Elderly neighbor climbs over homeowner's fence and cuts down their trees, homeowner regrets not reporting him: ‘You owe me your freedom and 12 trees’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Nov 12, 2026 3:15 PM EST

Even though there are strict laws in place in order to prevent people from causing damage to others, it takes a lot of time and effort to actually enforce them, which leads some to give up on standing up for their rights.

Try to think: how many times did someone do something to you that you knew was illegal, but you ended up letting it go because you didn't want to handle the bureaucracy, or simply didn't think it was worth it? People get unlawfully fired from their jobs, get scammed online, and deal with conflict with their neighbors every single day, and they still do nothing about it. They would rather let it go than properly deal with it, and if the homeowner here is any indication, they also end up regretting it.

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  • Elderly neighbor cutting down trees.
    via Kateryna Hliznitsova

    Elderly neighbor cutting down trees.

    Recreated scenario included to enhance reader understanding. 

  • This homeowner could have reported their elderly neighbor for illegally cutting down trees on their property, but they didn't want to cause so much harm to a 65-year-old man. Even though the man had no right to cut down trees on someone else's property, he got away with it. Now, years later, he is showing his true colors yet again as he comes back to the homeowner's property with demands and accusations.

    The fact that he is showing no remorse for his previous actions, and even has the audacity to complain about the homeowner's lack of neighborly attitude, is causing the homeowner serious regret for not reporting the man all these years ago.

    Interestingly enough, it might not be too late…

  • "Neighbor cut down my trees, now wants better view"

    Backstory: Two years ago, my old retired neighbor decided he'd cut down some d, ing arborvitae that I planted on
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • the property line. I live on multiple acres and it's mostly all treed-in except for a patch butting up to his backyard. I transplanted the trees but they didn't take,
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • and they soon d' d. So one day, he climbed over the fence and he cut them down.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • Yes, it's a felony. Big time. 12 counts. One per tree. I live in Oregon and tree law is SEVERE. But I decided to be the bigger person and not press charges. You can
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • question my judgment but I felt like sending a 65 year old man to prison until his 80th birthday wasn't the right call.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • Fast forward to today. I'm clearing brush on my property and have a lot of it. Several trailers full. So, I've been piling it up to let
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • nature take its course and decompose a bit before I take it to the yard disposal site next year.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • Wooden logs in a green field.
    via Artur Łuczka

    Wooden logs in a green field.

    Image for illustrative purposes.

  • I decided to push it into the back corner so it's out of site. And this idiot is there to greet me.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • He told me I cannot leave the brush there because it's a eyesore and fire hazard (it's winter). The pile is probably 10x50ft and five or six feet high. It's also at least
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • 30 feet from his property line and another 30 feet from his house. He's told me he's going to contact the fire department and, "I should try harder since I promised
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • him I'd try to be a better neighbor." Excuse me? I was a "better neighbor" when I didn't send your felonious a to prison. I didn't owe you a
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • thing. You owe me your freedom and 12 trees, pal. I'm now regretting this decision. In 5 years, this idiot has only ever spoken to me to complain about his
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • problems with MY property. I should have let him rot in a cell. Some people.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense

  • Overall, the homeowner was trying to be the bigger person. Who wants to be responsible for ruining someone's life because of some trees? 

    However, this homeowner quickly learned that the trees are not really the issue here. They are dealing with an extremely entitled person who will definitely not stop damaging someone else's property for his own benefit. Having someone like that as your next-door neighbor could prove to be a lot trickier than the homeowner initially thought. Now, teaching this man a lesson sounds like it would actually be for his own good, especially at his age.

  • ---edit--- I just looked into it and the statute of limitations is six years. Oregon law awards 3x damage for trees based on their age, meaning that he'd
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • owe me replacement costs for twelve, ~20 year old arborvitae, along with planting, watering, and upkeep costs, plus a 3x multiple on top of all that.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • It doesn't matter if the trees were healthy, dd, or the Biblical Cedars of Lebanon. The law still applies in this case.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • | may just take another look at collecting on him.
    via u/BlackshirtDefense
  • LookOptimal7770 Imagine cutting down someone's trees without permission and then having the audacity to lecture them about being a good neighbor. The irony is unreal.
    via u/LookOptimal7770
  • No-Application-2781 At this point, I'd seriously consider those charges. Dude isn't gonna change, doesn't think he has to. I'd move ahead with it. He thinks it's okay to trespass on other people's property whenever he wasn't and do what he wants. Game over.
    via u/No-Application-2781
  • earthman34 The problem here is that you enabled him by being the "bigger man". You gave him a pass, and in his mind, reaffirmed his right to control your property and tell you what to do.
    via u/earthman34

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neighbors trees neighborhood fence homeowner property property line
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