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Innocent paramedic horrified after elderly neighbour accuses them of kidnap

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The paramedic was accused of kidnap by his neighbour (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/Tetra images RF)
The paramedic was accused of kidnap by his neighbour (stock photo) (Image: Getty Images/Tetra images RF)

Neighbours can be tricky characters. Some you get along with easily, others keep to themselves, but unfortunately, there are always a few who just don’t like you on sight - going out of their way to make life difficult. Even making things up to get that person kicked out of their home.

A Canadian man has revealed how this happened to him after his elderly upstairs neighbour took it upon herself to get him in trouble by accusing him of kidnap. Taking to Reddit to share the story and how he got revenge on the OAP he explained that when he first left home to go to university, he lived in an apartment building almost entirely populated with people who were 65 years plus.

He wrote: “I was acutely aware of the age gap and the general image of a university student, so I made sure to be just an all-around great guy to avoid conflict. The one person I could never see eye to eye with was my upstairs neighbor. For a 70-year-old woman that couldn't have weighed more than 100 lbs, she walked like a damned elephant.

“She'd have gospel music on her TV at max volume at 5 am on Sundays, she'd make remarks about ‘that damn kid’ whenever something was left out of place. She even accused me of breaking into her car and made a police statement saying she saw me do it.”

After seven years the man began working as a paramedic. One evening he was called to a shooting, and because of the seriousness of the crime there was a police investigation and he, the paramedic, needed to provide a statement.

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The man continued: “The investigating officers called me to have the interview and offered to just come over to do it, rather than have me travel. One of them was a constable I'd worked with quite a bit, so I said sure. I was just getting out of the shower when they buzzed to get into the building, as I was trying to throw on clothes, I hear them knock… on my upstairs neighbor's door.

“They introduced themselves as being from the RCMP Major Crimes division and that they were looking for me. She says ‘oh, he lives downstairs, what do you want with him?’. They thanked her and informed her that they couldn't say, as it was an active investigation. My heart sank but then I had a thought.”

Knowing that the little old lady would tell everyone in the building that the police were looking for him, he decided to play along to get his revenge. He added: “Pretty soon I'm getting side-eye in the hallway, neighbors are steering clear of me, so I know she's been talking. Turns out she told everyone I had been arrested for robbery and kidnapping and was out on bail.

“I found this out when one of my neighbors who was on the condo board showed up with a letter demanding an explanation and threatening to have me kicked out. I asked him what this was all about, and he said ‘Well, Linda (not her name) sent us a letter about what had happened and we had to have an emergency board meeting because people don't feel safe with you here’.”

The man asked for a meeting to go over everything but was warned that it didn't look good for him and he had “a lot of explaining”. He went on: “The meeting day comes and Linda is sitting smugly looking at me, the other board members are giving me dirty looks.

“The board president asks what I have to say in my defense. I stand and quietly distribute a letter on Royal Canadian Mounted Police letterhead, signed by the regional superintendent.” The official memo made it clear that the paramedic was not in trouble or “under suspicion of any crimes, past or current, and has not been arrested, detained or questioned as a suspect in any criminal matter”.

It explained that his duties as a paramedic often required him to make statements in regard to ongoing investigations. The letter finished by remarking that the regional superintendent was “deeply saddened” by the necessity of the report that that they would be reopening an investigation into a previous incident regarding false statements made against him.

Quietly delighted by the incredulous look on Linda’s face, the man revealed that as people read the letter it dawned on them what had happened. He finished: “The dirty looks shifted from me to Linda. She protested that it must be a forgery and she had witnessed me being led off in handcuffs.

“ I stood and addressed the board and outlined the years of abuse and harassment, including the false accusation of breaking and entering a vehicle. I informed the board on the advice of my lawyer that I do not discuss the matter further with any member of the board, as Linda being part of it and using her position for the purposes of harassment opened the board as a whole to litigation and I was still weighing my options.”

The following day Linda was removed from the board and given a warning that any further harassment could result in proceedings to have her removed from the building.

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He finished: “She also had a visit from police with a summons for providing a false statement and obstructing a peace officer. She had to attend court. She pled guilty to both and was given a suspended sentence and one year condition not to harass, threaten, or intentionally inconvenience me in any way.

“I moved to another province before her year was up, but for a brief period of time, I actually got to sleep in on Sunday mornings.”

After reading the post people were delighted with the man's dignified retribution. One person wrote: "The slow kind of revenge is always the best! I would have loved to have seen her face in court."

Eve Wagstaff

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