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Close encounter with weirdness in my neighborhood

Ranger715

Elite
Luckily, no guns were involved, but we got a little spooked by a recent brush with creepiness. I thought I would relate it for your consideration.

So it's 11:30 pm the other night. I'm still up in my living room. I hear a voice outside on the sidewalk. Not too unusual. People sometimes walk around the neighborhood at night. Then I hear the clink of the gate latch on our walkway, followed by a knock on the door. I tiptoe to the door to look out the peep hole. I see I guy I don't know.

"Who's there?" I ask through the door.
"Greg," he says.
"I don't know Greg," I tell him. "You must have the wrong place."
"No sir," he says. "I'm doing the Lord's work." My creep alarm is beeping red.
"I don't wish to answer the door. Please go now," I respond.
"Ok. Have a good day," he says, and goes.
I think to myself, "Well, that was easy."

I watch the guy through a side window as he goes onto the neighbor's porch and tries them, but they have gone to bed and don't answer. He continues down the street. Because of the time, I decide I should call the cops and let them know about this guy. The dispatcher is very interested because other calls have come in about him. Cops cruise the neighborhood, but they didn't find him.

In the morning, we found that "Greg" had marked a black X on our screen door with a marker, as well as the neighbor's door, as well as a couple of our car windows. I called the police to add that to my report. An officer called me back and took the information. He told me a bunch of people had this happen, including an officer who lives in my neighborhood, who also got it on video. They want this guy.

Later, we read the news that "Greg" was found and arrested for malicious mischief. Yay! I was glad, because I almost didn't call the cops. Sometimes you just think, "What's the point? Nothing's going to happen." But I did, adding to the case against this weirdo. I'm also very proud of our responsive police dept., who got to work on it and took care of business, even though it was just one weird guy marking X's on people's doors. Justice!
 
To add a diff angle to it, you and your neighbors, Ranger, just might have done “Greg” a big favor. If he was a ‘missing & wandering’ mental patient [that’s actually my hospitals verbiage] , he could’ve gotten into no telling what if his condition worsened due to lack of medication over a couple days. He probably isn’t cognizant of it, but 911 was exactly what he needed.
I think you reacted well, no more and no less… We all should remember that even if it seems like a fake ‘nothing is my fault’ age, there really are some genuinely non-responsible people out there.
Be vigilant - but keep an open mind (far as you can, anyway).
 
I called the cops on a "Greg" one time. In my city, you must go to city hall and have a badge issued to you in order to solicit door-to-door, which MUST be worn around your neck at all times. My Greg didn't have one.

He was arrested around the corner with his partner for several felony warrants.
 
To add a diff angle to it, you and your neighbors, Ranger, just might have done “Greg” a big favor. If he was a ‘missing & wandering’ mental patient [that’s actually my hospitals verbiage] , he could’ve gotten into no telling what if his condition worsened due to lack of medication over a couple days. He probably isn’t cognizant of it, but 911 was exactly what he needed.
I think you reacted well, no more and no less… We all should remember that even if it seems like a fake ‘nothing is my fault’ age, there really are some genuinely non-responsible people out there.
Be vigilant - but keep an open mind (far as you can, anyway).
You’re absolutely right TW, But this sounds a little too calculating. This is an “industry standard” for smash and grab teams. You know when you come home and find a business card or flyer for some innocuous tree trimming company? A black X is the same thing. This is an easy way to mark which homes had no answer at the door. I like the Ring doorbell. I can see people at the door whether I’m at home or not, and the camera records people. Also, I believe that the Ring lets
people know that they’re being surveilled.
 
You’re absolutely right TW, But this sounds a little too calculating. This is an “industry standard” for smash and grab teams. You know when you come home and find a business card or flyer for some innocuous tree trimming company? A black X is the same thing. This is an easy way to mark which homes had no answer at the door. I like the Ring doorbell. I can see people at the door whether I’m at home or not, and the camera records people. Also, I believe that the Ring lets
people know that they’re being surveilled.
I went beyond the Ring doorbell and installed a security camera system outside above my apartment door and patio and has cameras inside as well.
This is what I can see on my phone.
Outside front door
90967F55-F229-41B9-9882-6FB43B527B86.jpeg

Inside front door and living room.
050A3349-1025-4C38-929A-2152B331C8E4.jpeg

Patio
4A82BDBD-BA44-4180-84D6-20644E56689F.jpeg

I installed this after a package was stolen at my door although everything I order now gets delivered to the management office.
The cameras have night vision so the video clips of night time movement in the hallway outside my door look like day time.
 
I went beyond the Ring doorbell and installed a security camera system outside above my apartment door and patio and has cameras inside as well.
This is what I can see on my phone.
Outside front door
View attachment 25826
Inside front door and living room.
View attachment 25827
Patio
View attachment 25828
I installed this after a package was stolen at my door although everything I order now gets delivered to the management office.
Nice, I’ve been thinking about doing something similar.
 
I went beyond the Ring doorbell and installed a security camera system outside above my apartment door and patio and has cameras inside as well.
This is what I can see on my phone.
Outside front door
View attachment 25826
Inside front door and living room.
View attachment 25827
Patio
View attachment 25828
I installed this after a package was stolen at my door although everything I order now gets delivered to the management office.
The cameras have night vision so the video clips of night time movement in the hallway outside my door look like day time.
We have similar setup, Ring doorbells on each door, and 8 different Blink security cameras around our property, and motion sensors which chime in the house. Makes me feel better that I can be at work and see what's going on and talk to my wife while she is there alone.
 
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When I was a kid one night the dogs went nuts and I looked outside. We had one of those old mercury vapor lights and I saw a naked guy run past the house. We called the police and they found him down by the river talking to trees. His girl friend had dumped him and he snapped.

The real scary one was when I walked around the barn and found the naked guy leading my sister pony towards the woods. My first, and only, thank God, experience fighting a naked guy.

Two naked strangers was more than enough for a 14 yo kid to have to experience.
 
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i think it's a sad state of affairs, when we have to have cameras, alarm systems, and neighborhood watch groups.

long gone are the days and nights, when you could leave the keys in your car, the windows open, and no one would drive it away, or search for things to steal.

gone are the days, when we could leave our home's door unlocked, and go to bed not a worry in the world.

now we have night vison cameras, robotic laser guided anti-personnel armed armor piercing ammo to shoot a freaking mosquito if it flies by.
 
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