My neighbor man must be off his med's. 3 nights ago he walked into another neighbors house at 2 in the morning and was prowling around. The home owner and his wife are in their 80's and they were scuffling with him. They called the police and he was arrested on misdemeanor charges only since their house wasn't locked , it wasn't considered breaking and entering. Last night at 2 AM he was outside screaming at the top of his lungs. Very vulgar comments. He had his whole driveway lined with blankets and blankets hanging over his mailbox. I was too scared to sleep. I called the police and when they arrived, he had went inside and wouldn't open the door. My DH goes to work at 2AM and me and my 14 yr. old DD are then by ourselves. I layed awake til it was light outside. I know this man has been in psychiatric care before for "accidentally" stabbing a man to death in a bar fight when he was very young. I talked again with the police (who are friends of ours) today and they said to call anytime he does anything strange. It will take a lot of documentation to get a judge to sign an EOD (Emergency order of detention). I slept with a baseball bat next to my bed. It is pretty sad when you are scared in your own home.

Hmm, that is creepy. I'd consider getting a large dog. Yes, get everything officially documented.

I used to sleep with a hammer under my pillow when I was first living on my own, just because I was scared.

I second the baseball bat thing. And check and double check all doors and windows.

Man, it's freakin me out just reading about it!

I too would sleep with a bat! Geez, the guy was creeping me out just reading this, I can't imagine how you are feeling. And, I think that is crazy him walking into the neighbors house, poor couple. I like the dog idea also, at least they would give you a warning if someone were to break in. Wonder what the deal was with the blankets...definitely sounds like he has lost a few marbles up there.

OK, I have to admit I thought the blankets thing was a slightly humorous image. I know it's not really that funny when it's paired with other weird actions, but it's kind of classic.

The blankets are still all over the drive and mailbox today and hanging from the roof. He is definitely wacky. I do have a large dog, but she's a labrador and she knows this man. I doubt she'd do a thing except lick him. The only time I have ever screamed (when I saw a huge spider), it scared this poor dog to death and she ran shaking. She's not much of a protector. I do have guns in the house, but I'm afraid I'd miss and get hurt or worse hurt my child.
BTW, he's laying down in his driveway right now.

Don't you just love labradors for their protection!!! NOT!!! I used to have a golden retriever who is just as loveable as a lab, but at least she would bark at noises and things she deemed strange (your neighbor would have counted in her book). I agree--stay away from the guns, you just never know. I'd probably get up when DH leaves for work and watch to make sure he gets away okay, then keep an eye on things for a bit before heading back to bed. The bat might even lay in bed with me at that point! Have that telephone (I hope it's cordless) charged and by your side, too.
Do you have a camera? Take some photos of the strange behavior (video would be even better) to show the authorities.
Good luck and our prayers are that you don't get hurt by this maniac.

I feel for you lillybelle. Back in the 80's I lived next door to a schizophrenic man who repeatedly went off his meds. It was in a mobile home park so there was not much space between my place and his. I would often hear him screaming and punching/kicking the walls inside his place. One day he was standing out in his driveway talking on the phone for about 3 hours.....and the phone cord wasn't plugged in to anything (this was the days before cordless phones). He actually tried to assault me once. I finally moved because the police wouldn't do anything and neither would the county mental health dept, which he was an outpatient of.

That is scary. Have you thought of alarming your house? It really is too bad. We have family in rural Oklahoma, and usually one doesn't even need to lock the doors.

Stay safe.

Document, document, document.

Egads. @_@ I don't know what I would do living next to a guy like that.
The dog Idea is good. And it's so funny that your lab is such a baby, ish so cute!
Anyways... kinda off subject but... we use to have a small dog.. a terrier mix of some sort, but most small dogs in general are VERY protective and yap at anything that seems wrong. Many small dogs are fearless. The one we had was never afraid of anything.. only thunder.. she hated thunder. Yet she alerted me the second someone stepped in the yard (even though she was in the house @_@) .. so it was nice to have her around.. I miss that dog.

My question is this, why isn't this guy under some sort of lockup or strict supervision if he accidently stabbed someone??? Get another big, mean dog and let him patrol your property. Gosh I don't know what you should do??

I think he isn't in prison or psychiatric lockup anymore because the stabbing happened probably 30 yrs. ago and he did his time. I don't know where he got his money, but he built a small, new house across the street from us 2 yrs. ago. He doesn't drive a car and rides a bike every where he goes. I've never considered getting any kind of mean dog because I have 2 grandbabies and they are very safe playing with the labrador. My dog is completely scared of storms and will jump in bed with us when it storms. All the neighbors have now been alerted of what's going on and are going to help watch this man. My DH is a state trooper and when he goes to work at night, it's very obvious that the patrol car has left. Having a patrol car here a lot would tell any sane person that guns live here, but he definitely isn't sane. My DH plans to talk to this man's father that comes to pick him up occasionally to take him grocery shopping and such. Maybe find out if he's off his psych med's.
Midwife, before this we never locked our doors. We always felt safe.

Crikey - it's all happening to you lillybelle Maybe you should write the book?

He sounds a serious wierdo! I like the idea of a bat though

wow - that is very scarey. Just recently my boyfriend switched to working graveyards (11pm-7am) so I am alone in our new house and even then I am scared! I lock all the doors and the dog sleeps with me (whatever good a little 6 pound dog is, haha) but at least I feel safer. She also sits right up whenever she hears a little noise so at least I can be prepard haha

lillybelle, I understand you fears and you need to do what you can to protect yourself and your family! I think the idea of your husband speaking to this man's caregiver is great...maybe he can help with the meds, maybe not. Unfortunately schizophrenia is a mental illness and isn't understood by most folks. Let's just remember that it is a disease...just like other diseases and not make snide remarks about him being crazy, nuts etc... He didn't choose schizophrenia unfortunately it chooses people later in teenage years who most times were functioning very well. Medication helps but it can't be forced unless he were to be in long term care etc... There are precious little mental health services in this country and they are usually very hard to access. I'll get off my soapbox now...

I hope you find some help with the situation lillybelle and that you can feel safe again soon!