AIBU for calling the police but not opening the door at 3am?

Yes in Australia there were cases where people put car seats with fake babies in them by the side of highways so people would stop- who were then promptly relieved of their vehicle when they got out - by the thugs hidden nearby
lucky escape really, given what could have happened to say a lone woman stopping out of concern.
I wouldn’t stop my car even for an apparent dead body on the side of the road - I’d drive into the the next town stop and call police , let alone open the door to anyone of any age or sex, no matter what their circumstances or presentation.

As a young woman I was mugged on a street full
of terraced houses with families, nice middle class area. I screamed my head off. There must have been ten houses in close earshot. Nobody helped me. Some did look out the window though.

That said I probably wouldn’t have opened the door in the situation you described.

Trust me you did the right thing! Unfortunately people have been robbed by similar and attempts so its good you didn't open the door and contacted the police.

I don't know what I'd have done. I know I would want to help, but you also have to consider your safety to.

What you did do is you DID NOT do nothing.

And whatever happened after they left your property- I'm sure that you've helped. Someway.

Your friends who thought you should open the door are morons. You 100% did the right thing.

I have watched too many crime dramas to open the door to a stranger or stop my car for someone who appears in trouble. In those circumstances calling the police is the thing to do.

Your friends need to watch The Purge

Never let them in!

Only you saw their body language, the tone of their voice etc so only you know what was right. You went with your gut and put your children first. I just watched this programme where a man took a woman in and she stabbed him to death! You just never know! I think you did the right thing.

I was in a similar situation once, let the neighbour in & shoved the man when he tried to follow her.
The police arrived quickly, & I was very gently but firmly told not to do it again as they could have 2 injured people to deal with.

I wouldn’t have let her in. I’ve heard of criminals pulling stunts like this in order to get into a house, rob it, and terrify the residents.

You did the right thing. It's a common scam

You did the right thing. I was once woken by a fight between a woman & a man that was happening outside my house. I went to see if she needed help and she didn’t. He was her boyfriend, they were both drunk and they both turned on me.
i had rung the police as well but they never appeared.

Not a chance I'm opening the door unless it's someone I know. Would be concerned it was that scam where you end up robbed once the door is open. I think you did the right thing.

Holy crap!

I think what you did was fine OP. It's not wrong to put your own safety, and that of your children, before the needs of strangers. Who you helped by calling the police.

@IpDipDipMyBlueShip very strange detail to make a fuss about, but since you asked….
When you’re on your own, considering taking a risk that will only affect you, it’s much easier to decide what to do. No one else to think about.
When there are other people involved, it’s more complicated.
If those people are children, they might be old enough to understand what’s happening, and maybe even help.
If they’re young, or have SEN (depending what those SEN are), they may be more vulnerable, and less able to manage any ensuing difficulties.

I think OP was basically setting the scene to demonstrate how vulnerable she was at that moment.

Why is it important that you have three children with special needs? I can’t see the relevance here at all.

Yes, that's the very first thing I thought of too 😔

You did the right thing - apart from ensuring the safety of your children this is a known scam to gain entry to houses which are then robbed.

Calling the police while keeping your family safe was absolutely the right thing to do.

Happened to me. It was a man being chased by a gang with baseball bats and knives. They killed him in my porch. But how could I have opened the door, particularly as I really didn't understand what was happening - just that it was scary?

Why would anyone let some random in their house at 3am?

You absolutely did the right thing. Your children's safety is paramount. Did the police respond rapidly?

Yanbu.

This happened to me.
I was a single woman living alone.
It was 3/4am.

The woman was screaming hysterically and she said she was being chased and they had knives.

It was terrifying. She was utterly terrified and hysterical. i had no clue what to do it was tempted to let her in but we didnt have video phones and I couldn't see the entrance from my windows so no clue what the reality of the situation was.

I saw a 2 men who looked like a police officers approach my house (it was night time and very dark)
Hard to explain but we had a walkway/drawbridge type thing (the basement flat was sunk into the ground) they came over it and i couldnt see anything but they emerged from the porch to take her away she was screaming for help the whole time.
I called out the window and they said they were officers.

The next morning the main door of our house had a bloodied hand prints on it and a large knife had been posted through our letterbox!!!!

My mother criticised me for not confirming they were police and said I probably witnessed a kidnapping....
I phoned the police and they confirmed an incident.

Presumably it was mental health related. And the knife and blood were both hers 😱

I wouldn’t have opened the door in those circumstances either.

A friend of mine let a distressed woman in. She asked for a glass of water. When he came back from the kitchen he found she had let her boyfriend in. They then beat him up and robbed him.

Calling the police was all you could safely do

You 100% did the right thing.
You have no way of knowing if they were armed.