Is there any way to get property, multiple $120 soccer balls, back from a neighbor who won't give them back?

Question

Our high school soccer field is surrounded by houses. We have put up netting behind each goal at least 50-60 feet high, but each season we seem to loose 3 or 4 game balls ($120 each) and 10-20 ($25 each) practice balls in one neighbors yards who will not give them back even after we have tried asking nicely.

Answer 1

I know this answer won't be popular, but it is legally accurate.

The school is trespassing by allowing the balls to enter the neighbor's yard. If he choses to keep the balls, he can since they were gifted to him by the school. It seems to me that your netting needs to be higher so that the school and players are no longer making gifts of the balls to the neighbor.

Your other option is to apologize to the homeowner for the trespassing, explain the steps that you are taking to stop the trespassing (i.e. higher nets, better coaching, etc), and ask him what would help him to forgive the school for the trespassing. Taking full responsibility for the trespassing would probably go a long way toward getting the neighbor to accept the occasional trespass, and then he might return the balls.

Personally, if there were between 13 and 24 balls coming into my yard during a three or four month period, I'd keep the balls too. One or two balls would be forgivable. More than a dozen implies that the school, team, and coach just don't want to take steps to rectify the situation.

Answer 2

I guess the question would be, how does he know the soccer balls are yours? Does he find them in his backyard with a note saying they are the property of the school? Are they marked in a specific way? How do you know it is in this neighbor's backyard?

Perhaps you should approach him nicely and sign a release, indemnifying him from any other claims that might be made against him for the return of the soccer balls. Because, perhaps he's unsure whose balls they are, if multiple people have been asking for them. Also designate one person to ask for them back.

Answer 3

Have an attorney send a "letter of representation" threatening an action in replevin to secure the return of the soccer balls. That might be enough to give that neighbor the idea that you intend to play "hard ball" to get the soccer balls back.

Answer 4

The school should have started legal action long ago...



Maybe threaten him with a bad mark on his Permanent Record.

Answer 5

Beat his *** every time you see him - He will return them soon