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My flat is under siege by scum - what can I do?

UPDATE FROM POST #170

This morning I spoke to about 20 users and dealers.

As I expected they found the situation highly amusing, and were unanimous in their thoughts that whatever you do will be taken as a challenge, and they'll just get worse, calling in reinforcements if necessary.

I suggested ideas like creating smells, putting up fences or gates etc., but they just confirmed what I have seen here for years, that it will make no difference. Fences get torn down, and gates get forced open or even removed.

They see any space they occupy as their territory, and will defend it enthusiastically.

Remember, for them any interference in their activities is a welcome distraction from boredom. It gives them something to do, and they enjoy it in a rather perverse way.

For the property owners infested with this problem it's a different matter; they quite rightly take it very seriously, and eventually it wears them down, and starts to affect their quality of life and their mental health.

Unfortunately drug addicts and dealers, and the crime and prostitution that goes to fund that lifestyle, is so widespread now that even if the authorites succeed in moving them on, they only move them to another space where they remain problematic. Unless the authorities banish them all to some lonely and inaccessable island, they will just continue to kick the can down the road.

Based on this morning's conversations with addicts and dealers, and four years of documenting the problem, my advice is just move house or just learn to ignore them. You're dealing with people who don't give a flying fück about you or the Law, and who won't get stressed about any problems you cause them. They simply self-medicate, and will start to treat you as a problem to be solved, and it will become a war of attrition that you will lose, because you'll get more and more fixated and stressed, and they won't.
 
Tomorrow (Monday) I'll go and ask them if there is anything that would put them off frequenting an area. If I get any useful suggestions I'll come back and post them tomorrow evening.
Sorting mental health and addiction issues, sorting health issues, getting some education, landing a job. All the dull usual crap the vast majority of the rest of us manage reasonably successfully....
 
I believe one not-to-be-advised solution is when it is very cold, make sure they are soaked with water.

As the weather is warming, the not-to-be-advised solution must therefore be, set them on fire.
 
I've spent much time over the last four years photographing drug addicts, pushers and prostitutes, up-close and very personal.

I know nearly all of them in my city in northern Italy. I can go places even the police are wary to go, and I have total freedom to photograph anything. A very small selection of those photos can be seen on my website link

In the time I've spent photographing them, I've seen them chase away the police a number of times (6 armed officers ran away from them on one occasion) and also several raids by the military (the armed soldiers ran away from them too).

Many of them live rough and haven't washed for years. They smell revolting, and many have lice. They sh1t on the grass right next to where they smoke or inject, so I can't see any of the above suggestions about using smelly substances working.

They don't seem to care about surveillance cameras, not even the official police cameras, and the police here, as I imagine in many other cities and countries have just given up trying. Even during Covid they don't use masks and they don't respect the curfew or any other regulations. They are a law unto themselves.

Stabbings here are frequent, which confirms advice given earlier in this thread, don't approach them. They will also threaten to stab with used syringe needles.

Tomorrow (Monday) I'll go and ask them if there is anything that would put them off frequenting an area. If I get any useful suggestions I'll come back and post them tomorrow evening.
Some beautiful imagery on your website - Henri Cartier-Bresson would be proud of you.
 
UPDATE FROM POST #170

This morning I spoke to about 20 users and dealers.

As I expected they found the situation highly amusing, and were unanimous in their thoughts that whatever you do will be taken as a challenge, and they'll just get worse, calling in reinforcements if necessary.

I suggested ideas like creating smells, putting up fences or gates etc., but they just confirmed what I have seen here for years, that it will make no difference. Fences get torn down, and gates get forced open or even removed.

They see any space they occupy as their territory, and will defend it enthusiastically.

Remember, for them any interference in their activities is a welcome distraction from boredom. It gives them something to do, and they enjoy it in a rather perverse way.

For the property owners infested with this problem it's a different matter; they quite rightly take it very seriously, and eventually it wears them down, and starts to affect their quality of life and their mental health.

Unfortunately drug addicts and dealers, and the crime and prostitution that goes to fund that lifestyle, is so widespread now that even if the authorites succeed in moving them on, they only move them to another space where they remain problematic. Unless the authorities banish them all to some lonely and inaccessable island, they will just continue to kick the can down the road.

Based on this morning's conversations with addicts and dealers, and four years of documenting the problem, my advice is just move house or just learn to ignore them. You're dealing with people who don't give a flying fück about you or the Law, and who won't get stressed about any problems you cause them. They simply self-medicate, and will start to treat you as a problem to be solved, and it will become a war of attrition that you will lose, because you'll get more and more fixated and stressed, and they won't.

Hi Mate,

Grateful for your replies

I just don't think that (thankfully) I'm dealing the same class of scum as you have witnessed

They couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag, nevermind the below

In the time I've spent photographing them, I've seen them chase away the police a number of times (6 armed officers ran away from them on one occasion) and also several raids by the military (the armed soldiers ran away from them too).
 
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Hi Mate,

Grateful for your replies

I just don't think that (thankfully) I'm dealing the same class of scum as you have witnessed

They couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag, nevermind the below

Following on from the photography and capturing evidence aspect, does anyone have any recommendations for quality home security cameras that could be mounted inside a window as opposed to the traditional installation on the exterior of a building?
 
Following on from the photography and capturing evidence aspect, does anyone have any recommendations for quality home security cameras that could be mounted inside a window as opposed to the traditional installation on the exterior of a building?
I have been using IMOU cameras for a while now, the only problem with mounting inside a window is that at night the light from the IR lamp will reflect back
they do several that are remote control from your phone or pC, I have mine set up with a memory chip that stores for 3 days before they overwrite
you can also for a fee store on the cloud
if placing inside a window, make sure you put a dark cloth behind and around to prevent light leaking through from the room

 
I personally think a lot of the “send us your images” stuff is more of a carthartic thing anyway. Most of what’s submitted would not be admissible as evidence. Majority of time people also post their images / footage on social media - which also renders it inadmissible.
Just out of interest, why is it inadmissible? Could the alleged crim claim a potential jury had been influenced? Thats the only thing i could come up with
 
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