Post by hungrycaterpillar on Dec 14, 2013 21:34:55 GMT -5
I have had a knock on my front door three times now since I woke up from a nap around 3:00 pm. Each time I go to the peep hole it is the same man. I have no idea who this person is and didn't answer the door because well, my mom taught me not to open the door to strangers.
On the last knock I made sure to take in as much physical detail as I could and ended up calling the police because I felt like maybe my house was being cased for a break in (like they were monitoring what hours we are home for a later break in). They came and knocked on my door and said they didn't see anyone who fit the bill but they appreciated me being alert because there have been a series of break ins in the neighborhood lately.
I was going to head out to the store but I think I should just stay in, right? I may be overreacting, but I'm feeling a little freaked out.
Post by RoxMonster on Dec 14, 2013 21:53:08 GMT -5
I would be freaked out too. Can you watch from a window if he knocks again and see which way he heads or if he gets in a car, etc? Maybe call the cops while he is at your door and hope they get there quickly before he disappears. Of course, he may not come back and it may be a very pesky or overly-aggressive salesperson, but I would be nervous about it too.
If you do head out, I'd leave on lots of lights in the house. Make sure every window and door is locked. Me personally, I might stay in if it wasn't an absolutely necessary errand, just for tonight.
Post by hungrycaterpillar on Dec 14, 2013 21:57:25 GMT -5
RoxMonster - The great thing about my place and the worst thing about my place is that it's a condo with very few windows. There's no way I could see over the fence if I tried from the living room windows (we have a small porch outside the living room). The great thing though is that it makes my house pretty hard to break into.
I would think that the dude would get a clue. Everytime he knocks, Bells barks like a madwoman. I'll stay in tonight and hopefully he won't be back again.
Um, why didn't you just ask him what he wants? Maybe he is looking for someone and thinks he has the right apartment number?
Oh fuck that. Unless it's a delivery person, I don't answer my door.
Same here. Not expecting you? Not answering the door. I've been like that for years and years. My college friends knew to just walk in, if I was home the door was open. (I keep it locked now)
I don't think I'm missing out on anything by NOT answering the door. It'e either a delivery, our next door neighbor or someone I don't know. If I don't know you.... sorry!
I strongly recommend talking through the door. If they are casing your house you don't want them thinking its empty, do you? Just ask him through the door. They will tell you what they want and you can say you aren't interested.
A lot of criminals knock first, then break in if no one is home.
This isn't helpful but I would do what I always do, stay quiet and peek out the window. I fucking hate when people ring the doorbell bc my dogs go apeshit and I'm not going to answer anyway.
However, usually the reason I don't answer is because I don't have a bra on, not really for safety reasons.
This isn't helpful but I would do what I always do, stay quiet and peek out the window. I fucking hate when people ring the doorbell bc my dogs go apeshit and I'm not going to answer anyway.
However, usually the reason I don't answer is because I don't have a bra on, not really for safety reasons.
I always just yell "no thank you" through the front door. In 8 years of living here, I've only had 2 people say something back to me, both were salesmen and I just repeated "I said no thank you" and walked away from the door.
I wouldn't be silent though, for sure. I always want to come across as assertive, especially with a strange man knocking on my door.
Post by speckledfrog on Dec 14, 2013 23:45:15 GMT -5
I just remembered that the one time I had a persistent guy at the door I did finally answer and it turned out he was .with the city and needed to install a new water meter.
I always recommend saying something through the door. Even just yelling "no thank you!" or " go away". The officers I work for (I'm a dispatcher) have told me this is the best idea, due to casing. I was living alone or awhile and people coming by randomly always made me nervous. Most burglars are wanting to get in/out, not get caught by the homeowner. I'd personally rather them know I was home instead of thinking its unoccupied and breaking in and surprising me and themselves.
Would you feel okay about taping a note to the door that says something like, baby sleeping when baby wants do not knock/ring bell in case baby is sleeping!!
It shows you are home but might not answer because you have an excuse, plus your dog reacts when they knock. Also, I think you are in Dallas? Get a beware of dog sign and put it by the front door. I had a chihuahua and all my neighbors were robbed but that stupid sign that Dad put by my front door (he thought it was funny) was the only thing the Police figured was why I wasn't.
ETA: I know you don't have a baby, it's a lie!! Lol
So you know all your neighbors? Since it is the same person multiple times is is possible that a package or mail got delivered to the wrong condo and someone is trying to return it to you?
My dog usually scares people off, which is why I don't answer if I don't know them. Our door is mostly glass, so from the outside, you just see this blurry picture of a huge black dog jumping on the door barking like a fiend. If someone really wants to try to break in and mess with her, good luck.
Post by themoneytree on Dec 15, 2013 10:13:43 GMT -5
In broad daylight I answer the door.
If I didn't want to answer the door I would tell that it's a bad time through the door. The very last thing I want is for a thief to think that no one is home and break in with me in there.
Our house is really big so sometimes I don't hear the doorbell if I'm in the great room with the tv on. I sometimes worry that someone could break in thinking I'm not home.
I would probably open the window and ask him what he wants.
But I am an idiot, because last week someone knocked on my door at 12 AM and I freaking answered the door like a moron (I thought it was my neighbor, but it was not).
There's a lot of paranoia here. He's probably a Jehovah's Witness. We have an intercom that I can answer anywhere in the house, and a video feed on the front door, so I tend to communicate using those to save me a trip to the front door. I would not ignore him though. And honestly, he's not a burglar. At this point, he'd already have broken in.