Man accused of digging up neighbors’ yard; believed they were pirates

LEDYARD, Conn. — A man is facing charges after he started digging up his neighbor’s front yard in Ledyard, Connecticut.

Ledyard Police Department said that they received a call on Saturday just after 10 a.m. and the caller reported that her neighbor dug up her front yard with a rock rake, according to WFSB. The neighbor also refused to leave.

When officers arrived, they learned that Mark Uterstaedt, 62, went onto the caller’s property because he believed he “owned the neighborhood,” according to the news outlet. He also allegedly believed that the caller’s family were pirates.

The caller’s husband reportedly confronted Uterstaedt about being on his property, police said, according to WTIC. Uterstaedt started to yell and swing the rock rake.

Uterstaedt reportedly told police he was digging up the yard because he thought the family was trying to put in a waterline, the news outlet reported.

Uterstaedt was arrested and charged with risk of injury, second-degree threatening, fourth-degree criminal mischief, breach of peace, and simple trespass, according to WTIC.