Bit weird or not?

[Foxysoxy01]

I'm not sure if I'm being a bit ridiculous so could do with some advice or a good talking too!

Bit of background needed but this may be quite long, sorry

Where I live it is quite rural. I have a dog I walk morning and night around the same time each day but not same time on the dot. I sometimes walk on my own (with dog) sometimes with someone else (more often than not in the evenings)

There are two walks both rural with no street lights and nothing other than the odd tractor, walker, horse rider etc etc. Just to add neither of these walks lead anywhere other than one to a house that then branches off to a longer walk.

So the track I went down today has a house at the top, one a bit further down then nothing till the big house at the end where it branches off.

The middle house (although closer to top of track than middle) goes garden, house, gateway, garden, shed, fence, big tree with the track running along side.

So that's the background now what happened.

I have walked past the middle house, down to big house and am on my way back. I see someone coming and get dog back on lead. The person notices me and moves quickly from right hand side of track to under the big tree (just off left hand side of track) just behind shed of house. Person lights a fag and turns around facing tree.

I find this bit odd but carry on as I get next to him he is still just off track under tree and facing the actual tree. I'm getting a bit on edge as this is clearly a bit strange behaviour.

I say good evening (admittedly I might have sounded a bit nervous) the person turns round while lifting their hood up so I cannot see their face.

I walk past quite briskly! (I'm not sure if IABU but something about the person did frighten me)

As I get nearer the middle house gates I see they are not in as car is not on drive (there is a mid 30's woman on her own living there) I stop and turn to look thinking I wouldn't actually hear if the person ran up behind me. They are still under tree looking straight ahead (not at me, but across the track into side with hedge)

I carry on and as I get to the next house I look again but can't see him and I was not about to walk back and see if he was still there.

Now the whole behaviour of this person was off. They very clearly did not want me to see their face. They were either an incredibly burly woman or a man, fairly thickset about 6ft obviously in black and just quite terrifying.

I am home alone tonight and just a bit worried I suppose that he was either waiting for a person walking (maybe not with good intentions!) or to break into the middle house? Or the thought did cross my mind if was he waiting for my but chicken'd out.

The woman that lived on her own is I suppose fairly vulnerable as her house is a bit away from any others and she is on her own (the house is quite large and obviously worth a fair bit of money so you would presume there could be antiques etc)

This all happened about an hour ago now so it was dark.

I'm not sure if I'm just being silly or should o go and check if he is still there? Phone someone? Or just ignore it all.

Writing it all down makes me think I am over reacting and the bloke maybe just wanted a walk but it really didn't feel like that at the time. His behaviour seemed odd and his body language was quite menacing tbh.

What do the collective of MN think?

Sorry it was so long!

[Greenshoots1]

could be anything. Sounds frightening though. Or he could just be afraid of dogs? Can you ring the woman in the house he was outside of?

[PoisonousSmurf]

Sounds like you disturbed a burglar!

[foodfrax]

That sounds really scary OP. Check your local/fb, if there is one, and see if anyone has said anything. Usually dodgy behaviour doesn’t go unnoticed!

[lolaflores]

I think instinct is a great gauge and to me, the behaviour does look odd. But the reasons for it might be various.
Could it be a naughty meet up between two people who do not want to be seen and you have bumped into one of them? Sounds like quite a secluded spot, perfect for a rendezvous.
If you really feel anxious, give the police a ring, tell them you saw someone acting suspiciously, cos it is acting odd really, the way you describe it.
is there a neighbour hood watch near you>

[BadFeminist]

Potentially a burglar. Call 101 and report.

[SparklingSnowfall]

Yes a bit weird, should you report it to 101?

[lapetitesiren]

You could phone the non emergency police number and say what you have seen. They can decide if a routine patrol will take a look.

[GreatDuckCookery6211]

That does sound weird. Do you have the woman's phone number? If so I'd ring her and tell her what happened. It sounds like he was either waying the house up or you interrupted him in the process of going to break in.

I don't normally advise on reporting to 101 but in this instance it might be wise.

[ChoccyJules]

Could be a geocacher. We often feel a bit embarrassed when people see us rootling in trees and staring at bushes. But if it was dark and you had a funny feeling I'd go with your instinct.

[twiney]

That would scare the shit out of me. You're lucky you had the dog with you as a deterrent if the person was sinister.

Can you find the middle house woman's number and call her? She might know something.

I personally would call the police.

[mumonashoestring]

My guess would be hanging around seeing if he could break in - hopefully you've put him off but ring your local police just in case. Apart from anything they'll know if similar things have been reported locally.

[SassySausageSupper]

I’d call the police too. Better to be overly cautious.

[twiney]

The part that shifts it from "bit odd" to "not right" for me is the hood part.

So you say hello and their reaction is to pull their hood up? Nobody innocent does that!

[ShinyMe]

I had something similar happen a couple of years ago. It felt odd, and I posted on a forum about it, thinking maybe I was overreacting and it was nothing. But everyone told me to ring the non emergency police number, so I did. The police took it seriously and came round, and it turned out that my next door neighbours on both sides both had distraction burglaries during that same hour or two. That was also in the run up to Christmas, thinking about it. I think I was lucky not to get burgled, and hopefully the police turning up and driving round the street prevented several other burglaries.

[mumonashoestring]

Forgot to say, if you have a local/community Facebook group pop a post on there as well. Amazing how effective a heightened sense of awareness is in discouraging potential burglars who can't go anywhere without being glared at!

[Foxysoxy01]

Thing is because of the layout of the track, house and shed if he was casing the house or about to break in then he wouldn't have seen me until i was past the tree.

He specifically went past the house pass the garden, shed and fence to the tree. In fact it was like as soon as he saw me he moved over to under the tree.

Tbh somebody walking down there without a dog/child is a bit strange as it's not really a footpath and definitely only know by locals.

I did think geocaching as I do participate occasionally but it was dark, there is not a cache anywhere near there (and definitely not a night time one) and his behaviour was odd! Not geocaching odd but deliberately turning so I couldn't see his face then turning round pulling his hood up to cover his face and look towards me was not made to make me feel less nervous.

He also didn't mutter an answer when I said good evening.

I don't have the woman's number to phone her and she travels a fair bit so may not be around for the next couple of days.

It didn't seem late enough to break in at 5:00 especially when the owners of the big house work and come back in the evening (so would drive past at about 5 ish and 6ish) Locals do walk their dogs there so it would be really risky to break in at that time.

I'm really not sure about phoning the police in case I'm just being silly. They are overstretched as it is and tbh it would take them about 5 hours to get to us in an emergency so not sure they would be that bothered anyway.

I am toying with the idea of walking back down there and seeing if he is still about (but taking the fire poker with me)

[Foxysoxy01]

Also I should add he didn't have a bag and couldn't park a car anywhere nearby.

[Laiste]

I'd ring 101 and let them decide.

[ZoopDragon]

I would ring 101 and report. And wouldn't walk that route alone again! There are lots of possibilities though- he might have been waiting to mug somebody but more likely waiting for somebody (mistress? Drug dealer? An arranged bare knuckle fight?) and was afraid you'd recognise him). Or he might have been poaching? Or high and paranoid? Or perhaps he just got nervous when you approached, lots of socially anxious people might struggle with returning a greeting. Or could he have been about to have a wee against the tree and was embarrassed you'd spotted him?

[twiney]

If he was on foot and knew about the footpath he must be local.

If he was that big, unlikely to be a local teenager scurrying out for an illegal cigarette.

Possibly a Christmas house guest at one of the houses who slipped out for a fag and a wander? But why the hood thing?

It does seem early to break in. Unless its someone who knows the middle house woman, so knew she would be travelling.

If you can get a small group together I would go back, but dont go alone. Have you got a local pub? Might be worth popping in for a drink and see if theres any gossip floating around

[NoNoCharlieRascal]

Op burglaries and times are never what you would expect. A friend was burgled at 3pm when on the school run in a high populated area where many people would have been walking and driving past. Another was done on the morning school run, and my boss was burgled 5 minutes after she left home for work at 10am. The police said each time that they had most likely been watched and researched. It's frightening.

It wouldn't harm to call the local bobbies just to let them know. You don't know if the house owner has a bad history with someone or it could be burglary research. It could also be nothing, but it obviously didn't sit right with you and instincts are there for a reason.

[ForTheTimeBeing]

I would definitely phone the police regardless of whether or not you think they'll look into this. Would it also be an idea to speak to the people in the big house if the woman in the middle house is not at home? I wouldn't go on my own, though, just in case!

[Foxysoxy01]

I don't want to poo poo anyone's advice but it is a really small community and he wouldn't have been waiting for drugs/fighting etc.

I suppose it could be a mistress but can't imagine that would be the best place to meet and he didn't look very dressed up!

He wasn't having a wee as he say me then moved under/next to the tree deliberately. There was plenty of space to walk past.

My dog is quite small and not aggressive so can't imagine he worked as much of a guard dog!

There is a pub but it it's quite a way away.

It was like they pulled their hood up and turned to me but sort of just stood there.......menacingly

It was just weird and tbh I'm glad everyone else thinks so too!

I feel most creeped out as on my own tonight and is fairly obvious where I live had the bloke followed me.

I don't have anyone I can go investigate with but might try it alone with poker.

I would feel less creeped out if I knew if he was still there or not tbh.

[ShinyMe]

You've got nothing to lose by calling the non emergency number. My missed burglary was also late afternoon/early evening - it's a good time for them as it's dark but not overly suspicious to be out and about, and people are just getting in from work and have doors open, handbags on kitchen tables, that sort of thing. Just ring the police and let them decide if it's suspicious.

[FrogFairy]

Would the neighbour have a key to keep an eye or feed a cat?

If so perhaps they could just check everything is ok.