Dh got followed home…now feeling paranoid

greenpepperredtomato · 2022-09-10T20:07:06+00:00

Dh was driving home from work tonight and just after coming off the motorway he was cut up by a driver in an Audi going at high speed on a roundabout, dh had to slam on the brakes and beeped, said the car would have got hit if he hadn’t. Audi driver then makes wanker gestures to dh and everyone else on the road around him. Dh then popped to the supermarket to get a couple of things, then drove home. But just as he pulled up he saw the Audi stop on the opposite side of the road, then drove off. He reckons he was followed home. We just bought our car 3 weeks ago, and there have been quite a few cars stolen from homes in our area recently. I’m now paranoid that something is going to happen! I’m quite an anxious person anyway so frankly I’m very stressed right now. Please talk me down.

Justkidding55 · 10/09/2022 21:15

Call the non emergency police number with as much details as possible. Probably nothing to be concerned about but best to be safe than sorry. X

Justkidding55 · 10/09/2022 21:16

Oh and ask any neighbours with ring doorbells or cctv if they can see the number plate xx

blahblahblahhh12 · 10/09/2022 21:18

Is he sure it weren't just the same car make?Coincidence maybe?

Agadoodoododont · 10/09/2022 21:29

Make the car as difficult as possible to steal. Some camping tips Motorhome owners use are
Tie the front doors together with string( several strands) dog leads, washing line, ( anything you have, basically) exit car through rear doors and lock.
Block the car in as much as possible if not in a garage.
Fold the drivers seat down if you can, push it back, fold the back down as far as possible and then push the seat as far forward as possible. Wedge behind the seat with anything you can find in the house. If doing this then tie the back doors together if possible. ( makes it harder for would be thieves to Chuck out the stuff behind the seat)
if the steering wheel is removable , take it into the house.
Don’t leave the keys anywhere in sight or reach of house doors or windows.

Surtsey · 10/09/2022 21:43

It might be worth reporting it as road rage to the police non-emergency number, and mention the supermarket, which might have a convenient cctv camera.

AngelinaFibres · 10/09/2022 22:05

Agadoodoododont · 10/09/2022 21:29

Make the car as difficult as possible to steal. Some camping tips Motorhome owners use are
Tie the front doors together with string( several strands) dog leads, washing line, ( anything you have, basically) exit car through rear doors and lock.
Block the car in as much as possible if not in a garage.
Fold the drivers seat down if you can, push it back, fold the back down as far as possible and then push the seat as far forward as possible. Wedge behind the seat with anything you can find in the house. If doing this then tie the back doors together if possible. ( makes it harder for would be thieves to Chuck out the stuff behind the seat)
if the steering wheel is removable , take it into the house.
Don’t leave the keys anywhere in sight or reach of house doors or windows.

A good friend had her subaru stolen. They followed her and her husband home from a restaurant and waited until they went to bed. The keys were in the hall. She mentioned this to the police. The officer said that the thieves want the keys. If they are downstairs then you will be left alone because they can take what they want. If the keys are in your bedroom they will come and take them. He advised leaving any keys and your bag in the hall. Better than being attacked.

Original poster

greenpepperredtomato · 10/09/2022 22:15

blahblahblahhh12 · 10/09/2022 21:18

Is he sure it weren't just the same car make?Coincidence maybe?

No it definitely was the same car, he remembered part of the number plate and it was the same.

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Hopeandlove · 10/09/2022 22:18

Stupid question but write the number plate down do you have a garage or can you take it and park it at a friends house and that way it will look like it isn’t yours?
take it to a friends house now and get them to drop you home

Original poster

greenpepperredtomato · 10/09/2022 22:22

@AngelinaFibres sorry to hear that happened to your friend. I’m afraid that this is going to happen to us and sadly might be better just to leave the keys downstairs than hide them away ☹️

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Sporty2022 · 10/09/2022 22:22

The fact the driver followed your DH to a supermarket and then to your home is unusual. I can understand your concerns.
Sounds like a determination effort, if it was over road rage.Not more to it than that? Just asking , not suggesting anything.

MrsMontyD · 10/09/2022 22:35

Is there a secure car park you can leave it in tonight? If it's a car that might be a target I wouldn't want it on the drive.

Original poster

greenpepperredtomato · 10/09/2022 22:37

@Sporty2022 we think it’s the fact our car is new, and desirable to steal, rather than a road rage incident.

My sister and BIL had similar a couple of years ago and they had to sell their car after some guys tried to steal it from their home. ☹️

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TooManyMoronsHere · 10/09/2022 22:38

Car thieves are usually opportunistic, I highly doubt they will come all the way into your house and upstairs for some car keys. Most police advise NOT to leave keys within sight of the front door as that's when your car will get nicked as it's easy pickings. If they break into your house and come upstairs they'll be looking for more than a car.

Park your car somewhere else tonight and if you don't have security cameras get some.

QuebecBagnet · 10/09/2022 22:39

Get one of those old fashion steering wheel locks.

Sooveritallnow · 10/09/2022 22:39

If he was followed home by someone he got in a road rage dispute with (even if not his fault) I'd be more concerned about them putting the windows through than nicking the car

Noteverybodylives · 10/09/2022 22:41

Do you have a dash cam or cctv?

I highly doubt that someone would steal a car they cut up knowing most people have dash cams now.
I may be wrong though as there are many stupid people around.

Get DH to write down the part of the license plate he remembers and the car make and model.

I’d tell him to log it with police as other people may have also had the same experiences but weren’t able to get the license plate number, so the police can build a big picture.

Noteverybodylives · 10/09/2022 22:42

If he was followed home by someone he got in a road rage dispute with (even if not his fault) I'd be more concerned about them putting the windows through than nicking the car

I agree.

Car thieves don’t act like this.

I’d be very concerned if someone followed me after a road rage issue.

OneFootintheRave · 10/09/2022 22:48

Agadoodoododont · 10/09/2022 21:29

Make the car as difficult as possible to steal. Some camping tips Motorhome owners use are
Tie the front doors together with string( several strands) dog leads, washing line, ( anything you have, basically) exit car through rear doors and lock.
Block the car in as much as possible if not in a garage.
Fold the drivers seat down if you can, push it back, fold the back down as far as possible and then push the seat as far forward as possible. Wedge behind the seat with anything you can find in the house. If doing this then tie the back doors together if possible. ( makes it harder for would be thieves to Chuck out the stuff behind the seat)
if the steering wheel is removable , take it into the house.
Don’t leave the keys anywhere in sight or reach of house doors or windows.

Wouldn't that take about 15 minutes to accomplish each time you got out of (or back into) the car?

JacquelineCarlyle · 10/09/2022 22:54

Our neighbours had similar Op - had an incident with a car and then saw the car drive up our street (dead end so nowhere to go, hence being noticeable).

Their ring doorbell caught them steal their car and drive off in literally 5 seconds (& they didn't need to go into their house for the keys either).

I'd leave the keys downstairs (not visible but easily found if thieves do enter the house) and I'd also take some of the actions the pp mentioned. If you make it physically difficult or time consuming for them to steal your car, they may simply move onto another easier target.

Hope you're ok as this is a horrible feeling. They are bastards!

Thinkingblonde · 10/09/2022 23:07

TooManyMoronsHere · 10/09/2022 22:38

Car thieves are usually opportunistic, I highly doubt they will come all the way into your house and upstairs for some car keys. Most police advise NOT to leave keys within sight of the front door as that's when your car will get nicked as it's easy pickings. If they break into your house and come upstairs they'll be looking for more than a car.

Park your car somewhere else tonight and if you don't have security cameras get some.

There was a spate of car thefts in our road in the the same night, it was a gang from Manchester, ( we live in the north east) stealing desirable cars to order. The broke into the houses via the patio doors while the occupants were in bed, they actually went upstairs looking for the keys if they couldn’t find them, they were violent if challenged. It was headline news. Police advised leaving the keys downstairs and not to challenge.
Op, hopefully he was just a dickhead, I doubt he’d draw attention to himself if he intends stealing your car but you can never be sure with people like this.

PegasusReturns · 10/09/2022 23:15

If your car is desirable then it’s possible it’s been targeted.

Desirable cars are often stolen to order. It’s big business conducted by organised gangs. Keep your keys by the door. They’ll grab them and go and the car will be out the country in hours. Don’t risk being attacked.

saleorbouy · 10/09/2022 23:28

Make sure the car is in a well lit area. Park another vehicle behind it or park it in a garage.
Turn the radio on full before getting out so if it's started in the night they'll get a fright and you'll hear it.
Put a steering lock or similar visually obviously deterrent on it.

caz198917 · 11/09/2022 07:19

Oh bless you! Yes that is scary, I would be concerned too. Report it to the police just in case. Has everything been ok overnight?

Original poster

greenpepperredtomato · 11/09/2022 12:57

Thanks for all the advice. Everything was ok overnight, I took all the house keys off the car keys and took them upstairs last night, except for one car key which I left downstairs. Dh said I was being paranoid, but I said it would make me feel better!
We have a Ring doorbell and motion sensor lights on our driveway. Also a visible camera in our window that points to the entrance of our drive.
Looking to make room in the garage today but might be a week before we can make space.

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