause mischief on your property and thats why they unscrewed the lights.

[flip]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

1) Do the lights shine directly into anyones windows or even their yard? Does light indirectly lightup someone else property?
If so, Id re-adjust the lights.

2) If the lights dont appear that they should be bothering someone, Id turn them on tonite. Not just the motion sensor but turn them right on. Then go sit in your yard with a shotgun or by your nearest door and watch for anyone that comes into your yard. Leave them on for half an hour or so. If no one comes in, do it again tomorow night.

Either you have an idiot neighour or someone that might want to cause mischief on your property and thats why they unscrewed the lights.

fixed

[taco.vidal]

If you live in the USA that might be a good option.

Another option might be something like this.... http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page...t=2,51555&ap=1

Leave the motion sensors on and leave this on and someone will get a nice surprise if they come inyour yard.

Motion Activated Sprinkler




This pest-deterring sprinkler is great for protecting gardens by day or night. It has a highly sensitive infrared sensor that operates unattended and sprays when movement is detected. It senses small or large animals and operates 24 hours a day. The energy-efficient circuits operate for up to 6 months (or 3000 cycles) on one 9-volt battery (not included). Attached to your hose, it uses only 2 to 3 cups of water per event, so it can usually be used in communities engaged in water rationing

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by Rathji

My wife came home at 2:30am last night

I'll send her back with a flash light next time. Problem solved.

[Orange]

Originally Posted by Rathji

We know most of the neighbours, but we don't know which one did the unscrewing.

If 90's whodunit movies taught me anything it's always the least obviously. It's the neighbour who told you someone unscrewed them in the first place!

[Peanut]

Yeah, my first thought as well is that the lights are shining into someone's window or yard and after a few drinks (as per your neighbour) they got the great idea to take matters into their own hands. Pretty annoying though.

I'd double check where the lights are shining, adjust if necessary, and hope it was a one time thing.

[Rathji]

As we were sitting down to dinner our doorbell rang. One of the guys across our alley was standing there. Turns out he got a little to drunk for his judgment to be proper and after I didn't answer the front door when I was sleeping he decided to take matters into his own hands. He was very apologetic, so won't hold it against him.

Apparently the light was coming on quite frequently with no reason, so a setting might be buggered. To be safe we lowered the lights and turn the duration down to 1 mins to hopefully avoid the problem in the future.

[Jimmy Stang]

^^^ Still a little strange, but we've all had a few misjudgements thanks to the old al-ke-hol.

[Locke]

Why are you complaining? It could have been worse. We all rue the day someone comes onto CP complaining about the screwing of their outdoor lights....

[ResAlien]

Your extension cords are cool though, right?

[Shazam]

Your house wasn't built on an old Indian burial ground, was it?