Freaked out by 2am knock on the door

[PinglePongle]

Can't stop thinking about this so hopefully someone will come along and give me some ideas as to what this person wanted!

We had a knock on the door and someone rang the doorbell last night, we have cctv on the front door so didn't answer but standing there was a lady around 65-70 with a walking stick chewing gum standing at the door. When we didn't answer she then went round to ours cars and started to look through the windows (maybe tried the handles)

I can't for the life of me think why she would be knocking on our door, she didn't look frightened / concerned about anything, in fact she seemed quite bolshy chewing gum standing at the door. She then walked back up the street slowly with her walking stick and didn't knock at anyone elses in the row.

We called the police and they said that they had a similar call from a neighbour and would send someone out.

What on earth could she have wanted? Seems strange that a lady with a walking stick would be trying to steal our cars whilst standing on a bright floor lit drive after knocking?

We live on a quiet street, keep ourselves to ourselves and you have to come a way in to our corner plot to come off the street

I can't believe the number of PP who are questioning why you didn't answer the door! I would feel exactly the same as you, OP. Hopefully it was just a one off.

your post is very sad op.
that you were anxious for yourself and not concerned for her

MimsyPuff . I am glad somebody helped you . You were so young and the violent thug probably took advantage of that fact . Hope you are happy now .

I wouldn't have answered either. Infact don't really know anyone who would. Some might have called out of the window if they persisted perhaps.
If I was concerned about their Mh I would have called the non emergency police number, but not gone outside - just because someone might look a certain way on a blurred TV screen, doesn't mean they are who you think they might be in RL.

Also there have been some scary stories about people asking for help and then gangs of romany gypsies forcing their way in in the local area recently

That urban myth has been going around for years.

I would have had to ask her what she was doing when she started nosing at my car - I probably would have just stuck my head out of the window rather than opening the front door at that time though.

op you said We didnt answer, We have CCTV.
who is the We?
you have a partner?
why were you both scared?

Nope I wouldn't of opened the door either.

why wouldn't we both be scared of someone knocking on the door at 2am when we are in a deep sleep? Because he should be a big strong man?

You're behind a door and you have cctv, and presumably a chain and keyhole etc on the door, and there is 2 of you and one old lady outside.
There isn't anything to be scared of.

I think most people would be scared to open the door at that time especially with small children in the house. OP has said she couldn't see face clearly so could have been anyone knocking for any reason and the woman was walking away before they checked the cctv.

I would have done what you did OP. You have small children to prioritise and the person didn't look upset or worried.

She was looking for her cat maybe ?

OP you are protesting too much imo.

That urban myth has been going around for years.

I know someone that actually happened to (although it wasn't a Romany Gypsy gang) They got their house burgled and got stabbed in the process - they are lucky to be alive. And all because they opened a door to a "distressed" woman needing "help".

I had a knock on the door at 1 am a few months back. It turned out to be an elderly neighbour who had gone out for a smoke and locked herself out.

Really sad to hear that in some neighbourhoods she'd just be stuffed as people would rather leave her outside in the cold on the off chance she was some kind of well disguised night stalking criminal.

I would also have done what the OP did. When something like that wakes you up you're shocked, confused and your immediate instinct is to protect your children.

Years ago someone banged loudly on our door and windows in the early hours. We live in the middle of nowhere, it was pitch black outside, dh was away and I had two tiny children asleep. I was terrified - kept the door locked and called the police, who prioritised the case as I was a woman on my own with children. Before they arrived I heard that the person outside was crying, opened the door and it was our neighbour's teenage daughter, who has MH issues. She was slumped weeping on my doorstep, soaking wet, having tried to wade into the nearby river. I brought her in, tried to comfort her and warm her up. She was only a teenage girl, small, frail and upset. But I was still very glad I had called the police because later on she became quite violent. Also my older dd heard the noise and got up - fortunately before the violence. She was only four but she still remembers it now as an adult, and how frightening it was.

I'm glad the girl got help but I couldn't have helped her without the police. You really do need to prioritise the children, and I think in this case you did the right thing. I hope that if the woman did need help, she got it as a result of your actions in making the call.

My aunt did this to someone. She has dementia. In the early stages, if she liked an ornament in someone's window she would go and bother the householder, without recognising what time of day or night it was. She was harmless, but it was understandably alarming for neighbours. She now has care 24/7, but it was the sign things were getting worse and triggered social service involvement to get her the care she needed.

OP didn't want to read and run, no idea what she could have been doing but for what it's worth I wouldn't have opened the door either - plus I would have been really freaked out when she wandered back up the road not knocking on anyone else's door! It's creepy in the middle of the night I've seen the Strangers

tbf you did call the police that is true op.

A neighbour recently caught someone at 1am on his drive (dressed up like a burglar would in a film and creeping just like that - like a cartoon - it's a really weird film) - he didn't ring the bell but he was trying car handles (to steal cars). No chance of catching him as the CCTV was not clear enough and head covered.
I would answer the bell at night as have a teenager who is often home at 4am whom it might be but I would certainly look outside first and my house is full of usually 3 very strong young men and I am pretty strong too actually.

..on the other hand my father drove out 10 years ago in the early hours to go to a "clinic" (he had been a doctor). (He had dementia). He realised he was lost and it was late, got out of his car, shouted help help hep... and some very very kind medical students helped him home.

Why do you have CCTV at the front of your house?

Loads of people have CCTV on the front of the house. The police recommend it. I don't because I'm too stingy but it's quite useful when we have local break ins.

I'm often on my own at night with kids but wouldn't ignore someone knocking at 2am, especially an older person who might have needed help, or perhaps she had another good reason for knocking. You'll never know if you don't answer.
Would speak to her from window and see what she had to say first.
I once had a young man and woman knocking in the early hours. When I spoke to them from upstairs window found out they were plain clothes police urgently trying to find someone with a similar address to mine and I was able to give them the right address.