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AIBU?

To find this a bit suspicious?

21 replies

TeenagersDriveMeMad · 06/08/2013 14:52

Myself, OH, and a friend were outside on Sunday afternoon - garages (we have 3) were all wide open, cars in various states of disrepair everywhere as usual. This isn't a problem as there's only one way to get up to the house and no way to not be seen.

A blue Subaru (old type Imp) came roaring up the road and slowed down purposefully as it passed our house. This isn't entirely unusual as there are quite a few classic cars and sports cars on the drive and in the garages - people going past generally have a good nose! (I should also point out we have about £60k worth of cars and another £40k worth of parts and equipment - not a boast, there's no bloody space anywhere!)

About 30 seconds later the Sub comes back, stops at the bottom of the drive to block it and a man got out in flip flops, awful Hawaiian shorts, and a black t-shirt with 'Heddlu - Police' printed on it.

Guy comes up the drive having a VERY good look at all the cars, tries to see exactly what's in the garage before even acknowledging us. He says he's looking for someone who supposedly lives in the area, none of us know the name and tell him, he keeps pushing but eventually leaves.
For the next 30 minutes the Subaru drives up and down the road outside the house, slowing at the bottom of our drive each time.

AIBU to be massively creeped out and want to phone the local police station and ask if they had coppers out looking for the man we were asked about? Something about it feels dodgy.

OP posts:
YBR · 06/08/2013 14:57

I think I would contact the local police and ask their advice. It might be genuinely looking for someone, plus nosy, but I also think it smells odd.

DameDeepRedBetty · 06/08/2013 15:01

Yes, dodgy, and I'd ring 111 about it. However, if he was a competent thief you wouldn't have even seen him casing your place so a bit of obvious extra security should be more than enough to put him/them off, and very easily caught and found if they do try to rob you or anyone else.

GetStuffezd · 06/08/2013 15:02

Yes, I would definitely contact local police.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 06/08/2013 15:03

I hope your home security is sound. But if he got out of his car you must have got a good look at him and clocked his vehicle registration number. He wasn't stealthy or subtle was he. Maybe he thought you run a commercial enterprise fixing up cool cars or perhaps he was admiring them.

If anything dodgy happens you will have him on your mind. Is there a Neighbourhood Watch in your area?

ImTooHecsyForYourParty · 06/08/2013 15:04

I would.
Did you get the licence plate details?

quoteunquote · 06/08/2013 15:05

Take the number of the car and contact the police on non emergency number, check insurance, and beef up security.

Justforlaughs · 06/08/2013 15:07

No harm in ringing the local police and mentioning it, he may be above board, but if there are any dodgy dealings then they will somewhere to start. Do it asap, so his description is a fresh as possible in your memory and did you make a note of the registration number?

TeenagersDriveMeMad · 06/08/2013 15:23

Thanks for the advice, will be calling 111 tomorrow I think!

Didn't get the reg because of how they parked - our drive is at 90* to the road and they parked right at the bottom of it, like a capital 'T' they parked on the horizontal bit.

Security is not so good and the cat is probably more of a threat than the wussy mini Jack Russell.

We do sometimes get random people coming up to talk about the cars but they're usually a lot more friendly and less interested in the mess in the garage IYKWIM. If the guy is a copper I'm thinking of putting a complaint in because he was quite threatening with his body language.

OP posts:
ImperialBlether · 06/08/2013 15:32

He would have shown you his badge if he was in the police.

What does "Heddlu" mean?

ImperialBlether · 06/08/2013 15:33

Sorry, just found it's the Welsh word for "Police"!

I would phone and ask whether he's in the police - they will know if you describe his car.

DameDeepRedBetty · 06/08/2013 15:34

heddlu is welsh for police

DameDeepRedBetty · 06/08/2013 15:34

Grin xposted Blether!

bigbluebus · 06/08/2013 15:45

Can't imagine why a policeman would be wearing flip flops and Hawaiian shorts with a t-shirt. Sounds like something he had printed himself or bought off the peg. If he was a plain clothes officer, why would he be advertising his role on a t-shirt? Are you even in Wales OP?

I would definitely have had his registration number, but then I often jot down registration numbers of cars I don't know or which are acting suspiciously, just in case they are needed at a later date nosey neighbour emoticon

Think you need to be reviewing your security too with that amount/value of equipment in your garages.

Not sure how interested the police would be at the moment, as no crime has been committed, and I hope for your sake that there isn't one and that the guy was just being genuinely nosey and/or was really looking for someone - but I think you are right to be suspicious.

YoniMitchell · 06/08/2013 15:59

Definitely sounds dodge to me - I'd be calling the local station now, not tomorrow.

somewheresomehow · 06/08/2013 17:36

i would say that they were on a reccy to see if you have anything worth pinching at a later date, get onto the police tonight with a description of bloke and car, and lock up tight

HmmmWhatAMess · 06/08/2013 19:09

If your in Wales its 101 that you need to call. Call them tonight - they are open 24 hrs!

xylem8 · 06/08/2013 19:13

Or he is looking for something that has been nicked.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 06/08/2013 19:20

The car and driver sound conspicuous so they may have caught other neighbours' attention.

Leverette · 06/08/2013 19:21

This reply has been deleted

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TeenagersDriveMeMad · 06/08/2013 19:41

I am indeed in Wales! Probably would've helped if I'd said that originally Grin.

I phoned the local station and spoke to the Desk someone (?), who confirmed that they do have a blue Scooby matching the description and that they had officers in the area looking for someone. I'm still a little Hmm about it all and we're going to be fitting proper alarms on all garages over the weekend, plus maybe adding a few dummy CCTV cameras to see if that will deter people.

OP posts:
HmmmWhatAMess · 06/08/2013 19:46

Oh well, at least you know that it was the police. Strange attire but then that's Wales for you!

Like you say, maybe its time to sort out your security because there are some dodgy characters about.

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