Ever since our house was broken into in July, I’ve been suspicious of nearly everyone in the area. They never caught anyone, and none of our stolen items were recovered. The police were pretty sure that the thief was probably a teen, since the items stolen (Playstation and games, laptop computers, video camera) were the type of items a teen would want to steal.
Now, every time I look out the window and see a teen walking down the street a little too slowly, or drive past a group of teens standing around on the corner, I immediately wonder what they’re up to. But it’s not just teens, either. If I see a scruffy-looking younger man, I get nervous also.
I hate that I’m now suspicious of neighbors, but there have been so many break-ins in our neighborhood lately that it’s hard to not look closely at everyone around you and see if someone looks shady.
For example, there’s a house across the street and slightly down from us. Many of the other neighbors suspect that the people in this house are up to no good. First, the man living there is an ex-con, who got out of prison right before he and the woman he lives with bought the house. Second, they have no teenagers, yet every now and then there are a group of rough-looking teens at their house. They are home all the time – one of the neighbors spoke with them, and it seems that the only income they have is from a paper route. A paper route? You can’t afford a house like that with only a paper route.
Also, there’s the issue that they have a video camera mounted on the roof of their garage, pointed towards the street and the houses across the street. Uh, what? Why do you need a video camera watching the street and the houses across the street?
Last weekend our next door neighbors had a break-in. They left for the day, they locked their door, but they didn’t use the deadbolt. In the afternoon, someone came up, got the front door open, and let their dogs out. We noticed the door open and the dogs out, so we tried to get their dogs back inside and shut the door. When they came home, they called the police, and even though nothing was taken, the police were certain that someone had gone inside. (They had nothing a teen might want, like game systems or laptops.) Our neighbors found that without the deadbolt, a simple credit card could easily be used to open the door. They’re now using the deadbolt lock all the time.
So, after all of this, I was a little startled when I came home with Cordy on Thursday afternoon and through the curtain, saw a teen boy walking along our back fence. Straight, black, greasy hair, loose white shirt, baggy jeans, maybe 15 or 16, and a facial expression that looked up to no good. I peeked out the curtain, while he walked very slowly along my fence, looking carefully at the backyards of our neighbors. When he reached the end of the fence, the neighbors dogs spotted him, and started barking, and he quickly turned around and started walking the other way along my back fence again.
We have a woods behind our house, so there’s no reason for someone to be walking around the back of our yard. I continued watching him, as he pulled out a cell phone and started to make a call. I opened my back door, staring hard at him to make him realize I was watching him. He gave me a slight glance from the corner of his eye, then closed his cell phone and walked to the side of my house.
I closed the door and walked into the kitchen to continue watching this suspicious kid, but he was gone. I ran to the front and stepped out onto my front porch to see where he went, but there was no sight of him. Where did he go? I paid a visit to my next door neighbor to let her know. At that point, the neighbor on the other side of my next door neighbor came over and said the kid was standing behind a shed in the backyard a few houses down. She had asked him what he was doing, and he said he was looking for his lost cat. However, she said she had seen him several days before also. We went back to look for him, but he was gone again.
At this point, another neighbor joins us, and says that she just saw a teen walking slowly around one of the cul-de-sacs. He was looking closely at each house, although now he was carrying books with him. (He had no books before. Also, this was all still before school let out.) She drove around the block a few times, but he had once again disappeared.
With all of this going on, what would you do at this point? I called the police. I’m tired of being scared in my own house, wondering when the next break-in will be, wondering if we’re going to lose more of our belongings again. I gave the police a description of the teen, and told them about his erratic behavior, and they said they would patrol the area more now, keeping his description in mind.
Yes, it’s possible this kid has nothing to do with our house being robbed. Truthfully, I have no idea who could be responsible, which is what makes it so frightening. But I don’t feel bad about calling the police on this teen. If the kid has nothing to hide, then he shouldn’t be worried. Of course, he also shouldn’t be walking through other people’s backyards, either.
At least one good thing has come of all of this. I’ve been able to meet more of our neighbors, all of them very worried about the current state of our street, and we’ve banded together to help look out for each other. We’re all keeping cameras near our back windows or doors to take a picture of anyone walking through our back yards. It’s not a Block Watch, but at least people are starting to take notice of what’s going on, and they’re deciding that they’re not going to stand for it.
It is good that you are being more aware and banding together with your neighbors. I think that what you are doing is smart not being paranoid.
Ugh. I’m so sorry that you had to go through that. you’re right – it is no fun to feel insecure in your own house.
I have some personal safety issues myself, but like you, won’t let that stop me from checking out things that don’t look kosher.
Sounds like you have some good neighbours.
It’s sad, but you’re not being paranoid. I hate that helpless feeling. The only thing you can do is what you are doing. Do you have a dog? I would get one.
Ugh, how nerve-wracking. I’d probably get too scared and move away. But I am glad you and your neighbors are looking out for each other.
I like the silver lining here. It is awesome that you are ralleying together to protect your area. Maybe a block protection thing would be a good idea. A dog sounds like a good idea too! A big barking dog!
I’m so glad you and your neighbors are teaming up to stop such suspicious behavior! That kind of thing is very scary!
A post like this one makes me a little glad I live out in the sticks. No wacky teens stalking the neighbourhood. But the upside to your predicament is you have met your neighbours and you are taking a stand. That is great. Good luck.
And CONGRATULATIONS!! A new baby. That is truly wonderful!!
You know, I think when you have a suspicious feeling about someone, you have to go with your intuition. If something wasn’t right with him, it probably wasn’t. Maybe next time you see him around, you could inconspicuously snap a picture of him….you know, for safe keeping. You could start a neighborhood crime watch through the police department, and post signs around the neighborhood. There is strength in numbers, that is for sure! Good luck. It must be an awful feeling to suffer a violation like that, and live in fear.
Oh my, you are NOT being paranoid at all. We had a teen/early adult punk, future ex-con, canvassing our neighborhood one day in broad daylight. We called the cops. We never saw him again, but I think you can never be too paranoid. M hubby had his car broken into sometime last week right outside our place – nothing taken since he keeps nothing valuable in it – but still the same, it’s the sense of being violated that sucks. It’s good to start the block watch, though. Especially with a little one in the house and another on the way.
I’m glad you guys are banding together. There’s no reason to not get the police involved as well though – this all sounds sketchy. Maybe you could all meet together and formalize your efforts – it’s all so Desperate Housewives – but it might make you feel more in control of the situation.
that totally sucks….
Maybe you guys should do Block Watch…but in the meantime if everyone can make it obvious that they are on the watch…and even do ‘fake’ video cameras in obvious places and so on.
make it obvious to the creeps that you guys are on to them.
I have no advice, but to say it’s great that you called the police instead of feeling stupid for calling the police. I was broken into once, years ago, and I totally understand your fears. But know that if these people are simply out for an easy score of electronics, your safety should not be a concern. Still…hope this passes. Sooner than later.
Christina, that is so scary. I’m glad to hear you and your neighbors are joining together. There is definitely safety in numbers.
Paranoid is good. Something makes me very suspicious about old “missing cat” boy. Don’t like him, don’t like him one bit.
I would have called as well. You have no reason to feel bad. You have a family to protect.
Scary! You did the right thing in calling the police, that’s for sure. It’s good to hear that the neighbors are banding together too.
Congratulations on the coming baby!
When in doubt, definitely call the police. I think you are doing everything right, but I do get a little worried thinking of you making any eye contact with that kid. If they are up to no good, you don’t want to get into a confrontation. Let the police handle it or at the very least another neighbor who is not pregnant with a little kiddie at home. Just worried about you, girl. Stay safe.
It’s good that you called the police and you are being more careful. I hope things get resolved and an end can be put to this.
Wow, I can’t blame you for being scared. Especially with Shady hanging around like that.
I try really hard not to stereotype teens. I remember when I was a teenager, I got so frustrate with no one trusting me, simply because of my age. If I was with a friend at Wal-Mart and we started laughing, we were followed by an employee the rest of the time. Apparantly laughter = shoplifting. There were so many instances of this, so I try to keep that in mind now.
However, I would definitely keep an eye out for this guy. He seems like he’s up to no good.