I am not the original poster. This is a repost sub.

The original poster is u/cactusloverforever. Originally posted on r/AmItheAsshole about a year ago.

Light editing done for readability.

WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/g31n1q/wibta_for_planting_prickly_bushes_in_my_front/

Throwaway for obvious reasons.

I moved into a detached townhouse a few months ago. It's a rental, I'm leasing it for a year with the option to extend that with a second year or possibly buy the house.

My driveway is right next to the neighbours', it big enough to fit 2 regular sized cars and halfway down my driveway there's a path leading around my house., on side side of the path is my house on the other sides about 3m of yard , that's mine.

Ever since I moved in I've been having issues with the neighbours using my driveway for parking, turning their cars, storing their other stuff, playing, etc etc. Asking them to stop using it and keep their items on their own property has not worked, so I placed a few large plants, installed a camera and a no trespassing sign, and that helped a bit. At least the cars are gone.

The last few weeks with the 'stay home' advice, I've been working from home, but the neighbours kids are making that really hard. They're about 5 and 7, boys, and they keep ringing my doorbell multiple times a day to ask if they can play with my dog, if I want to play with them or anything else they can think of. I asked them to stop it so I can work, which of course didn't work, so I asked their parents, and was told boys will be boys and they weren't going to do anything about it :(

To keep my sanity intact I removed the battery from the doorbell but now they keep running around in my front yard, on the path around the house, banging on my windows, banging on my doors and actually tried to open the gate to my backyard this morning as they heard me in there. I once again asked them to stop, told them I will not be allowing them to play with the dog anymore at all if they keep this up and they left, sending over their dad. I told him to keep the boys away from my property and door, if not, I'll be planting some prickly bushes to teach them to stay away from other people's property and shut the door in his face.

WIBTA if I actually did that?

I'd love to place a fence or something, but as it may be a short term rental I have to be able to return everything in it's original state for now.

EDIT: I'm getting a lot of comments about social distancing and lack of isolation of the boys. I'm from the EU, my country isn't on lockdown and it's (or was, I'm not 100% sure anymore) advised to let small children play outside.

Relevant Comments:

• I let them play fetch with my dog once before it all started, they really liked it and I think that's what started it all. Since then I've let them play with her once about a month ago, that's it. I somehow just have the natural gift to get little kids to like me. I've given them lots of stern no's since then and explained why many times, at least to the oldest one, and again just now as they were banging on my door again. I told them for the tenth time or so that they're not allowed to play with the dog as long as they keep running around on my property (pointed out the borders to make sure they understood which area I meant), keep banging on doors/windows and try to open my gate and that I want them to stop ringing the bell all the time because I'm working. They just don't seem to understand what no means.
• The liability thing is exactly why I want those 2 kids away from my property. My dog's a 30kg lab, an enthusiastic one that will run over those kids if she can. She already knocked one of the kids over when they were on the driveway and I exited my garage without knowing they were there and the parents were pissed. I told them this wouldn't have happened if they'd listen to me and keep away from my property. By trying to opened my gate this morning they could have not only been knocked over if succeeded, but my dog could have gotten out as well.
• I had to place 2 large and heavy planters in the middle of my driveway, completely blocking the entrance, to get them to stop using it to park and turn. I had a smaller one before that and they just put it to the side. Now they still use it all the time to get out as their own driveway is full of toys and crap. Last week I caught him actually moving my bicycle which was about 1m from the border, because he needed to move his trashcans and my driveway was the only way for him to go.
• One of the reasons I'm thinking about doing this, is to prevent the kids from getting hurt, by being knocked over by my dog. And they know really well to stay away from prickly bushes, they told me themselves that they don't like the cacti in my windowsill and stay away from the black/raspberry bushes across the street because of the thorns. The purpose of the plants would be to deter them, not hurt them, so I'd be getting plants they'd be able to recognise as being prickly from far away, like berry bushes.
• The path is only about 60cm wide, so if I'd plants them close to the edge they will narrow the path even further and may scare them away. I'd also need a couple to somewhat close off the actual garden part. I know they hate the prickly blackberry bushes on the other side of the road, the oldest boy mentioned that when he talked about some of my plants.

UPDATE WIBTA For planting prickly bushes in my front yard to keep the neighbours kids from my property?

https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/hf4bc4/update_wibta_for_planting_prickly_bushes_in_my/

About a week after my post I planted a 'wall' of blackberries and raspberries at the 2 sides of my garden facing the driveway, about 30 cm from the edge so no overhanging branches! On the other side of the berry wall I planted lots stuff like strawberries and tomatoes. To reach the tomatoes and strawberries from the driveway you have either go through the fruit bushes or walk up to my house, walk about 2m along the side of the house and my windows and then walk into my actual garden. Not something you do by mistake.

For about 2 weeks it was somewhat quiet but I still found the kids on my driveway every single days. As far as I know they did not enter the garden and I hadn't noticed them walking around my house anymore, so I figured the bushes were working.

About 1 week ago berry season started and my bushes are now full of raspberries and there's lots of strawberries as well. The neighbours noticed. First I caught the boys picking and eating raspberries so I told them off and dropped them off at home, told their mom I caught them stealing (that's how I see it even though it's fruit) and that I'd call the cops next time. She huffed and told me to grow up, but took the boys inside anyway.

After that it was quiet up until yesterday afternoon, when I went out for a while and found the dad and his 2 sons right in the middle of my garden when I returned, clearing my bushes and plants. I didn't even confront them, just called the cops from a distance as they hadn't noticed me yet and started filming them after making the call. Luckily 2 cops showed up after 10 minutes or so and they confronted the neighbour as they were still picking berries. They told them they were trespassing and that the berry picking was in fact considered stealing and that I could press charges. For the first time I noticed a bit of fear in my neighbour, he was having trouble finding his words and kept looking back at his house (I guess hoping his wife would show to yell at the cops). They all went inside with the cops, so I just went home as well.

After a while the cops came by and asked me if I wanted to press charges. I asked them if they felt like they scared the neighbour enough to stay away. I got a small smile and yes about him, but the wife had just kept shouting at them and her husband about the 'little bitch' living next door. I told them no for now, asked them if I'd be allowed to get an extra camera set up on the wall between my garden and the road to cover the entire front garden driveway, they said that's allowed as long as it's on my side of the wall.

So, now I'm getting an extra camera installed, one neighbour knows I'm done messing around but his wife isn't there yet and if I ever catch any of them again, the cops will be called and possible charges will follow.