Potentially being over cautious, but spotted going in my house

[beingcautiousnotmean]

There’s a man in my village who makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. When out walking my dog I regularly came across him and would walk past him, but then on my circular route would walk past him multiple times from different directions that just didn’t make sense unless he was changing direction. There was an instance where after this happened I turned back around on myself instead of continuing and bolted back to my house, out of my upstairs window I saw him appear on my road minutes after I got back which again, wouldn’t of happened unless he changed direction. This same night he was reported to the police by a neighbour as they had found him in their car, it had been left unlocked. It was called a mental health crisis. I told the police what had happened but nothing came of it, we were told he wasn’t dangerous and just had some troubles. I stopped walking my dog in our village and have been either having my husband do it or I walk him elsewhere. This was all nearly a year ago, and I’ve recently started walking my dog in my village again but unfortunately today I encountered him again when I was arriving home from a walk, stood unlocking my front door and talking to a neighbour he walked past and looked right at me. I feel intimidated that he knows where I live. I know I might be being judgemental but I find his demeanour just, off. I get a really bad vibe from him. It might be nothing but as a woman you can’t be too careful. I don’t really know what I can do? Nothing I guess?

Listen to your instincts and don't walk alone in your village.

I was also going to say trust your instincts. I would also get a rape alarm to carry on me.

Trust your instincts. Don’t walk alone. Sorry you’re having to deal with this

I have no experience of this but that sounds like stalking to me and I would ring 101 and take advice.

Do you have ring doorbell and do you have an image of him?

Is he known locally as a misfit/ oddball - sorry can't think of the correct term.

Sorry just re read about sleeping in neighbours car!

Report to police and he is known to them and they need to speak to him and tell him to stop.

Can you get your DH to walk with you and the dog the next couple of times just to make it clear you are not alone? Maybe won't have the affect but please trust your gut

Trust your instincts op and don’t let anyone tell you you are being silly.

Something similar happened in my street where I lived as a teen although this particular man was outwardly respectable, a pillar of the community, who turned out to be a peeping Tom.

Oh and record every incident and take pictures of him openly and don’t worry about being polite. He is being deliberately intimidating.

Keep all your doors locked.

And maybe invest in a security camera. They are very good nowadays and some are battery or solar powered so don’t need an electrical connection.

Definitely trust your instincts. X

Perhaps he is wandering aimlessly around the village and surrounding area due to his mental health issues. That in itself is not a crime, nor does it make him dangerous.

Unnecessary

Not funny.

I’m not sure that’s what the OP meant- I think she was standing by her door talking to her neighbour and the guy walked past the house and looked at her- he didn’t walk into her house.

Pepper spray is illegal here… for humans… however after my dog was attacked several times I bought legally from Amazon a dog pepper spray that the police use for dog attacks.

it’s called K9 17.

as a woman alone I do feel safer in several ways having it ready and very easily accessible in my dog walking bag, you can get attachments for your belt to hold it too etc.

Actually now I’ve read the title I’m unclear. The title implies this guy was in her house.

We have similar round here.

In fact this bloke has some kind of learning difficulties I think so he is vulnerable, however he is incredibly intimidating.

Some of my neighbours have spotted him and for the most part they just keep their distance, however I am blind and I rarely know about him until he appears out of nowhere and gets up in my face.

I wouldn’t report him to the police because I don’t think he actually means harm, but he does creep me out a bit, not least because he appears out of nowhere, iyswim.

Last time I saw him he leaned over my front gate and tried to grab hold of me. On that occasion my dog (guide dog no less) barked at him and he ran off. Dog wouldn’t have done him any harm fwiw, but it’s a difficult balance between recognising that this man clearly does have some difficulties while at the same time being uncomfortable with his behaviour.

I have 0 doubt that there would be some on here who would tell me I need to get more compassion because of his difficulties, and in fact I am perfectly understanding of those. But I also don’t know how far he is capable of overstepping iyswim. But everyone sees him as an oddball and so I am clearly unreasonable to be concerned.

if this bloke was sleeping in a car then I’d suggest he probably does have known issues. But you’re not wrong for being creeped out by him.

No it doesn’t! ‘Spotted going into my house’ means she was seen by him letting herself into her house i.e. he now (by chance) knows exactly where she lives.

In other words this man, who makes the OP uncomfortable and has followed her multiple times when she’s been out walking her dog, now knows her address, which is making her feel vulnerable but she’s questioning whether that’s an overreaction.

It’s not an overreaction, OP. As most people have said, trust your instincts. Mental break or not, ‘harmless’ or not, this man worries you for a reason, and already has form for getting into people’s private property.

It’s shit and you shouldn’t have to do it, but it’s still the reality of the world we live in that women are their own best protection, so I’d continue to drive elsewhere to walk. And as a pps have said, taking obvious photos of him if he follows you and making sure he sees you walking with your DH may also back him off a bit. Sorry you’re feeling anxious.

No, he spotted OP going into her house, so now knows where she lives.

Do NOT take photographs of someone you feel threatened by. It could escalate.

You’re right to trust your instincts OP.

I would contact the police again, I’d also try and walk this route with your DH. What does your DH think about this situation?

Yes, that’s what I thought, too. It was misleading wording.