Casing the Joint???

[GRW]

While out at work Monday I got a message from the OH.
She works from home as a Coder for a Uni - so uses a bedroom upstairs, and apart from vehicles on the drive there's no real indication there is anyone in.

There was a solid knock on the door, but she was mid-conference so couldn't answer (& not expecting anyone).

Short while later, another solud knock, and she goes down to find what she felt was a dodgy fella in his 60's.
He said he was out looking to find someone with youngster looking for a bit of work doing some painting.

Now these days that sounded rather implausible to er indoors, & I have to agree.
Chap seemed to be knocking on some other doors on the road too (as you'd expect).

Paranoia? Or would you be thinking the same?

(P.S. He spotted the Missus taking a pic on her phone of his car reg - and didn't seem too happy about it).

 

[Scalarocco]

Sounds like some tightwad wanting a job doing on the cheap. Or he runs a grooming gang. Hard to tell these days...

 

[GRW]

Sounds like some tightwad wanting a job doing on the cheap. Or he runs a grooming gang. Hard to tell these days...

Thing is..... why knock hard on a door a 2nd time, and after several minutes had passed?
Knock solidly once, wait a minute, no answer - leave. That's what I'd expect someone about normal business to do.
It's the 2nd knock a goodly while later that's making me query the motive - it suggests maybe he was double-checking that the house was unoccupied.

(It occurs that revisiting to confirm a house is unoccupied a couple of times on same day of the week might give a Scrote a solid confidence that a place was safe to go thieving in - if not by themselves, by their "associates").

 

[tom2207]

Most folk know someone with kids who would do a turn , so the storys a bit thin ,,,,

 

[GRW]

Most folk know someone with kids who would do a turn , so the storys a bit thin ,,,,

My thoughts exactly, plus being able to use social media, the fact that these days expecting any parent to allow kids to work for a complete stranger at all....

 

[Bullet2012]

SWMBO is often confronted with the same scenario, that she is working from home and someone knocks at the door and being on a call she is unable to answer. We have just ordered an arlo camera setup to assist with those situations, a bit spendy but hopefully worthwhile.

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[Eric the chicken]

As you have a reg number report what’s happened to the police, it may fit a pattern in your local area.

 

[Scalarocco]

As you have a reg number report what’s happened to the police, it may fit a pattern in your local area.

This, plus do a quick mot check online and see if the vehicle details match...

 

[Erie Fred]

I had similar happen a few years ago.
Got up around 11:30 pm to use the bathroom, toilet is under a window that looks out over the front door (on the 2nd story).
Young girl (maybe 22-25) comes up on front porch from the side (not the sidewalk, rather thru the yard) and knocks.

And not very loud.

I happen to see all of this, so simply slide the window open and holler down "what do you want ?"
Startled, she backs off the porch and starts on a script about how she needs to use the phone.

I say "Bullshoot, everyone has a cell these days". As she's leaving thru the side yard, she says her boyfriend beat her, and she left him....I notice she's carrying a large bag (like with tools in it).
I go downstairs and she's gone, so I ring up the police.

They come out, look all around and ask if the house is abandoned....I explain how my truck is parked here, I live here, and while I am working on the house, it's certainly not empty. I keep a few lights on all the time as well.

I am concerned that the knock was a bit "light" and if I hadn't been awake, would have not heard it.
I suspect the knock was to check on if anyone was home, and a brick would have been coming thru the front door window next.

At that point, she would have entered, and been in real trouble, from me.

 

[rtcosic]

This, plus do a quick mot check online and see if the vehicle details match...

Did this with a pair of IC2 males in a white Transit. The registration number came up as something altogether different. Called the local PCSO to report it. Later that day she contacted me to tell me it had been stopped on the M4 and the occupants arrested. She didn't elaborate further.

 

[brightspark]

As you have a reg number report what’s happened to the police, it may fit a pattern in your local area.

if they can be bothered to get off there ass

 

[Gragson]

My thoughts exactly, plus being able to use social media, the fact that these days expecting any parent to allow kids to work for a complete stranger at all....

Sounds like cobblers, I'd report it to be on the safe side.

2 prostitutes' turned up at my house late one night, mrs answered the door and said I think its for you they got quite shirty when I explained I had made no such booking and as the argument went on a car pulled up the drive with 2 hefty gents, clearly pimps or minders, told them all to eff off as was calling the police., which they did.
I have some mischievous friends but they all denied being behind it.

 

[GRW]

OH checked the online got the car type & reg I just found out... and the make/model did match what was on the DVLA record (of course it could still be cloned I suppose).

Plod I doubt would do anything (their only interest in crime around here seems to be catching minor over-limit drivers & violating their wallets).
We'll hang onto the pic of the reg & the bloke for a while.... & if anyone gets any issue or we hear anything else in similar vein - we'll share the info.

(I suspect even if he was a Scrote that trying to do us over is less likely now he's been challenged & his image & reg taken - but I'd not want anyone else done over either).

 

[stuvy]

Sounds very fishy to me mate
Had a guy knock a long time back saying they have finished planting trees locally and have some left over. Would we like them

I said we rented so no thanks

Oddly he didn’t knock on the neighbours

 

[stuvy]

OH checked the online got the car type & reg I just found out... and the make/model did match what was on the DVLA record (of course it could still be cloned I suppose).

Plod I doubt would do anything (their only interest in crime around here seems to be catching minor over-limit drivers & violating their wallets).
We'll hang onto the pic of the reg & the bloke for a while.... & if anyone gets any issue or we hear anything else in similar vein - we'll share the info.

(I suspect even if he was a Scrote that trying to do us over is less likely now he's been challenged & his image & reg taken - but I'd not want anyone else done over either).

Report it just to be on the safe side

 

[James1979]

Report it just to be on the safe side

I would.

It all helps build up an intelligence picture. You never know when that information will be the missing piece.

 

[marlinspike]

Have a look on your local area Facebook page, or get someone on FB to look for you. People often post similar stories and it will give you an idea if it's anything to be concerned about. If posts are saying 'He was round our street last week with a different story' then it's obviously worth telling the police.

As you've got the car reg, you could report it online. As James says, it could be the missing piece even if it's later down the line.

 

[Cato]

I would.

It all helps build up an intelligence picture. You never know when that information will be the missing piece.

Or, more likely, it will form part of an enquiry/review that ends up with some pencil necked gob***** on TV saying"Lessons have been learned ... blah blah etc etc".

 

[keithski122]

I couldn't be bothered to read all the answers but I popped around the neighbours earlier and knocked on their door, waited a minute then knocked again with no answer so left. I know they have doors closed and may not have heard me with the first knock,(although I could go round and rob the place now!).

 

[CompoSimmonite]

For wife's "peace of mind" I'd consider one of the doorbell type camera that also allow two way conversations.