Getting to Know the Local Police
16 Aug
Awhile back, I had to call the local police department because a “salesman” creeped me out. Since then we’ve had a few more incidents.
We think our house is being cased. Bad guys must think our house is vacant since it has a For Sale sign in the front yard. They seem to overlook the open blinds, dog in the yard, car in the driveway and lights on inside the house. Friday night, a vehicle pulled up in front of our house at about eleven o’clock. They sat there with their lights on for thirty minutes. Truly, they just sat there. They never got out of their car, or turned on their interior lights to look at a map.
Since our house is for sale, whenever someone pulls in front of the house, we hope it’s because they want a flyer. But no one comes to get a flyer or look at a house at eleven o’clock at night. And, none of our neighbors had guests in front of their house, so we knew it wasn’t overflow from a neighbor’s party. Quite simply, there was no good reason why that vehicle should be there.
After they left, David and I began discussing some other suspicious activity we’d seen this week. Another car parked on the side of our house Thursday afternoon. They drove off when we looked out the window at them. Friday afternoon, I’d seen a teenage boy walk in between my yard and my neighbor’s. Nothing terribly disturbing, but in light of this new incident, these little things were starting to add up.
Saturday we stopped by our local police station to discuss the situation. They took us very seriously, and they encouraged us to call if we saw anything else, even if it seemed trivial.
Well, today, Sunday, when we left our evening church service, we had a message from ADT that the motion detector in our dining room had gone off. They asked us how far we were from the house and what kind of car we’d be arriving in so that the police would know it was us. The police were gone by the time we arrived. The walked around the house an did not see any signs of forced entry. Nothing seems out of place to us. Nothing is missing. We have no idea why the alarm went off.
We’re getting to know our local police officers a little better than we’d like to. We are a little creeped out, but since we have a great guard dog and an alarm system we’re not too concerned. I also own a handgun. I don’t normally store it loaded, but Friday night I decided that for the time being, my 38 was going to be loaded with hollow points.
Ok, I’m sure I’m just being a little paranoid here, but the police were gone when you arrived – after a phone call about when you’d be home, how far away you were, and what kind of car you were driving? Did you follow up with police? Are you sure the alarm service really called, as opposed to some house caser garnering information? Just be safe! Didn’t mean to make you paranoid or anything
Oh, yes, we’ve been in contact with ADT several times this weekend. It was definitely them. And, the police came out to the house while we were in church. They wouldn’t stay there for two hours when there was no sign of anything amiss. I’m with you though. No Onstar for me. I don’t want them tracking me! And you know I’m skeptical of every email I get!
Loading the .38 with hollow points…WOW…my husband would be proud! I personally have a .44, but with Jacob we keep the ammo separate of course. If we did not, or I should say WHEN we did not have him, I kept it loaded. Sometimes Doug has to go out at night for an alarm call for work, so I have the gun handy. I will not hesitate if someone threatens my child. We’ve already seen that from the rooster!
Good for you for being so aware of what is going on around you. If you ever want to go practice shouting your hand gun I am a member of that outdoor shooting range off of Pleasant Vally. $20 to become a member for life. $12 after that for a whole days worth of shooting whenever you want.
Do what you got to do. I personally would want to hire Kerri cause she can really punt a roaster. Besides she has better aim than I do.
Praying for you. You know the joke – God made all men but (namebrand)gun made them equal. Or something like that. I’ll remember the whole saying later tonight – at 3 a.m. Sheesh!
I just followed a link and found your blog. What you’re describing as someone casing your house sounds a lot like my behavior when I’m looking at a house I may be interested in buying. LOL
Maybe the folks parked outside your house are sitting there talking logistics of the location, trying to get a feel for the neighborhood, etc.
I may be way off base, but at least it’s something to consider. Hope you don’t run into any trouble and that it’s just people house shopping.
Blessings,
Lori
Hi, Lori. Thanks for reading. I would be more inclined to think that they were looking at buying the house, except for the fact that our house has been on the market since March, and the past few months we’ve had almost no showings. Plus, when we were house hunting we might drive up to a house and look at it, but we’d circle around the whole house. We never parked in one spot for that long, and certainly not late at night. Plus it’s a different car each time. But it would be GREAT if they were people wanting to buy the house!