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Original poster

Man in a car parked outside my house all afternoon

305 replies

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:13

Since at least 2 pm. Terraces with on street parked so directly outside the house. He is has just been sat there all the time, engine on for half an hour then off again, presumably to stop the battery draining if he is using something electrical.

There are plenty of car parks in the area so no reason to be here. He saw my come back and go in the house so presumably its nothing to do with me, but its freaking me out a bit (and pissed me off as I had to park on another road!).

We are not on a road with shops or a school or doctors etc so no reason to be waiting there for someone for such a long time!

Worth taking the reg in case he comes back tomorrow do we think?

OP posts:
bananaboats · 09/06/2026 19:30

Doubt I'd give it a second thought tbh! What do you think he's going to do to you?

Morethanthis71 · 09/06/2026 19:29

Do you live in Brighton? Does he look a bit like John Simm and answer to the name of Roy Grace?

TheBloomingDahlia · 09/06/2026 19:25

It sounds like you and all the neighbours are hoping for some sort of excitement, but I don’t think it’s illegal to sit in a parked car so doubt it’s worth taking police time to report it. I would assume he’s either waiting for something or has a problem with his car

MimiSunshine · 09/06/2026 19:24

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:22

Contact non emergency police and say I am concerned.

Concerned about what? If he wanted to murder you, you’d be dead already.

but just in case take a pic of his car and send it to your group chat and say “if im
dead in the morning, it was the guy in this car.”

seriously though, do not call the non emergency number it’s really not a police level issue. It’s just a bloke in a car on your street.
annoying yes, a murderer / burglar highly unlikely or if they are. A very crappy one.

notatinydancer · 09/06/2026 19:21

24Dogcuddler · 09/06/2026 17:30

There was once a car parked on the cul de sac where we used to live. Three men inside.
Nobody really came in the close unless they lived there or were visiting.
DH walked past a couple of times with the dog.
They wound the window down and said “ don’t worry mate, Police. Doing a raid round the corner”
Just never know.

So they said. I don’t think the police announce raids 🤨

Dollymylove · 09/06/2026 19:18

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:16

Did you live in Streatham?

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I lived in Streatham round about the time it all went on. I cant remember the name of her street but I always had a good nosey when I went past 😆

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:18

dadtoateen · 09/06/2026 19:16

So….. Go and ask??

That would involve too much common sense. Much better to post about it here and speculate.

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:17

shuggles · 09/06/2026 19:05

Very unlikely, because obviously someone operating in secret wouldn't draw attention from every fucking house on the road by leaving their engine running...

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Just a guess. Someone else said same later. Christ the jumpers on here today. Like I’ve been fed to the lions. 🤣

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:16

Potatoepatatoe · 09/06/2026 19:09

This happened to me years ago - turned out police were monitoring Cynthia paynes brothel - was very freaked out at the time

Did you live in Streatham?

dadtoateen · 09/06/2026 19:16

So….. Go and ask??

Pistachiocake · 09/06/2026 19:16

GasPanic · 09/06/2026 17:37

I mean I have parked up before. Got to some place early and just parked a few streets away for 30-45 mins.

A few hours is a long time though.

It might be that he is a salesperson in the area, and is waiting for his next client appointment and answering emails in the meantime.

A bit strange not to go to a starbucks and have a coffee at the same time if it is for a long time period though.

Maybe cost? If he is a worker, it would add up if he was buying a £5 coffee several times a day. There are lots of jobs where you drive between clients, and I have, in the past, parked and done calls and paperwork, in my case in public car parks but still, apart from the idling (and I didn't do that), don't see a problem.

Motheranddaughter · 09/06/2026 19:14

Who has time to worry about this sort of stuff

Jellox · 09/06/2026 19:14

Dollymylove · 09/06/2026 19:13

You're not the only one. I would also be freaked out as well. If he comes back again tomorrow and does the same I would be tapping on his window and ask what he's doing

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Why would someone parking on a street freak you out??

Dollymylove · 09/06/2026 19:13

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:36

That is not the main issue at all, and I think you know that. I am well aware that I dont own the road.

But a man who I have never seen before sitting directly outside my house all afternoon is weird and I refuse to believe that I am the only person who would be slightly freaked out by it!

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You're not the only one. I would also be freaked out as well. If he comes back again tomorrow and does the same I would be tapping on his window and ask what he's doing

Potatoepatatoe · 09/06/2026 19:09

This happened to me years ago - turned out police were monitoring Cynthia paynes brothel - was very freaked out at the time

Steeleydan · 09/06/2026 19:07

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:36

That is not the main issue at all, and I think you know that. I am well aware that I dont own the road.

But a man who I have never seen before sitting directly outside my house all afternoon is weird and I refuse to believe that I am the only person who would be slightly freaked out by it!

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He could work for the social, have you any 'disabled ' neighbours claiming disability, but got climbing up ladders, biking and all manner of activities?
The have undercover officers watching these people, they get photo evidence and prosecute, benefits fraud is a big thing, these officers rely on tip offs

BeRoseSloth · 09/06/2026 19:06

Is he using your WiFi????

shuggles · 09/06/2026 19:05

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:02

He could be a detective or plain clothes policeman.

Very unlikely, because obviously someone operating in secret wouldn't draw attention from every fucking house on the road by leaving their engine running...

Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain · 09/06/2026 19:02

He could be a detective or plain clothes policeman.

ClayPotaLot · 09/06/2026 19:01

The idling is illegal, and illegal because the pollution is bad for people in the area, so that is reason enough to report him or go up and ask him to move on.

But even if he weren't idling, I don't think you're unreasonable to think it's worth keeping an eye on. There are all sorts of reasons for someone to sit in a car for hours in a place they aren't recognised. The vast majority of them are perfectly normal, though not particularly common. But there are also nefarious reasons related to crime so it's not unreasonable to let your local police know. If you give them the registration (and, if you're any good at it, a description of the driver), they can see if it's linked to known criminals or other reports or they can swing by and check it out.

LilyBunch25 · 09/06/2026 19:00

Surveillance of someone's house?

TheatreTraveller · 09/06/2026 18:59

Alittlefrustrated · 09/06/2026 18:41

As nurses, whose local offices were closed in favour of one inconvenient base with hot desking and expensive parking, we were often to be found parked up in streets typing up notes and reports. Also attending meetings, on teams, between visits.
Eating lunch.
Making calls.

Social Worker and snap!!

Henhipster · 09/06/2026 18:56

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:13

Since at least 2 pm. Terraces with on street parked so directly outside the house. He is has just been sat there all the time, engine on for half an hour then off again, presumably to stop the battery draining if he is using something electrical.

There are plenty of car parks in the area so no reason to be here. He saw my come back and go in the house so presumably its nothing to do with me, but its freaking me out a bit (and pissed me off as I had to park on another road!).

We are not on a road with shops or a school or doctors etc so no reason to be waiting there for someone for such a long time!

Worth taking the reg in case he comes back tomorrow do we think?

If he parks outside yours again tomorrow could you go out and ask if he’ll be there for long as you’ve got to go out and bring back heavy shopping/ elderly parent/child or whatever you feel like to ask for access to your house and see what he says.

TransportNerd · 09/06/2026 18:56

But it's a MAN parked in a car!

Jellox · 09/06/2026 18:50

PyongyangKipperbang · 09/06/2026 17:38

Nope! I live on Boring Street, in Dullsville! Everyone knows everyone on else on the street, he is catching looks from people over the road too, the couple who live there keep finding excuses to nip out!

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The whole street founds ridiculous.

It’s someone parked in their car.
It’s literally a non event.