Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Man knocking telling me to come outside

157 replies

AmberHiker · 11/01/2026 01:07

At around 11pm, when all the houses were dark and quiet, an unknown man repeatedly knocked on my door. He didn’t knock loudly like it was an emergency – it was light but constant, which somehow felt worse.

I was home alone with my young child, which already made me feel vulnerable. I didn’t open the door but spoke through the glass. He told me there was an issue with “cars outside” and kept saying I should come out and look. His story was vague and didn’t really make sense. He had a dog right up at my door and he stood a few steps back. I started recording the conversation on my phone.

As it went on, he became more agitated. He then said he was going home but still told me I should come out and check for myself. I didn’t.

After he left, I looked outside properly from my kitchen window . The only car there was mine. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it – no lights on, no windows open, no damage, nothing. There were no other cars like he’d suggested either. There was literally no reason for him to knock on my door late at night.

The fact that he knocked repeatedly, tried to get me to come outside, and used a story that wasn’t true has really shaken me. Being alone at night with my child, in the dark, with someone trying to lure me outside has made me feel unsafe in my own home. I keep thinking how different it could have been if I’d opened the door.

I’ve reported it, but I just wanted to share in case it helps someone else trust their instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

OP posts:
cardibach · 11/01/2026 11:18

@crosstalk I answered the door in the early hours once. I wasn’t alone, I had a (female) friend staying and we were up chatting. I’ll always be glad I did because it was a young woman who had escaped a would-be rapist and wanted safety and to call her parents. I didn’t bring her in due to suspicions, I said my phone was out of order (it was before mobiles were common) but we drove her to a phone box and waited with her until her parents came.
It’s important to weigh things up. OP’s instance sounds off though and I think she did the right thing.

crosstalk · 11/01/2026 11:13

I agree to not opening the door but was on the wrong end once of people not wanting to answer at all. I'd been mugged at night coming back from work, my bag/keys stolen, bleeding from a grazed knee and elbow and a bruised face. With no keys or phone, I knocked on the nearest door to ask if I could use their phone to get my mum to drop spare keys off. Unfortunately there'd been a spate of doorstep cons, and while loads of people were in, none of them came to the door. Half an hour of getting colder and tireder, someone finally answered and let me use their phone.

Youngeryoungsuddenly · 11/01/2026 11:13

When I was about 12 we had a man knocking at 3am asking to come in. My dad was away, so just me, my mum and sister were at home. Mum called 999 and they came pretty quickly and took him away. Mum told us it was just an old man who had got lost. I have no idea whether that was the truth.

MabelsBeats · 11/01/2026 11:12

I had this once, so sorry this happened to you. A guy came knocking on the door saying something about the car being unlocked.

Luckily, we had a road WhatsApp and someone had sent out a message saying this guy came to our door saying something is wrong with our car, beware. I literally saw the message as I was at the door. He started into his spiel and I just said ‘that’s not my car, I don’t have a car’. Which shut him up. Very odd.

NailTreatment · 11/01/2026 11:07

Sensible not to open the door.
I've had someone knock at night to tell me a passenger door on my car was wide open, which I couldn't see from inside, but they were very clear what the issue was and I was grateful!

Can you message around your neighbours to warn them/ see if anyone's had similar?

Owly11 · 11/01/2026 11:00

Sounds like an attempted distraction crime. I agree about pretending there is someone in the house and making it seem like there is a whole household of people up and about out of bed. It is scary but you did well not to open the door or go out. They likely moved on to someone else.

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 11/01/2026 10:58

Daftapath · 11/01/2026 10:26

Op doesn’t need two spare batteries, just one. They can be rotated with one always fully charged ready to swap out

Just one then 🙄

Thatpastalife · 11/01/2026 10:54

This sounds incredibly sinister, thank goodness you did not open the door. Always trust your gut in these situations, if something feels off, it is, end of.
Good shout letting the police know, I would also flag on any community groups, whatsapps etc you may be on.

FlapperFlamingo · 11/01/2026 10:52

Honestly I’d have called the police there and then. Perhaps he had done it to several people in the samecroad. As PP have said please make sure your ring doorbell is charged.

usedtobeaylis · 11/01/2026 10:49

Have you been out to look at your car this morning just in case there was something and it was genuine?

Dollymylove · 11/01/2026 10:39

You did the right thing phoning the police. No way would I open the door late at night to anyone. No wonder you felt unnerved. Hopefully it wont happen again

Charlize43 · 11/01/2026 10:37

I would ask your neighbours if he knocked on their doors to ask if the car outside with the window open was theirs? At least that would put your mind at rest about his motives. Maybe he was genuine, maybe not.

However, you did absolutely the right thing not to open your door.

Daftapath · 11/01/2026 10:26

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 11/01/2026 09:55

both were on charge at this time

Buy a second battery for each. Charge them up and then as soon as the battery runs down on your devices, swap it out with the charged ones.

Op doesn’t need two spare batteries, just one. They can be rotated with one always fully charged ready to swap out

Alltheyellowbirds · 11/01/2026 10:19

Just checking in to make sure all is well this morning?

ElizabethsTailor · 11/01/2026 10:15

I think you were sensible to not open the door. And there have been some good suggestions here (don’t charge the doorbells at night, shout out to “your husband” on your way to the door, etc).

However I also think it’s important to remember it might have been completely innocent.

It’s unfortunately too easy to build these things up in one’s mind, particularly when some replies here have been going to extremes.

Daygloboo · 11/01/2026 10:09

AmberHiker · 11/01/2026 01:07

At around 11pm, when all the houses were dark and quiet, an unknown man repeatedly knocked on my door. He didn’t knock loudly like it was an emergency – it was light but constant, which somehow felt worse.

I was home alone with my young child, which already made me feel vulnerable. I didn’t open the door but spoke through the glass. He told me there was an issue with “cars outside” and kept saying I should come out and look. His story was vague and didn’t really make sense. He had a dog right up at my door and he stood a few steps back. I started recording the conversation on my phone.

As it went on, he became more agitated. He then said he was going home but still told me I should come out and check for myself. I didn’t.

After he left, I looked outside properly from my kitchen window . The only car there was mine. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it – no lights on, no windows open, no damage, nothing. There were no other cars like he’d suggested either. There was literally no reason for him to knock on my door late at night.

The fact that he knocked repeatedly, tried to get me to come outside, and used a story that wasn’t true has really shaken me. Being alone at night with my child, in the dark, with someone trying to lure me outside has made me feel unsafe in my own home. I keep thinking how different it could have been if I’d opened the door.

I’ve reported it, but I just wanted to share in case it helps someone else trust their instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.

I'd especially secure your back door tonight as well. You'd think if there was an issue with cars he would have been more specific about what the issue was. Without wishing to sound dramatic, can you have some sort of room inside with a lock on or something that you can go to with your child so you have time to ring the police if he did break in. Or make an arrangement with a neighbour to ring or something. Some plan to make you safe and buy you time incase he comes back. It does sound odd. And definitely alert the neighbours.

darkmatterspacemystery · 11/01/2026 10:07

Alittlefrustrated · 11/01/2026 09:39

It sounds like it's probably genuine/innocent to me,as a past late nighr dog walker. I've knocked to say someone's car was open.
You were right not to go out of course.

I disagree - if her car door was open then he should have just said that- "just to let you know your car door is open". That's it and then left. He didnt need to insist she came out of her house.

The fact he insisted on being vague, not telling her what was wrong and then got agitated when she didnt come out is concerning.

PullTheBricksDown · 11/01/2026 10:05

TortoiseWhoLovesStrawberries · 11/01/2026 09:39

Maybe he was trying to steal your car, get you outside with the keys.

It would be interesting to know if any of your neighbours also had a visit from him.

I think this too. Lots of burglaries are about stealing car keys. Also, given that what he said didn't make a lot of sense, he could have been under the influence of something. Hope the car's OK this morning

MovedlikeHarlowinMonteCarlo · 11/01/2026 10:03

Alittlefrustrated · 11/01/2026 09:39

It sounds like it's probably genuine/innocent to me,as a past late nighr dog walker. I've knocked to say someone's car was open.
You were right not to go out of course.

Why was he so vague then? He could have simply told her the problem then left.

80smonster · 11/01/2026 10:01

I’d have said: ‘The can police sort the issue with cars. They are on their way now, will you wait to explain it to them?’. Then monitored
his reaction. So odd.

HappyMamma2023 · 11/01/2026 09:58

Hope you're OK this morning OP xx

GeorgeMichaelsCat · 11/01/2026 09:55

both were on charge at this time

Buy a second battery for each. Charge them up and then as soon as the battery runs down on your devices, swap it out with the charged ones.

BoudiccaRuled · 11/01/2026 09:44

Probably someone on way home from the pub who saw the moonlight reflecting off the car. My uncle did similar recently, dragging us all out to see "the luminescence". Pissed as a fart.

Alittlefrustrated · 11/01/2026 09:39

It sounds like it's probably genuine/innocent to me,as a past late nighr dog walker. I've knocked to say someone's car was open.
You were right not to go out of course.

TortoiseWhoLovesStrawberries · 11/01/2026 09:39

Maybe he was trying to steal your car, get you outside with the keys.

It would be interesting to know if any of your neighbours also had a visit from him.