Police were called to Melbourne St, South Dunedin at 8.15am on Tuesday for a "neighbours at war" situation unfolding, Senior Sergeant Anthony Bond, of Dunedin, said.
A 32-year-old man had been spending his time "disturbing" his neighbours by yelling at the children from over the fence while they played in the driveway and yard.
He had also spent a considerable amount of time going outside and yelling abuse at the family, making noises and pulling rude hand gestures.
The man had been disturbing the family over a lengthy period of time and issues were long-standing.
"Yesterday morning, it all came to a head," Snr Sgt Bond said.
After yelling abuse at his neighbours and their children, he then started to get ladders from inside his home, climbed up, and started banging a hammer on his own roof, while yelling more abuse, before going back inside his home.
When police arrived, they went to speak with the neighbours, and the man went back outside and started to act aggressively by yelling and screaming — again.
He then damaged a trellis attached to his front door by punching it.
Police moved themselves and the family further away so they could continue to speak and try to calm the man down; however, he was ‘‘uncooperative’’, and kicked a hole in their shared fence.
He was then arrested for harassment.
Charges were also laid against the man for discharging a firearm near a dwelling — investigation into the circumstances around the firearm were still ongoing, Snr Sgt Bond said.
About three hours later, police were called back to the property.
The man’s 31-year-old partner had thrown a glass bottle at one of the neighbours while they had walked down their shared driveway.
She allegedly threw the bottle in retaliation for her partner being arrested, Snr Sgt Bond said.
The woman was arrested for behaving threateningly and offensive behaviour likely to cause violence.
The couple were both bailed to appear in Dunedin District Court on November 11.
