# Strange thing happened last night



## HoneyPot (May 8, 2007)

Kinda long... but I've been freaked out about this...

So about 6 months ago, Neil and I were watching a movie really late atnight - was about 1am, we were at home just laying on the sofa, tv andlights on in the house.

We have a huge front window, which for some reason we just didn't putthe blinds down for the night yet, so anyone walking by the house couldsee in and see us on the sofa. 

There was a knock on the door, and I looked and saw someone standingthere, but could only see the side of the person. It lookedlike Neil's brother who lives down the street. I figured hemay have seen our lights on and came by, so I ran over and opened thedoor. Whoever was knocking on the door obviously saw us onthe sofa, so it wasn't like I could just not answer it.

Anyway,I open it and it's just some strange man, and hestarts telling me that he lives a couple houses down - the house withthe white vans, and he has run out of gas and he has an emergency butleft his car keys at a friend's house, so he needs to borrow some moneyto take a cab to his friends house to get his keys and also go get somegas... just this very convoluded story. 

So I already knew I was going to tell the guy to get lost, but I leanedin the house and just asked Neil if he had any cash, he said NO(thankfully) and I said sorry, no we can't help and I shut the door.

There were a couple things that were odd - we know all our neighbourspretty well just from seeing them on the street and everyone on ourstreet is fairly nosy, so there's not a lot of people that we have notmet or seen at some point. Also - I have NEVER seen anyonewith a white van on the street anywhere at any point.

Anyway, that was wierd, and no one on our street has seen this guy orknow of anyone who has a white van on the street. So it gotme thinking that maybe he was trying to get inside the house or see ifanyone was home, or judge who lived here or something... I don'tknow. What if he had tried to force his way into the house,it would have been easy since I just opened the door and startedtalking to him.

Anyway, that was 6 months ago.

Last night, I got home late cause I was hanging out with mysister. When I got home, Neil wasn't here because he washanging out with a friend at a bar about 5 minutes from ourhouse. So I was on the forum reading and waiting up for Neilto get home.

Around 1:30am, someone knocked on the door and I figured it was Neilwho saw that the living room light was on and was just knocking for meto let him in.

So I open the door, and there is that guy again - SAME guy. Islammed the door in his face, locked it, grabbed the phone and lockedmyself in the bedroom with Misty and Charlie. I called Neilwho rushed home, but by the time he got here, there was no sign of theguy.

Part of me feels like I am over-reacting, but who knocks on people'sdoor at 2 in the morning??? And thankfully he didn't try to force thedoor becuase the minute I opened it, he could have shoved it and beenin the house. 

I'm just freaked because there have been break-ins in our area andthere are always creepy people about - it's a big city - so who knowswho's around. I didn't get much sleep last night justthinking about what could have happened.

Anyway - just needed to get it out cause I'm sitting here jumping at every sound I hear.

:?

___________
Nadia


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## Snuggys Mom (May 8, 2007)

Oh my gosh, that is scary, Nadia. 

Stop opening the door! You need a peep hole. 

I'm so glad you closed the door on him. I would have done the same. 

Do you have pepper spray in the house? I keep a little one onmy keychain. It makes me feel safer.


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## Nicky (May 8, 2007)

Weird. Did you call the cops? 55 is only minutes away and they are always around to help-


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## HoneyPot (May 8, 2007)

Laura- I know!! Neil said that too - Idon't normally open it for people I don't know, but I honestly thoughtit was Neil... and yeah.. we really do need a door with a peehole..that's our goal this summer, we're replacing our ancient front door.

Nicole - I wasn't sure if to call the police. I figured Ishould, but then I was so tired I just wanted to go to bed (although Ididn't get any sleep in the end). But there have beensuspicious people in our neighbourhood - Neil's friend down the streethad their car broken into in their backyard.

__________
Nadia


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## JimD (May 8, 2007)

I'd go ahead and call the police anyway.
Just call the station (not 911) and tell them the whole story.


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## lalena2148 (May 8, 2007)

Oh man, that is scary!

Call the police (not 911) and place a report. I did that once when Iwas being harrassed online. The police will keep an eye on your housefor any crazy people.


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## jordiwes (May 8, 2007)

Eeeek!

:hug:

Sounds like he's just weird, and not violent. 

You and Neil should have some kind of knock pattern, and you should tell your friends to phone before knocking.


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 8, 2007)

Nadia, luckily nothing happened. Please stop opening your door even when you think it's Neil. 

Do you have one of those chain locks on that door? Doesn'tsound like it,but you could install one of those fornow. That way the door can onlybeopenedabout two inches. That's an idea, so if youdon't have one, it can be easily installed. Just a thought.

I'd definitely report this guy. Then police can patrol theneighborhood, and if they see him lurking they can do something aboutit. He's obviously after something if he's come back asecond time:shock:.

Stay safe girl!:hug2:


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## JimD (May 8, 2007)

Get a dog if you don't have one....a BIG one!!

If you can't get a dog, get a recording of one barking likecrazy....and play it full volume when anyone knocks on your door. Yellsomething like "Down, Chainsaw!!!"

Just before answering the door yell something like "Can you put thatdarn shotgun down and hold the dogs so I can get the door ?!?!"


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## AngelnSnuffy (May 8, 2007)

:laugh:Good One!


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## Nicky Snow (May 8, 2007)

Yeah thepolice don'tmind helping out on things like that, especially in our neighbourhood.



I once found some guy in my backyard, and since I live in the basement apt, and it was night time- I freaked out-



He asked me if so and so lived here, and I said "no! what the hell areyou doing in my backyard? at night!" Then I told him i'd beat his a$$is i saw him again-

And I never saw him again  might sound dumb but maybe keep a littlecamera by the door and snap his pic if you see him again- that wouldreally help the cops too-(haha there goes my inner cop)


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## HoneyPot (May 8, 2007)

hehee, thanks guys.

My mom said the same thing Nicole..- next time take hispicture... but I was more concerned with slamming the door thangrabbing the camera this time around.  

haha, you tell him you'll kick is ass, and I go lock myself in with the bunnies... as if they would protect me. lol.


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## bat42072 (May 8, 2007)

i know how you feel... i live in the middle ofthe woods with no close neighbors... my husband works out of townalot... so its just me and my girls most of the time... i have a gun...i can't trust the police to get here in time... i have called thepolice bfore and it took them 1 hr to get here... never hadto use it ... but makes me feel safer to have it even though i hateguns... please stop answering the door in the middle of the night...tell your boyfriend and family to call before they comeover that late...i know i sound like a coward... but better to be safe than sorry....-

---becky


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## JadeIcing (May 8, 2007)

WoW!:shock:

Ever tell you the time I opened the door thinking it was the pizza dude and it was him...being held up at gunpoint?


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## HoneyPot (May 8, 2007)

*JadeIcing wrote: *


> WoW!:shock:
> 
> Ever tell you the time I opened the door thinking it was the pizza dude and it was him...being held up at gunpoint?


:shock::shock:

The pizza guy was being held at gunpoint at your door???

Neil and I have discussed it, and he said he will never knock to get inthe house. If he doesn't have his key, he will call to get meto open it. I usually never answer the door - even in themiddle of the day. And when I went to answer it last night, Ihad a fleeting though of "I'll go get the door cause it's neil, butwhat if it wasn't"... so I think subconsciously I was ready to slam thedoor.

I was held up at gunpoint once - Neil and I. It was about 11at night, on a bright main street. It was before we weredating and we were just friends and he was walking me back to my carafter we went out for drinks at a bar in his area. He got my purse...but then the cops got him a couple weeks later and he did 4 months injail...

Nadia


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## maherwoman (May 8, 2007)

One good suggestion I have: 

Getting one of those sturdy, metal screen doors (not the mesh ones, theones that are all-metal) that has the capability of having a doorknobAND a deadbolt. We bought one about a month ago, and it hasmade me feel SO much safer, as I can open the front door, but stillhave the safety of a metal door AND deadbolt right there.It's like a large peephole.

Not only that...but is there any way to get a curtain for thatwindow? I know it must be nice, but if someone can see in, itmight just not be safe lately.

I also like the idea of a peephole. 

Just a few ideas...hopefully this doesn't happen to youagain. Good that you and your husband have a plan set up soyou know from now on if it's him or not. Keep an eye out forthings in general...be super observant, and careful. Maybefigure out a way to at least situate things in that front room (by thewindow) so that somebody walking by can't quite tell if someone's inthere or not (as in having the back of the couch to the window, or somesuch).

Keep safe and take care, Hun...


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## Pipp (May 8, 2007)

I've got a chain on my door, I can open it six inches or so. 

But I wouldn't worry about that guy, it's just a common 'need a little money' scam. 

He came back the second time either because you appeared to bereceptive the first time when you asked Neil, or because he forgot healready tried your house.  

The scam only works at 2 AM, otherwise the 'stranded neighbour' wouldhave other options. And they target places with thelights on, people being dragged out of bed aren't always in goodhumour. 

(PS: So glad to see Nicky!!)



sas (who knows ALL the scams)


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## JadeIcing (May 8, 2007)

*Very funny now. Than it was alittle scarey.*

*HoneyPot wrote: *


> *JadeIcing wrote: *
> 
> 
> > WoW!:shock:
> ...


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## Spring (May 8, 2007)

Oh gosh. Who knows what that guy was thinking. Creep!

I've been scammed before with a similar situation, but it was in thegrocery store parking lot with a guy wanting a toonie. Came back fromgrocery shopping and he was still acting frantic asking people fortoonies for 'bus fare'. It's kind of funny now LOL.

We did have something freaky happen a few years ago when our garage gotbroken into. It was around 5 in the afternoon and my dad had justgotten home from work, so he left the garage door open to come inside.My parents were going out after he'd cleaned up from work, so he justleft the door open. My dog started going crazy and would go racing tothe room that attaches to the garage (Now the rabbit room). My momwanted to show him that everything was ok, so she opened the door andfound some freak in my dads tools. She asked him what he was doing andhe just said is so and so home and raced out into a car that waswaiting outside. My dad used to be in construction, so he had a lot oftools. He onlyst6ole a few things, and thank goodness my dogstarted barking or he could have stolen a lot more.


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## seniorcats (May 8, 2007)

Just to be on the safe side you may want toconsider getting an alarm system. There are some really goodwireless home alarm systems on the market that are notexpensive. I just wouldn't want to take a chance withpersonal security. This could be someone looking for the besttime when you are alone or when the house is unoccupied. Anddo call the police non-emergency number to report the guy even if it'safter the fact.


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## Pipp (May 8, 2007)

*seniorcats wrote:*


> Just to be on the safe side you may want to consider gettingan alarm system. There are some really good wireless homealarm systems on the market that are not expensive. I justwouldn't want to take a chance with personal security. Thiscould be someone looking for the best time when you are alone or whenthe house is unoccupied. And do call the police non-emergencynumber to report the guy even if it's after the fact.









Even though I'm pretty sure the guy was hoping you'd hand him money,guys like that will also often have a secondary agenda re: casing thejoint, although it'sonly the stupid ones that will allowyouto see their faces.If you have a breakin, the cops always ask if any strangers have been knockingatyour door. 

And not sure about your neighbourhood, but the cops here like to hearabout theseinstances. It's always worth filing areport with adescription. 



sas


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## ~BunBuns~ (May 8, 2007)

THAT IS FLIPPIN SCARY! same thing happened at myfriends house he was home alone and a guy broke in his house!! we wereon the phone and he was so scared.. But his parents keep a crowbarishbat lookin thing in the closet by the door so he got it but by the timehe came down the guy had left with a portable tv... they caught him inabout 3 hours and about 5 months later.. SAME GUY came back trying tobreak in. Thank god his alarm thingy went off when he slammed the doorand the guy tried to force it open.. GET A BOTTLE OF PEPPER SPRAY!

The guy doesnt seem harmfull but just a CREEP! call the police to file a report or something.


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## Nicky Snow (May 9, 2007)

(Thanks PIP!)


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## HoneyPot (May 9, 2007)

Yeah, we're going to replace our front door, getan alarm system (all these old houses were built when it was safe toleave your doors open!) and I'll likely call the police today and filea report. 

Thanks so much guys - I feel way better about things today. 



___________
Nadia


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## nermal71 (May 9, 2007)

Here is a hint that was given to us.If your alarm system comes with a sticker to "warn" off the bad guysthat the house is protected. Do NOT put itup. Alot of the pros look at that and laugh as ittells them just how to disarm what's there. That came from acop friend of my dads.


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## *poifect* (May 9, 2007)

Oh my gosh!!! that is reallly creepy!! 

i hope he never bothers you again!


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## HoneyPot (May 9, 2007)

*nermal71 wrote:*


> Here is a hint that was given to us. If your alarmsystem comes with a sticker to "warn" off the bad guys that the houseis protected. Do NOT put it up. Alot ofthe pros look at that and laugh as it tells them just how to disarmwhat's there. That came from a cop friend of my dads.



Interesting! I never would have though of that, but it makesso much sense. People always say to put it up as a deterrant,but yeah.. you really are just broadcasting how they should go aboutbreaking in...

hmm.


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