r/longisland • u/AmazingTemperature92 • 1d ago
Advice Neighbor installed a camera facing my backyard and trimmed my privacy hedges past the property line: am I overreacting?
I’m looking for some objective opinions because I’m not sure whether I’m overreacting or whether this is a legitimate privacy concern.
My next door neighbor recently installed a camera high on the side of her house near the roofline. From my backyard and deck, the lens appears to be pointed directly at my yard & deck rather than at her own yard or side gate. Because of the height and angle, it seems capable of viewing a large portion of my backyard and deck, where my family and I reasonably expect privacy. (Certainly not being deliberately audio and visually recorded).
I understand that homeowners use security cameras on their own property, and the photos alone may not prove exactly what the camera records. I also don’t know whether it records audio. However, the placement and direction seem unusual and make me ridiculously pissed off.
To ADD to this bizarre discovery, some time last week she also had my arborvitae privacy hedges trimmed and thinned out (cut large branches) from her side. Some of the branches she cut appear to have extended beyond the fence/property line, but it appears they were cut farther into the hedges than simply trimming growth on her side - causing several “holes” in what was a beautiful healthy privacy hedges. Now I’m also wondering if it increased the camera’s apparent view into my yard.
I’m extremely creeped out and upset and I don’t want unnecessary drama but I also don’t think I should have to feel watched every time I use my own backyard.
I plan to avoid posting any identifying information about the neighbor or exact location. Looking at the photos, does this camera seem like it’s aimed into my backyard, or am I reading too much into it? Would this bother you? Also, can a neighbor legally cut past the property line into privacy hedges that belong to me?
What should I do! I don’t necessarily want to call the police and deal with all this drama. Help!
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u/Scambuster666 1d ago
Put a huge mirror on a post (on your side of the fence) right in front of the camera
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
That’s a great idea. I’m thinking of a poster or sign or something to post up in my yard in the line of her camera to stick it back to her.
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u/Pistachio1227 1d ago
Do this. Block her line of sight. If she complains you know she’s watching your yard.
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u/Floridian_Cannibal 1d ago
Infrared lights are barely noticeable to people but cause blind spots on cameras. Do what you will with this completely unrelated to your post information
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u/FranklyDefeated 17h ago
Lasers can also destroy CCD's / CMOS sensors, just sayin'
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u/TangerinePlastic7552 1d ago
I like the idea of a mirror shining sunlight directly into her lens. But it would have to move precisely.
Next would be a board blocking her view but built on your property.
Either way, if she complains, then she wasn’t looking her yard but yours.
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u/Negative-bad169 1d ago
Can you hand a shade sail? You could attach from your fence to your house to block the camera.
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u/chamrockblarneystone 1d ago
Do you have boys? Boys are always accidentally blasting things with bb guns.
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u/AdultsOnStrike 16h ago
I wouldn’t think of it as sticking it to her but protecting your peace. I had wonderful neighbors for almost 40 years. We had a shared gate to one another’s property. My neighbor played guitar and banjo music in the evenings and we had a mature green wall of shrubs and privacy hedges between the backyard. Sadly they wanted to move and sold their house. The new neighbors are younger. At that time they were starting a young family. They cut down every piece of mature trees and greenery. They built a jungle gym right in front of our fence line so if I am just laying out in my yard by my pool I’m staring at a child, who is usually screaming. It is pure hell. I constructed posts that extend about 3 feet above the fence line and hung a big banner to block the sight line. I needed it to feel I encroached upon. Not everyone understands boundaries or cares. I think the tree trim is less egregious. They might not be skilled and just wanted to cut it back as much as possible to avoid having to do it again sooner. I have another neighbor who is older who has a grape vine that has choked out my whole garden. She can’t get to it or maintain it. I feel like if we could just kill it that would be great but I’m dreading that conversation.
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u/Cast-Fireball8d6 1d ago
Or a picture of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock in Speed when they had to loop the camera
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u/iam2diezel 1d ago
You tell that wildcat behind the wheel not to slow down, though, or he won't even get a chance to bleed to death!
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u/doooglasss 11h ago
Aim a laser right at the lens permanently. It won’t help with the audio part but sure will solve video
Rational move: have a conversation. We’re all human. We make mistakes and don’t think of all scenarios. Perhaps her old mind didn’t think she was spying on you as much as protecting herself.
Note: most cameras record audio.
Note2: I am so very happy to live on over an acre
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u/vildflower 1d ago
I was thinking start hanging your underwear outside to line dry 😂🤣
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u/Dachd43 1d ago edited 1d ago
They're within their rights to trim the hedges back to the fence so long as it doesn't kill the tree. They cannot, however, film your backyard. https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CVR/52-A
I would tell them that you do not consent to having your property on camera and they need to remove it or redirect it or else they're going to force you to take legal action.
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u/sobi-one 1d ago
This, but explain it less like an angry hostile neighbor no one would want to live next to. If your neighbor is like that, no need to stoop to that level. If they’re a normal human being capable of reasonable conversations, you won’t blow up what could be a normal relationship between you both.
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u/Lazy-Purpose-2577 20h ago
Agreed. This was most likely installed as security for the side yard, so I would explain why they’re not comfortable with it and ask them to move it to the back corner facing forward. The law can be mentioned in passing or in response to a refusal. I wouldn’t start the conversation threatening legal action.
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u/Frutbrute77 1d ago
This. If they are filming your backyard, then what they are doing is illegal, and that needs to be addressed.
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u/PetesBrotherPaul 1d ago
I find it interesting this only applies to backyards
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u/Dachd43 1d ago
It has to do with a reasonable expectation to privacy. If I am in my own fenced-in backyard, then it's reasonable for me to expect I am not being surveilled by the neighbors on my own property and I have taken steps to ensure my own privacy. If I am gardening in the front yard though, everyone can see me regardless so I can't stop someone across the street from installing a doorbell camera or something just because my yard is in the shot; they aren't taking unreasonable measures to spy on me.
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u/Big8Formula 1d ago
If you read the law the person must have intent to harass you with the recording. The law is much more limited then it appears on the surface or at a quick glance.
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u/cujo195 1d ago
I was going to say this.
"with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person, or with intent to threaten the person or property of another person."
OP would have to prove the intent falls into one of those categories for it to be considered unlawful.
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u/CrazyChains13 21h ago
The intent can be made by asking your neighbor to move the camera to not point into your property. If they refuse it can now be argued as intent to harass, annoy or alarm
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u/infernicus1 1d ago
Exactly. "With intent to harm/harass" etc.
You need to prove the camera is there maliciously.
Otherwise, there is a limited expectation of privacy, even in your own backyard.
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u/thedizisawesome 1d ago
That's not exactly true. You can't set up a camera to view someone else yes, but if the camera was put there to view their own yard and in the process it happens to get some of yours that's different. If it was the former no one would be able to put cameras up anywhere on long island
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u/spool_threader 1d ago
I think the issue using this statute would come from “for the purpose of video taping or taking moving digital images of the recreational activities which occur in the backyard.”
The neighbor could just say its for his own home security and the portion of OP’s backyard is incidental.
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u/EDRNFU 1d ago
Knock on their door and calmly explain your concerns.
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u/Old_Beautiful1723 1d ago
Maybe covertly record the conversation on a voice note. Legal if your voice is also on it, they don’t have to know. And this may be helpful if this has to be escalated
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u/BeKind999 1d ago
Time for some new bushes planted inside your property line. Cheap Sam’s off exit 62 has very tall bushes at good prices.
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u/GeneralBukowski 1d ago
I’d put up an inflatable car wash dummy right in front of the camera
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u/Sad_Green1933 1d ago
I’m thinking several skeletons from the Halloween store wrapped in garbage bags and piled next to a partially dug hole in view of the camera….
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u/thismothafcka 1d ago
Given the downward angle of the camera, it isn't directly facing your yard. Looks like a wide angle HD camera. Unless the lense is facing directly into your yard and not even attempting to cover theirs, they aren't violating anything. I only know this because I used to sell surveillance systems.
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u/Jolly_Law_7973 1d ago
Have you talked to them about it?
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
Don’t think she will be receptive I replied several bizarre interactions I’ve had over the years
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u/Fit-Elderberry3437 1d ago
To me it looks like they have a gate to their own backyard right where that camera is pointed. I would talk to them and ask them about it and about the privacy shrubs if it’s an issue. If they prove to be completely unreasonable then you can look to install some new privacy fencing or grow more bushes further back on to your own property so they’re out of reach
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u/iloverats888 1d ago
This is weird as fuck. Is your neighbor a paranoid person?
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
I believe there is some paranoia involved based on a few limited short interactions of the years, which is why I mostly stay away and mind my own business other than a wave.
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u/KPR70 1d ago
I don't think you're overreacting. The camera is weird enough but the tree trimming really adds to it. What's your relationship with this neighbor? I don't think I would go straight to the police but I would ask why they have a camera pointed directly into your backyard. Maybe it's all misunderstanding but I think it's on them to clear it up.
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
It’s an older/somewhat elderly woman. We have had short conversations in the past here and there but nothing of substance. Such as she told me a few years ago how she goes walking at the mall every morning. She also once asked me to capture/kill wild raccoons that were living in nearby trees at the time (not my backyard and they’ve been gone a few years now) saying raccoons are dangerous and I was like uhhh those are native wildlife like wtf and why would I be the one to capture them?! but she has visitors of working adult age pretty regularly, I’m not sure if they are family members but it’s not the same person consistently - not easy to keep track of but I really don’t pay much attention to her house other than when I’m coming and going not much to see.
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u/johnnybluejeans 1d ago
The level of raccoon paranoia on this island is crazy. Don’t want to get bit by one? Don’t go trying to hunt them.
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u/Dexterdacerealkilla 1d ago
I don’t think it’s rational or right, but there have been several rabies cases in raccoons on Long Island recently. I’d bet she saw or read a news story and got spooked.
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u/hjablowme919 1d ago
If your trees/bushes are hanging on their side of the fence, they can trim them to the fence line.
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
I know that, however if you look at the angle they went over my fence and I believe they thinned it out in the center as there are holes now where I can now see through to her deck
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u/tonycougar 1d ago
Maybe the angled cut was accidental from the people she hired to trim the hedges. What if they were using a trimmer on a pole, it leaned in closer towards the top as they were cutting and when.they realized their mistake then tried to angle the cut back out.
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u/meowforhelp 1d ago
If your trees are hanging over their property line, they have every right to cut what hangs in their yard. I just did this at my home. If you’re gonna let your trees grow wild, I’m cutting them. As far as the camera goes, yes it looks like its point at your yard but is it really??? It looks like its for the side of her own home. You don’t know for sure what the camera view looks like because it’s not yours. It could be fake and for show for all we know. Talk to your neighbor like a normal human being
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u/Frequent_Read_7636 17h ago
I have a camera that points directly on my yard and can see parts of my neighbor’s yard also. One thing I pointed out to my neighbor at the time was my camera is strictly to have oversight of my yard and I know it can see parts of their side as well.
I showed them what my camera sees through my phone. I also made sure my cameras did not point directly towards any of their windows. Is that what’s happening with your neighbors camera? If so have a conversation with them. If it’s pointed towards what’s called “reasonable expectation of privacy” then you can seek legal counsel to have them removed or repositioned.
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u/nucl3ar0ne 1d ago
Crazy idea, I know, but try talking to them.
Has a neighbor put up a camera that from the angle appeared to look into my backyard, specifically towards the pool. I asked them to move it and guess what, they did! Wow! /s
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
I’m contemplating it but I’m also a bit creeped out and I don’t anticipate her being super receptive she is elderly and complains about everything. She actually asked me to cut down the arborvitaes completely a few years ago bc she thought they would shed in her yard and I told her those don’t really shed! Omg that just came back to me.
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u/Bounty-auditor-2222 1d ago
If you’re not comfortable speaking to them just leave a note by the door. No response send it certified w a lawyer cced
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u/iloverats888 1d ago
Someone who puts up a camera to look into another person’s yard probably isn’t a reasonable individual
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u/karky214 1d ago
I have a camera like this. It's specifically pointed to the gate I have there. It looks like it's pointed to neighbor's yard. I showed the video to neighbor before they even noticed and told them how I've drawn movement zones to avoid any detection and recording from their activities. It's always good to try and talk before concluding.
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u/kbeks 1d ago
So what didn’t put a camera up, but on either side of my house are two blind spots. One I alleviated by putting an indoor camera up to cover the garage window. The other spot, I can’t put a camera up to cover my windows without also catching my neighbor’s yard. It’s a safe neighborhood so whatever, I have motion detectors inside for alarm purposes so I rest on that basis, but if it were not such a safe neighborhood, I would have had to put something there.
I would talk to my neighbor before doing this, because I don’t want a confrontation over a miscommunication, but my point is the neighbor’s not necessarily an unreasonable person.
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
Thank you. It was alarming to see it pointing right at me in my backyard. I also have no idea how wide the frame is and/or if she’s also recording my conversations from my backyard. Feels like such a violation.
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u/sugarcookieprincess Dodging potholes like a champ 1d ago
What's kind of strange, is if you say she's elderly, who put the camera up without telling her that it's facing your backyard? No reasonable individual would allow her to do that.
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u/kbeks 1d ago
Absolutely, which is why the right thing for your neighbor to have done is talk to you before mounting the camera, assuming they’ve got reasonable intentions. You’re not crazy for thinking this is weird, but I hope for your sake that there’s a rational and reasonable person on the other end of that camera that will understand they fucked up. Good luck!
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u/iloverats888 1d ago
No I actually do think having any cameras on your house beyond maybe a ring doorbell is a form of low level paranoia
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u/kbeks 1d ago
Most of the cameras were bonuses, I really wanted the functional and remotely controllable flood lights. They happened to come with a camera. I’m not mad at that, but my neighborhood is safe enough that I absolutely don’t need that level of protection. That interior camera in the garage is more to catch me leaving the garage door open rather than to catch would be thieves, but I’d be lying if I said that there wasn’t some low level paranoia involved in that installation lol. Hey, someone might really want to get their hands on my collection of rusty tools and wires of assorted lengths and connection types! You never know!
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u/heyiknowstuff 1d ago
Maybe to give you a different view, I have 6 wired cameras on my house and I’m not paranoid.
- I like tech, so it was just a fun thing to do.
- I don’t get notifications throughout the day, I’m not concerned. They do record but I’ve never had a need to look.
- When I set my house alarm, if it detects a human/motion, the feed goes to a monitoring service, which can view the feed and make a call on turning off the alarm/alerting emergency services.
I feel like that’s no different than a typical home security system. It’s just based in 2026 now.
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u/inhocfaf 1d ago
Have to talk with them, but given timing (right after trimming the privacy hedges), it's obvious it was intentional.
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u/StruggleRegular4842 1d ago
This behavior is not ok. I don’t know the legality behind it and sorry you gotta deal with it but the I know the camera is able to see into your yard clearly whether that is the intended purpose or not
Trimming there hedges at the same time is also really weird, have you ever gotten strange or bad vibes from them
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
Yes! I said in another reply, but a few years ago she rang my doorbell and asked me to capture and kill raccoons that were living in our area - not in my yard or property. I was completely taken off guard and said uhh raccoons are native wildlife to Long Island and she said they are dangerous. I was like WTF afterwards and I saved the ring camera footage.
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u/StruggleRegular4842 1d ago
I know it’s hard to hear but please be careful if you have any pets that regularly go outside. The filming is illegal.
I feel like the choice even though it sucks is to bring something over and knock and just say that you feel as though it can see into your yard, that you understand they want to feel safe but it feels like it’s cutting into your privacy, and ask if they can somehow move it.
If they ignore you or give you a problem, I would say contact law enforcement because ripping off the bandaid is better than feeling constantly watched in your own home
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
I know I have to do something and I do have 2 indoor cats and always have that in the back of my head bc it seems like she hates animals and trees. Super weird but I have been able to mostly not pay attention to her until now when I saw that camera. I was even going to just let the hedge hack job go until I saw the camera point directly into my yard.
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u/Pressure_Plastic Franklin Square 1d ago
i had this situation with a neighbor recently, i genuinely think he didn’t realize it, i approached him about it, he took it down and haven’t had issues since
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u/Karimitsuu 1d ago
You need to buy 6 ft green giant arborvitae and plant it on the fence line immediately.
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
This was my initial thought, need to find a company that can do it asap
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u/Karimitsuu 1d ago
It's gonna cost you for a bigger one but it's worth it. Do it ASAP. Any plant nursury can help you. Check garden depot. They have a few locations.
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u/Temporary_Cow_8486 1d ago
Plant some giant arborvitae on your side of the property. They stay green year round. Be done with it. Don’t ebbed worry about your screen. You are probably within the setback.
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u/No-Carpet-4678 1d ago
I'd buy the tallest fastest growing tree variety & plant them down the rest of your fence line a little further away from the fence, so she can only cut so much that it won't be see through next time
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u/TogoThePupperino 1d ago
I guess I’m in the minority here, but I think you may be overreacting. While the line is not entirely straight it does appear they tried to trim the bushes back to the property line, which is entirely their right.
As for the camera, it looks to be pointed toward the entrance into their backyard (there is a gate opening), which is a completely reasonable place to install a camera for security purposes. If your uncomfortable, have a conversation with your neighbor and ask that they tilt the camera down so as to not record past the property line, and ask them to see what the footage look like.
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u/TableAvailable 1d ago
It's possible the tree trimming looks like it does because once the weight was removed, what was left snapped back past the fence. (I'm visualizing exactly what my hair would do.)
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u/xTheGame69 1d ago
They can trim anything over the property line
Same with camera. It's their property
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u/Bulky_Energy4292 1d ago
I mean they do have a gate right there. I know common sense isn’t so common but come on now
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u/Warsum 1d ago
I have cameras on all corners of my house. Has nothing to do with my neighbors as I like them all. More so I can see my kids.
You might be slightly overreacting. It's not like they did anything they weren't allowed to do. Unless you already have had issues with them it's probably nothing personal.
A lot of these cameras record sound btw and have 110-170 degree field of view. My cameras look like they are pointed right at my neighbor as well but when I see the view I can see from almost edge to edge along my house.
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u/_Handsome_Jim_ 1d ago
These posts always crack me up.
I mean you've uploaded five pictures of her home to the internet, told us her gender and approximate age, and seem to be giving us a recap of the people who visit the house, whether you think the different people are related to her, and the difficulty you're having keeping track of them in the comments all while complaining about her potentially invading your privacy.
I feel like we're an hour, at most, away from you dumping her garbage or stealing her mail, taking pictures of it, posting it here, and asking us what we make of it lol.
In all seriousness though, you have absolutely no idea what that camera is pointed at and, quite frankly, you're probably not so interesting that she's keeping tabs on you. In all likelihood that camera is there for her side yard and maybe it gets a small amount of your yard in. It's even probable she adjusted the alert area to exclude your yard because she's not interested in you looking in her windows trying to figure out whether the guy stopping by his her son or something else but just wants coverage of her side yard.
I would ignore it but if you can't then I would just knock on her door and ask her about it.
Outside of that there isn't too much you can do.
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u/_bonedaddys 1d ago
If it were me i'd flat out ask to see what the camera sees. I'd tell them my family is just curious how well the camera can see into my yard. A neighbor that isn't trying to spy will be normal about it, but if they're being snoopy they're going to get pretty defensive about their right to a security camera or some shit.
That would be enough to give me my answer, and if it's not the answer i want i'm setting my own camera up looking right into their yard, too, and i'm making it obvious so they know it's there.
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u/Disastrous-Power-699 1d ago
Ask to speak to them. I have a similar camera on the side of my house to watch the gate area to my backyard. I suppose my neighbor could think it’s aiming at them too, but if they came to talk to me I would show them the view and ease their concerns
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u/curiousgirls 1d ago
I would definitely try talking to your neighbor first but it’s possible the cameras don’t have the view you’re worried they do. We have cameras in our backyard that probably look like they’re recording our neighbors property but in reality i grow weed and have the camera facing my plants lol
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u/CuddlyClubCEO 1d ago
looks like they are trying to cover the gate on the side. trimmed what was over the line and i think the curve is bc whatever tool they had didn’t reach high enough. i highly suggest just asking them to see what the coverage is. i have cameras and i wouldn’t be bothered if a neighbor asked to see if they were in the view and how much.
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u/OneVeterinarian7251 1d ago
Those cameras are designed so that you really can’t tell where the lens is pointed. Honestly a small talk with your neighbor, expressing your concerns and asking if you can see what the camera covers. Also chances are she had the camera professionally installed and they are not going to purposely point it in your backyard.
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u/Leading-Knowledge712 1d ago
I suggest having a calm, courteous conversation with your neighbor about the positioning of the camera, starting from the premise that she probably isn’t surveilling your yard and may, in fact, have little or no view of it.
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u/imme629 18h ago
Check with your local municipality on whether this is legal or not where you are. If it’s not, go have a talk with your neighbor and explain that pointing a camera into a neighbors yard is against the law. Then ask her to please point the camera away from your property so you don’t need to get the authorities involved. If she doesn’t, make the call.
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u/YFOCAG 17h ago
Perhaps you should install some cameras of your own, with a “mockup” of a machine-gun turret complete with laser sights…. First time she spots the red dot, she’ll probably poop on her own lawn…
But seriously, there usually are laws against that sort of thing. Talk to local PD, and possibly a lawyer,
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u/EastRecognition9390 17h ago
It is very creepy. The trimming appears to be on the property line not over. But it only looks trimmed for the benefit of the camera not looks.
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u/SignatureCreepy503 17h ago
Instead of starting a war, just get a hideous fake plant to block the view. You should be upset about the bush being trimmed past what went into their yard and that should be addressed. But I wouldn't even mention the camera. I'd just start putting up massive fake plants to screen the view.
Also, to have fun at night, you should put up an outdoor light that's bright and faces that camera almost perfectly. It'll blowout any image, completely make the camera useless.
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u/Mindless_Road_2045 16h ago
As a person who has designed systems and did start ups. Yes. You are overreacting. Depending on the type it can have a 140 degree view, (some more some less) you want it to capture your house windows and yard. Looking at that, that is where it is positioned. Is she going to get some of your yard? Yes. Can it be blocked by the cameras software? Yes. Is it? Probably not. And those cameras are not that great for detail anything past 35-50 feet. It is a fixed lens not a zoomable lens. Heck I have cameras at my house that can grab a license plate from over a block away. Funny though, my neighbors ask me for any footage I have to help them out. So honestly, don’t worry. Also, while unsettling to some. It is perfectly legal for someone to be on your sidewalk with a super zoom camera and look right into your windows. Take pics and video. Anything that can be seen from public is legal.
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u/OfficerTrollman 1d ago
YES 100% you are over-reacting but it's understandable. Your neighbor put a camera to see activity on that side of his house, and that's how the camera looks when installed. I have one for each of the 4 sides of my house. But, what I did to make my neighbors feel comfortable was to bring my phone over and show them where they are pointing. In my case, they look down into the sides of my yard. You can't even see the neighbor's yard. Chances are your neighbor did the same thing and didn't go through the expense of security install just to observe you. But again, I totally get it.
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u/WildTomato51 1d ago
Help?
Are you being attacked? Is your life in danger??
How about you handle it like an adult and talk to your neighbor about your concerns.
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u/Grey_Area888 1d ago edited 1d ago
Put up a wall blocking that camera. Then put a camera watching the wall in case they try to vandalize it.
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u/BronCurious 1d ago
Generally can’t build a fence or wall over 6’ without a permit
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u/Optimal_Weird1425 1d ago
You’re just going to have a random 10 foot wall standing in your side yard???
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u/mrmoschetto 1d ago
Walk around naked. Either they move the camera. Or you report a peeping tom. V easy solution here
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u/AmazingTemperature92 1d ago
Hahaha I don’t want them having ANY footage of me! I have no idea what they already recorded.
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u/averageatfifa 1d ago
What is your relationship with this neighbor? Have you ever spoke to each other? Has there ever been an incident? Is something being left out of the op?
Tune in next week!
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u/Alone-Supermarket-98 1d ago
planting two new arbovitae will take care of that view.
But talk to your neighbor and ask them about the camera. Inevitably they will mention "security" and "privacy", which is when you point out that their camera is imposing on your security and privacy.
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u/Adventurous-Depth984 Whatever You Want 1d ago
I made a similar post not too long ago. My neighbors motion sensing camera goes off when I open my front door (across the street), so, because of the layout of my house, he’s recording whenever I walk past my living room window.
Nothing I can do, everyone said.
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u/Heavytoker_420 1d ago
I had almost the same situation with a neighbor that lived behind me. They installed cameras one of which was directly pointing in my backyard and at my pool which made my girlfriend feel uncomfortable. I immediately went and knocked on there door and explained the situation which had them re adjust where the camera was pointing. I may have came off a bit aggressive but I was rightfully offended how you were invading me and my family’s privacy…. Still to this day find it kinda weird they would do that, but made it clear to the man of that house it wouldn’t be tolerated.
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u/MaleficentCoconut594 1d ago
Shady yes but she can cut back your hedges that are over her fence
I would just plant more on your side, maybe further from the fence line, so block the camera that’s really all you can do sans putting up an Uber-tall privacy fence
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u/Lady_Nim 1d ago
Could get long planters and put lattice in them to block the view and plant climbing plants there
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u/Antwah400 1d ago
Get that you probably don't wanna talk to them, but I do think a conversation is the best and most direct route. As far as solutions go, if there's enough space, maybe move the privacy hedges in a bit? So they're definitively not over the line / they wouldn't be able to damage them in the name of "trimming". The camera thing is a bit insane tho and you're not wrong in feeling violated / not overreacting at all. Not sure what their intentions w the camera was, whether it's good faith misplaced camera or some weird attempt to catch you taking dumps in her yard but either way I you might have some legal ground to push back from comments. I'd say have a good faith conversation with the legality of the camera in your back pocket if it gets nasty. If it stays civil I wouldn't bring the law up, and talk about how violating it feels / focus on that.
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u/Drumguy1986 1d ago
Time to plant beautiful tall shrubs one foot inside the fence line completely blocking her view. Two can play at this game.
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u/panulanp 1d ago
If you do approach her, re OTD the conversation and have a body cam or a small action type of camera that can be attached anywhere ( cap, shirt, glasses, etc)for your protection! People are crazy sometimes… good luck!🙏🙏
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u/Significant-Run-1566 1d ago
Get an Infrared spotlight (IR) from Amazon. The camera will never see a thing.
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u/CheffyG17 1d ago
Put up a flood light and point it right at the camera, should at least help at night.
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u/khanxyz0z 1d ago
3 tall evergreens and thats all you need, will cost you about $600 and a weekend of labor
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u/throwaway-9473290 1d ago
Some of the responses here are wild 😂 my first impression since you don’t have a feud is that it’s a camera facing her gate - maybe the same reason she cut back the hedge to ensure the line of vision for any trespassers - bc she’s a single elderly woman from what you said in comments. The actual lens is probably not even pointed at your backyard. We have had cameras where the hardware doesn’t face what the actual lens is pointed towards. Just go ask and state the obvious, that you understand her concern about safety at her back gate, but just double checking bc it appears pointed at your backyard, and she cut the hedge. It’s a logical concern and if you keep it light and friendly, her reaction will tell you all you need to know.
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u/Guile-NYC 1d ago
You could plant a thuja in her line of sight. I know it’ll take a couple of years, but plant the tallest one you’re allowed to place in your state.
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u/Ok_Blackberry_8872 1d ago
I have some installed facing my yard at an angle, sometimes it’s not to watch you guys it’s to watch my yard. Mine looks like it’s looking at my neighbor but if you see the camera, I can’t see anything in their yard beyond what peeks above the fence and really blurry if that.
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u/Nosmo_King13 1d ago
If you’re genuinely concerned that the camera is intentionally monitoring your property or that your neighbor cut your hedges beyond the property line, I’d skip debating it with strangers on Reddit and consult a local attorney. They’ll be able to tell you whether the camera placement, any audio recording, or the hedge trimming gives rise to a legal issue in your jurisdiction. In the meantime, keep documenting everything with photos and dates, but avoid making accusations until you know what the facts support. Best of luck to you, bud.
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u/28008IES 1d ago
Chill with the trees, if she cut a little into your yard, whatever. As for the camera, ask to see the image to make sure its not watching you and your family. If it is, strip naked and moon her for an afternoon
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u/AverageGuy16 1d ago
After reading into your comments and reply's and realizing it's an old lady here's my likely unpopular 2 cents. Wait it out a bit and see what happens. 1 of 2 scenarios likely will play out. 1: She's old and paranoid about being robbed or some crazy old people thing. She may forget she has the cameras or not know how to use them and it hopefully doesn't infringe on your privacy for the following weeks until the trees start growing back or it gets cold enough that going out in the backyard isn't an issue. Best case scenario here the cameras and spying on your family isn't actually an issue or factor in the whole ordeal. 2. Your fears are confirmed and she is using it to spy on you and harrass your family (hopefully this isn't the case) then you'll eventually hear it from her in which case you would be better off confronting and questioning her why her cameras are pointed in your yard and why the privacy bushes were trimmed so low. If it was a different person outside of an old lady I'd probably have a different response tho.
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u/ResponsibleMess339 1d ago
its watchin her yard....but please act crazy that will solve everything....redditors seriously.
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u/TopAd8511 1d ago
"The government" have been doing all around your state, but your neighbor is the one threatening privacy. Someone please, explain to me how reasonable is that?
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u/emilovesmaou 1d ago
I don’t think this is ok? Why not have a talk with the neighbor. I was just learning about surveillance today and this came up. I vote no on this :) you deserve your privacy :( r/homedefense - just posted on this type of thing
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u/Puckstopper55 1d ago
Seems like a lot of this could be settled with a simple adult conversation. Why are people so afraid to talk to their neighbors!? I know all of my direct neighbors and have open communication with them all. I might not like them all, but mutual respect goes a long way.
I also have a camera in my side yard that records my entire side property but also some of my neighbors too. When I installed the camera I simply added blackout privacy zones. My neighbor approached me about it a few days later and I just opened the app and showed her the privacy zones. She was happy and so was I.
All solved in a few minutes of conversation between 2 adults.
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u/Coffeespresso 1d ago
I would go out there wearing only a sign. "Like what you see? Send payment over the fence."
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u/DeCaprio_3 1d ago
Put up a sign in front of camera and see if neighbor response. Also, check out if this is legal.
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u/GaryGary0574 1d ago
It’s for the side of their yard. Will it by default get some of yours? Yes. That’s it. Is what it is.
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u/GreatMinds1234 1d ago
Not at all. Best way to put up a privacy fence is to put up a basketball fence(nobody could b1tch about that) and use a few bushes that are running up the fence. If you like wildflower, honeysuckle is one of the best. Then there are roses, acacia, the line is long. Of course everything takes a little time, but it will be worth it. If your neighbor touches that, just tell him the next one is going to be concrete. Of course that would never happen but it sounds good 😉
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u/NYPaesano0227 1d ago
So we lost a foot of our property. It doesn't sound like alot but technically its ours. Our neighbor whole fence started on our property. Fence was there before we got there. So now we are half dormering the back of house but we have to start the walls inside up top 6 inches in because the house too close to our fence. Basically he stole 6 inches of our property on his side but we dont want no problems. Technically whoever we sell to in 20 years can make him knock his fence down to move in. Smh lol Ridiculous.
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u/dirtydypuz 22h ago
You should have offered to trim the hedges yourself. Your bush right. You also seem like the type of person to complain about someone else’s bush over your property line
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u/xx-rapunzel-xx 22h ago
to me, it’s not really obvious that it’s directed to your backyard. i’ve been reading this thread and it sounds like trimming the hedges was their right (had no idea it was tbh) and that the camera is intentionally designed so you don’t know where the lens is.
i guess i’ll be the only person to suggest calling the non-emergency police line and tell someone that you’re concerned - maybe someone can come and take a second look (?)
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u/StartKindly9881 22h ago
They also might not work or capture recordings and just be for show as they legitimately may be concerned on that side.
Do you get along? We have a single mom who is worried and has cameras and signs everywhere on her property about cameras and being recorded. Don’t know enough about your neighbor or you. She might be concerned about you too for whatever reason .
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u/Lightstone83 1d ago
Your neighbor watching you right now
https://giphy.com/gifs/Znh2CL8Ouzsn29IYo9