It can be really annoying when people try to give you “help” you never asked for.

So, how would you react if your neighbor started grabbing your deliveries from the lobby every time you weren’t home, but one day, they hand you a box that was clearly opened?

Would you let it go? Or would you draw a line and let him know to leave your items alone from now on?

In the following story, one man finds himself in this situation and actually chooses the latter.

Here’s the full scoop.

AITA for telling my neighbor to stop “helping” me with my packages after he saved one but opened it?

I (28M) live alone in a small apartment building, one of those where packages get left in the lobby by the mailboxes (there’s no doorman or package room).

A month ago, I had a package delivered while I was at work. When I got home, it wasn’t in the lobby, so of course I assumed it got stolen.

About an 1h later, my neighbor (I’ll call him Rob) knocked on my door and handed it to me. He said he saw it sitting out and didn’t want it to get taken, so he grabbed it and kept it in his unit. I genuinely thanked him, and he didn’t ask for anything, and it felt like a normal neighbor thing.

Obviously, the package had been opened.

Then it started to happen more. Any time I got a delivery and wasn’t home, Rob would take it. Sometimes he’d text me (he got my number from the building group chat). I didn’t like it, but I also didn’t want my stuff stolen, so I kinda let it go.

Last week, I ordered something boring but personal (a medication refill from an online pharmacy). It comes in plain packaging, but it does have my name and the pharmacy name on the return label.

I got the delivery notification at work, and when I got home, there was no package in the lobby. 10 min later, Rob knocks and hands it to me, and the box is clearly open. Like the tape is cut, then re-taped.

He wasn’t sure how to handle it.

I’m torn because on one hand, maybe he has probably prevented my packages from getting stolen multiple times, but on the other hand, opening it’s a huge line, especially cause it was medication.

Even if it was an accident, it still happened because he’s been grabbing packages that aren’t his.

I told him that I appreciate him trying to help, but I don’t want him to take my deliveries anymore. I said if he sees something of mine, just leave it or text me, and I’ll come down when I can.

Now, Rob is upset.

He got offended and said I’m making him feel like a thief when he’s literally been protecting my stuff.

He also said the lobby is “basically a free-for-all,” and I’m going to regret it when something gets stolen again.

Now I feel awkward because he did help me, but I also don’t want my neighbor opening my packages or holding them in his apartment.

AITA?

Eek! That would be a really tough decision.

Let’s check out what the readers over at Reddit have to say about the whole thing.

This person thinks he saw other stuff.

For this reader, it’s Rob who thinks that.

According to this comment, Rob will steal a package.

Yet another person who thinks he may be a thief.

It’s a little late for that.

But he should definitely let the building management know.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.