Seriously scared! Would you have answered.

[Dancingfairy]

I live alone with my children. I am a single mother. My baby is quite difficult ATM and seems to be cluster feeding so I'm always awake quite late. She finally drifted off about an hour ago so I have been cleaning non stop since. Anyway I've been up and down the stairs putting rubbish out etc. anyway I came back upstairs and my door knocked, this was literally 10 mins ago. Obviously I got quite scared due to how late it is. They knocked about 3 times then left. Didn't knock any other doors. I can't be 100% sure but I thought I heard what sounded like a police radio. Would you have answered?! Wibu? I wanna point out now that a few months ago this same thing happened when I was heavily pregnant. I woke up in the middle of the night went toilet came back and lied in bed and my door knocked, it was roughly the same time. I know no one that would knock, or who would just show up.

I'm a police officer. We wouldn't always call through the letter box unless it was something important or someone was wanted/believed missing inside.
Not sure if you could have heard a police radio as certainly in my force we hardly ever unplug our earpieces so nothing can be heard outside the terminal IYKWIM.
Best thing to do (and I never normally say this!) Is call 101 and explain you don't want any to report anything, but to clarify if the police needed to talk to you about anything.
If it was police, I wouldn't worry too much, most likely just a bit of house to house to see if you'd heard anything for another incident at another address.
Did you notice a car or anything drive off?

Could it be a neighbour who has heard you moving around and decided to complain?

I had an idiot who did this years ago, until my (very large) brother stayed over and answered the door.

Only have one neighbour next door and she's elderly. it sounded like a man. I doubt it could be anyone who lives downstairs. I did see a car parked up by the side road. Noticed it was there when I was putting things in the bin. It had the head lights on but didn't think anything at the time. Also heard a car driving away but where I was in the hallway I didn't see what the car was, however it wasn't the car with the head lights on. But that one has left now. Think I will give them a call just to check then. And definitely not putting things in the bin at night again!! Will leave it to the morning in future.

hope you are ok op?

I used to get mini cab drivers at my door, late at night. They were for the people next door, sometimes they have a radio. These did because they went back to the car to check the address when they had seen me look out and then ignore them.

I have also had Police at various times, once because someone they were chasing had gone up on the roof of one of the buildings and they wanted access, once because of a burglary and once because they were looking for someone else and turned up at an odd time in the hope they would find him - he had given a false address.

I suppose it's not an ex - baby's father? Possibly?

I think you'll feel better for phoning. It'll put your mind at ease. You won't be wasting time or anything. Plus a police officer has suggested it.

I'm ok thanks. I'm on hold now and it says it's really busy feel abit more scared now!

My ex is violent and he is out of the picture now( though has turned up in the past a few years back now though) that's another thing that's worried me but haven't heard from him in ages and he lives over the other side of london so doubt he would leave without getting in.

It's still really busy should I just leave it?? Incase it was a cab?? Been on hold 6 minutes

How you getting on ?

I would still try to speak to someone.

Still on hold now 9 minutes. Says there dealing with loads of emergencies so feel bad now.

I wonder if someone heard the movement in your flat late at night and were worried about you

Hold on, you will feel better to have reported it, even if it does turn out to be a cab.

I had this once, although I was with my son and his girlfriend, but it was 3am and we were all in the lounge watching a film, the door banged 3 knocks, paused and then another 3 knocks, we all looked at each other, froze and still don't know who it was...but have ruled out every friend and family member after speaking to them, it sort of bugs me now and I wish I had opened it but being so late at night you do worry and I wasn't alone so can imagine how you feel x

If it's happened previously, I would try and get a spy hole put on your door, so you can see who is there, or a door buzzer with an outside camera perhaps.

Yes keep holding on and speak to them. Just to make sure. We are here to chat too if you are still feeling creeped out - that's the great thing about MN, someone is always here to chat when you need to.

No harm in hanging on to the line. I would be scared too. A cab is actually a good suggestion for what it could have been but then I don't know why they wouldn't have phoned whoever ordered it rather than come to the door and risk waking people up.

Are you very certain it wasn't a neighbour below who had heard all the movement? I would want to question everyone in the morning to check haha.

I'm always up late, a few times when there has been an incident outside/near by the police have knocked to ask if I've seen or heard anything because they can see I'm still up. I have a little peephole in the door so i answer if i can see them but if I couldn't see anyone or it was someone not in uniform I wouldn't answer.

It was most likely some random drunk (although possibly a bit early for that).

Some guy I knew once got absolutely trashed and called me at 3am saying let me in I'm outside the door, rung the bell, knocked but no ones answering and my key won't work. Went down and opened the door and there was no-one there. Felt sorry for the people whose door he actually was banging on, the twat.

Hope you've got through to 101 and they've put your mind at rest.

Have had the same problem once, a 2am knock at door which was just a confused guy looking for help as he'd cut himself jumping over a fence somewhere. My hall light was on, which was what had attracted him to my door! I spoke to him through an upstairs window til police arrived. Definitely stay on hold with 101, they will be useful to reassure you. After that, Can you ring a friend for a chat or maybe to pop over?

For your future safety and peace of mind, you can now get video recording wifi doorbells that are motion activated, have night vision and you can see who's at the door on your phone. They start from about £100 on amazon.

And mention ex partner to 101, just in case. Hope you speak to them soon.

I've just remembered, a few months back DH knocked on our neighbours door at 2am. He was just home from work and caught a guy slashing her car tyres. The sight of DH walking down the street must have startled him and he ran off. Our neighbour is a single parent so I imagine the knock in the door late at night might have freaked her out a little at first. I didn't expect her to answer at all - I know I wouldn't. She did answer the door (I think she checked the peep hole) and then we had the police out taking statements etc.