AITA for refusing to lend my tools to a neighbor?

I have a decent collection of tools I’ve built up over the years. I do a lot of DIY projects, and it’s taken me time and money to gather everything I need. My neighbor, Rick , doesn’t have many tools and often comes over to borrow mine. At first, I didn’t mind helping out—it’s what neighbors do, right?

But here’s the issue: Rick never returns anything unless I ask for it, and even then, it’s a hassle. He either pretends he forgot it was mine or claims he was about to bring it back. One time, he even lent my ladder to another neighbor without asking me.

The last straw came a couple of weeks ago. I lent him my power washer so he could clean his driveway. I specifically asked him to return it when he was done because I needed it for a project the next day. Not only did he fail to bring it back, but when I went over to get it, I found it sitting outside in the rain. When I called him out on it, he just shrugged and said, “It’s just water; it’ll dry.”

This past weekend, he came over asking to borrow my electric sander. I told him, “Sorry, Rick, but I can’t keep lending you my tools if you’re not going to return them or take care of them properly.” He got defensive and accused me of being selfish, saying, “Neighbors are supposed to help each other.” Then he went around telling other neighbors that I refused to help him, and now some of them are giving me the cold shoulder.

A few have even said, “It’s just a sander—why not just let him borrow it?” But for me, it’s the principle. I feel like I’ve been more than patient with Rick, and I’m tired of chasing down my own belongings.

So, AITA for setting boundaries with my tools, or should I have just let him borrow it again to keep the peace?