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Someone is trying to get in to our house

263 replies

piscofrisco · 15/12/2023 13:36

....it started in summer. I came in through the door, shut it behind me and put my keys down on the side. Went to go out later and the keys were gone. The car was still there on the drive. Two days later Iwa idly scrolling through Facebook and saw them on our local towns lost and found type forum. They had been found on a bus in an area of town that I have never been to.
We had a lot of people doing work on our house last year after a huge house fire. Any number of them could have copied the key.
We changed the locks and although very freaked out, just kind of carried on as usual.
A few months later dh was away with three of our kids. I was at home with dd1. We distinctly heard someone try they handles on all three our our exterior doors. The dogs were going off it. We were terrified. We called dh who thought we were winding him up. We told the police who said there was nothing we could do bar put a camera up. We duly installed a ring doorbell.
A few months passed with no incident until this past few weeks. Dh and I both laid up with Covid. In the lounge with the blinds shut. Someone aggressively knocked on the window right behind us. When we looked there was no one there and no one showed up on the ring camera (which shows the whole front driveway).
And now today. I'm
Wfh and I could hear someone rattling the side door handle. Dogs going mad. I thought it was dh back early and not taken his key. Went to look-no one there. Dh is at work still.
Ring camera is charging up so not on to check.
I am now pretty nervy when in the house on my own. I'm going to work from Starbucks this afternoon.
We have a sort of granny flat thing in the back garden which I daren't look in.
The police basically said just keep your doors locked.
What else can we do?

OP posts:
SnowyMcSnowball · 16/12/2023 00:30

Get a Rottweiller 'beware of the dog' sign on your door or window. They don't know you only have little dogs - it may deter them if they think a rottie might be unleashed!

SisterAgatha · 16/12/2023 00:34

My mum lives on the end of terrace house by a hospital. She gets a lot of people knock on her door at night asking for random things like taxi’s. Do you live on the end or have an open fence on one side?

Not to scare you but we also awoke in the night to some young men trying to force the door open, they had it open but DH fought them off with his karate sticks - he is a 6ft 3 black belt. (However if it had been a weapon specifically bought for self defence, the police told us we could have been in trouble for hurting them as ownership of such items would be considered premeditation)

When he is away I set various booby traps, like shoes and bags by the door.

JFDIYOLO · 16/12/2023 00:46

Please buy curtains this weekend!

Would you consider going away yourselves while he's away?

Or would he even ... Possibly ... Consider NOT going away and leaving his family during this strange time?

nameychangio675 · 16/12/2023 01:27

Op ring doorbells aren’t 100% reliable. Mine will sometimes miss events if they happen quickly. Get a proper camera installed that covers all access to your property.

@jeffgoldblum how do you do the siren thing?

Piratepirate · 16/12/2023 01:55

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penjil · 16/12/2023 02:00

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There's always one...🙄

JennyJenny8675309 · 16/12/2023 02:57

penjil · 15/12/2023 18:20

Get some curtains up in your kitchen/diner ASAP.

You don't want people viewing you, especially if it's dark out....you won't see them!

This! I can’t stand the feeling that some psycho might be out there watching me. 🫣

Hermittrismegistus · 16/12/2023 03:04

.
There's always one...🙄

And there are always gullible fools.

Sholkedabemus · 16/12/2023 03:09

piscofrisco · 15/12/2023 20:16

Dh has been to see our neighbour who had some sort of security company. He's sending a man round on Monday to price up cameras , an alarm and a gate.We won't be able to pay for it til the new year. So until then we will just have to wear it and lock everything and hope for the best.

We were burgled, so we ordered cameras, we have four, an alarm and shutters on the back downstairs. We also have a porch now, with an extra front door. I’ve felt safe ever since we had these installed. You have to feel safe in your home.

elfies · 16/12/2023 03:13

A friend used to keep a tray of her childhood marbles behind the door when she was sleeping in the house alone .

cryinglaughing · 16/12/2023 03:31

elfies · 16/12/2023 03:13

A friend used to keep a tray of her childhood marbles behind the door when she was sleeping in the house alone .

What for?
Sorry if I am being thick and it is obvious but I just can't think how a tray of marbles are going to frighten an intruder.

EdinGirl · 16/12/2023 04:09

cryinglaughing · 16/12/2023 03:31

What for?
Sorry if I am being thick and it is obvious but I just can't think how a tray of marbles are going to frighten an intruder.

I imagine you would go flying if you stepped on marbles.
So combination of noise and them falling over would give her time to call police or lock interior door maybe?

Louise303 · 16/12/2023 04:19

If they had your keys they could of stolen your car or items in your house and you seen nothing on the ring footage. Someone is trying to make you feel unsafe doubt it is a stalker this is really weird. Could they want your house? or could it be the security guy on your street? he is getting your custom now.

Louise303 · 16/12/2023 04:40

Could of been this we kept ours on top the alarm just inside the door and this happened to us. An amazon delivery driver put his hand through got the key and left our parcel inside. Nothing missing I was in the bath at the time never heard a thing never reported him but at the same time anything could of happened.

Jk8 · 16/12/2023 04:54

At this point its 50/50 surely. Some really dumb decisions have been made on your side (not changing all the locks when the keys were stolen on a payment plan/not having a back up plan for charging the door bell camera when you bought it due to attempted break ins / not having checked the granny flat as a priority like calling police/demanding your partner back ect.) So im not overly concerned about your safety to be honest- if something was going to happen it would have already of. Right?

HOWEVER having worked in mental health & having recently had builders in I would assume there's some risk of harrassment/chances so install a proper system & contact the police again - theyre actually really good about public service workers if theyre aware of the job (even former employees)

Eebee96 · 16/12/2023 05:02

Oh.my.god
terrifying

GreatGateauxsby · 16/12/2023 05:03

I won't both repeating what others have suggested but I would do a full review of online security in addition just in case.

My DH worked in that sector (lots of posho exSAS guys and my DH 😅) he'd do things like stress test how easy it was to kidnap an oligarchs girlfriend or kids, rob their pets or homes etc.

Worth reviewing both security settings and content for Linkedin, Facebook, tiktok and Instagram for both children and adults. Kids & heavy SM users are often the weak link...

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 16/12/2023 05:20

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Trollhunting is against forum rules. If you think that OP isn't genuine, reporting the thread is the recommended action.

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 16/12/2023 05:24

cryinglaughing · 16/12/2023 03:31

What for?
Sorry if I am being thick and it is obvious but I just can't think how a tray of marbles are going to frighten an intruder.

Think of Macauley Culkin's approach to home security in Home Alone. In particular, the model cars left at the bottom of the stairs.

user1492757084 · 16/12/2023 05:32

Employ a private detective to check if someone is not already in your home (Police might do it or even the local Soccer team might search for a fee to their fundraising.)
Install the new locks to the bungalo and CCTV. Could it be a stray dog or a deer or a courier trying to deliver a parcel?

Blueberry40 · 16/12/2023 05:35

Unicorntastic · 15/12/2023 16:35

One thing that struck me is it’s a bit of a coincidence that your keys were found the day after and that someone bothered to post that on Facebook when they could have been from anywhere-not impossible but a bit of a coincidence nevertheless. Also how did they get in to get the keys,if the door was locked? Have I misunderstood that part?

This! Who was the “person on a bus” who found the keys? It seems far fetched to me that they would randomly find and return keys….how did they know the keys were yours? How did they get your contact details? Could they have been the person who actually took the keys?

Tighginn · 16/12/2023 05:52

piscofrisco · 16/12/2023 00:29

Why would someone enter with a house key and take the car key? To take the car I would guess and then maybe got disturbed? That's what we guessed at the time but maybe not 🤷🏽‍♀️
Security neighbour is not the same as fire neighbour
Anyway no more incidents this eve. In bed with dh and dss 2 and all locked up so should be fine. Let's hope so!

Dss stands out to me. How is the relationship with your dh's ex?

BillionaireTea · 16/12/2023 06:03

I think the keys were left in the front door, not inside on the table, as you were busy with the parcel- and nicked from outside.

And the door rattling is imagination.

VisionsOfSplendour · 16/12/2023 06:21

user1492757084 · 16/12/2023 05:32

Employ a private detective to check if someone is not already in your home (Police might do it or even the local Soccer team might search for a fee to their fundraising.)
Install the new locks to the bungalo and CCTV. Could it be a stray dog or a deer or a courier trying to deliver a parcel?

When worried about sttange goings on in the house inviting a random first 11 round and giving them free rein wouldn't be top of my list of sensible things to do

And a stray deer? 😂

cryinglaughing · 16/12/2023 06:22

VitoCorleoneOfMNMafia · 16/12/2023 05:24

Think of Macauley Culkin's approach to home security in Home Alone. In particular, the model cars left at the bottom of the stairs.

Never seen it but it does sound ill thought out and childish.

Can you picture it?
Soneone is banging the door and trying the handle. Owner is upstairs in bed. Ooh, what should they do? Oh yes, run down and tip the marbles out, pausing only to let the intruder pass them on the stairs 😂
Ridiculous idea!

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