Homeowner gets even with water-stealing neighbor who was siphoning off their pipes: 'My expectation was that I'd burn out his pump and cause issues with his tenants'

Author image for Brad Dickson
Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Feb 25, 2025 12:00 PM EST

You should always be kind to the people you're stealing from. But maybe, just maybe, that's not the best moral to take away from this story. You know, like, because you really just shouldn't steal from people ever, it's just not the right thing to do… It's the same age-old rule as "don't break two rules at the same time." You greatly multiply your chances of getting caught with the more minor infraction, possibly leading to far greater consequence. Or, you know, you could just follow the rules and not steal from people and treat everyone fairly, but that's clearly too much to ask from some.

Neighbors are absolutely the worst part of owning a home—even when you live in the middle of nowhere and have acres separating you. Small slights and inconsiderate actions chip away at your patience or tear it away in chunks. 

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  • While keeping peace is always advisable, especially when dealing with the volatile and unpredictable, there comes a point when one can't be a pushover or abide lousy behavior.

    This homeowner took matters into their own hands and turned their neighbor's thieving ways into his own undoing by drying out his water-siphoning pumps and making them burn themselves up, jeopardizing his landholding operations. 

  • 01
    "I couldn't find where exactly he was siphoning water from, but after checking my pressure multiple times, I was pretty sure..."
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+
  • 02
    I live in Asia, and just purchased a new house. Now, the previous owners were family friends who needed cash urgently and haven't been living in my country for nearly 3 years. So I got it for a great price in the middle of the capital city. The sale was finalized at the start of this month and I moved in right after. The house was definitely a fixer upper, as the previous owners had left mid renovation and the main door was locked with just a padlock, not even a door lock.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 03
    The house had no gate, meaning anyone could just walk right on in. The first day I moved in, someone's bike was parked in the garage. I just parked it on the road on the same day I had a gate installed. An angry man was knocking on my gate later and I didn't bother answering, but through my window I could see him giving up and taking the bike after 15 minutes.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 04
    So already, I wasn't digging the neighborhood. But I didn't have any incidents after that, aside from people not knowing that this was no longer an abandoned house, so my gate was blocked more often than never but a "No Parking" sign on my gate fixed that issue. Last week, I was having a shower in my bathroom and I noticed my water pressure was lower than usual. I also heard my next door neighbors water pump going. Now this neighbor, an old guy, lived in a 3 storied house, the first being the lo
    via TheMusicFella
  • 05
    This guy wasn't happy about the house. being sold, and voiced many concerns. to my friends the previous owners. He was super angry about it, and my friends did warn me but I'm a 6ft guy with 3 dogs. No way he was doing anything and yep, he didn't. So with this living situation, a water pump is needed to pump water to the tanks on the roof, since the public supply's pressure is not enough to get it up 3 stories.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 06
    Now, I heard the water pump going and immediately was suspicious. Sure, coincidences exist, but it wouldn't hurt to check it out. I waited till his pump turned off, and then turned on different taps in the house. Sure enough, the pressure was back to normal. This made me even more suspicious, but if he was stealing water, it also made sense. The water bills had been going up over the years this house wasn't lived in, but the house also had some water leaks. So it was chalked up to that, even if
    via TheMusicFella
  • 07
    At some point in the last 3 years, this old miser thought he'd save the cost of paying for water, and waltzed into the property and is siphoning water from my lines. I couldn't find where exactly he was siphoning water from, but after checking my pressure multiple times, I was pretty sure. So I sat on it for a few days, thinking if I should confront him, go the legal path or just let it be. Now, water in my country is very cheap. My total bill, even with washing 3 animals, a car every week and w
    via TheMusicFella
  • 08
    But it wasn't about how much I was paying or who was paying for it. It's about entitled old people who think that they're deserving of using other people's resources without paying for it, and then getting away with it. It didn't sit right with me, and I really wanted to teach him a lesson. What I did was really simple. I just turned off my water from the mains. I wouldn't have to break into his property, nor would I be breaking any laws. It was the best way of getting back at him without needin
    via TheMusicFella
  • 09
    So on Monday, just 4 days ago, I waited till the pump flicked on, and turned off the supply. Now, the way household tanks work in my country, is that there's a ball valve in the tank which detects the level of water and turns on the pump. If the level doesn't increase, the valve stays open which electronically sends a signal to the pump to stay on until the level gets to a point at which the valve closes and also shuts off the pump. However, the level wasn't increasing and anyone knows that star
    via TheMusicFella
  • 10
    What I didn't account for is that his pump running constantly would mess. up the fuses by constantly drawing power overnight and absolutely destroy his wiring. If he decided to upgrade his household wiring to a more modern standard, this would've been prevented. This house clearly still had 90s era wiring. At around 3AM, I heard all residents in the house waking up and talking in hushed voices about why just their house in the neighborhood doesn't have power or water. I found out about the power
    via TheMusicFella
  • 11
    Our tenant protection laws are very important, and power and water are classed as essential even on a state level. Cutting those services are grounds for lawsuits, unless due to weather or some other unavoidable reason. In this case, the landlord is responsible for keeping the house wiring up to date and in good condition, alongside the supply of water. So the tenants were not happy and one of them immediately moved out two days later when it was informed that water and power will not be returni
    via TheMusicFella
  • 12
    Both tenants in the two floors lodged a complaint with the police, and if a person is in clear breach of laws, the police have the authority to fine or penalize the person without a court judgment. It can be challenged in court if the person thinks that they were unfairly penalized, but they still have to pay the fines and will only be refunded if and when the court finds the fines unlawful. So now, the landlord lost both tenants and has to pay a fine of $500, which is a lot of money in our coun
    via TheMusicFella
  • 13
    As of right now, he's moving out on Sunday to his daughter's place since he cannot afford to live alone. The tenants were his only source of income, and he's a retired mechanic, so he has no other income. He did find out why the motor kept drawing power, overloaded the wiring and burned out. He came by to my gate and asked me if I turned off my water, and I said "oh yeah, my tank had a new leak on a pipe and I turned it off till the next day until the plumber came by to fix the issue".
    via TheMusicFella
  • 14
    Y'all, the look on his face. He kept a straight one, but I just knew he was holding back. He just said "oh okay" and went back inside. Not sure if he knows I know, but I don't care because he can't do anything. I'm getting a plumber down next week to correct my plumbing and remove any pipes that leave my property. So I got rid of my water issue and a neighbor who could potentially be a pain in the a, by simply flicking a tap off. Two birds one stone I'd say.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 15
    TLDR: Bought an abandoned house, neighbor was siphoning water from my supply. Turned off my water supply when the motor was running, motor burned out the wiring in the house and cut off water and power to him and his tenants. Tenants lodged police complaints and the landlord got fined, is now destitute and forced to move in with his daughter.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 16
    121 3221 2 18 12 WWE KOS FOR HUGHS 1305
    via Sebastian Morelli-Peyton
  • 17
    MrTempleDene Well played, especially managing to keep a straight face when he asked you about turning the water off
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  • 18
    elldee50 You should make him an offer for the house.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 19
    JoWhee Wow $5/month. I pay about $100 and it's just the two of us and three cats who I won't wash! I love that you cost him a pump and a few bucks, theft is theft, and it's probably the theft worth a few hundred bucks if he's been doing it for a while. Cheapskate got owned.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 20
    lestairwellwit "What will happen if I just push over this little domino?" Power move, dude
    via TheMusicFella
  • 21
    1quirky1 Call the police when the plumber finds the tap. He could use another fine.
    via TheMusicFella
  • 22
    Charcoal GreyWolf For pro revenge I've seen in awhile. Well done.
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  • 23
    playfoot For some reason one of the most enjoyable posts I've read in a while...thanks for sharing As some who lives in Asia bits of this I can relate to as well. The action you took was pretty low key but with quite the outcome...kudos.
    via TheMusicFella

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hoa neighbors neighborhood homeowner neighborhood-drama bad neighbors neighborhood-stories terrible neighbors Bad Neighbor neighbor
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