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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Bit weird or not?

804 replies

Foxysoxy01 · 20/12/2017 18:10

I'm not sure if I'm being a bit ridiculous so could do with some advice or a good talking too!

Bit of background needed but this may be quite long, sorry

Where I live it is quite rural. I have a dog I walk morning and night around the same time each day but not same time on the dot. I sometimes walk on my own (with dog) sometimes with someone else (more often than not in the evenings)

There are two walks both rural with no street lights and nothing other than the odd tractor, walker, horse rider etc etc. Just to add neither of these walks lead anywhere other than one to a house that then branches off to a longer walk.

So the track I went down today has a house at the top, one a bit further down then nothing till the big house at the end where it branches off.

The middle house (although closer to top of track than middle) goes garden, house, gateway, garden, shed, fence, big tree with the track running along side.

So that's the background now what happened.

I have walked past the middle house, down to big house and am on my way back. I see someone coming and get dog back on lead. The person notices me and moves quickly from right hand side of track to under the big tree (just off left hand side of track) just behind shed of house. Person lights a fag and turns around facing tree.

I find this bit odd but carry on as I get next to him he is still just off track under tree and facing the actual tree. I'm getting a bit on edge as this is clearly a bit strange behaviour.

I say good evening (admittedly I might have sounded a bit nervous) the person turns round while lifting their hood up so I cannot see their face.

I walk past quite briskly! (I'm not sure if IABU but something about the person did frighten me)

As I get nearer the middle house gates I see they are not in as car is not on drive (there is a mid 30's woman on her own living there) I stop and turn to look thinking I wouldn't actually hear if the person ran up behind me. They are still under tree looking straight ahead (not at me, but across the track into side with hedge)

I carry on and as I get to the next house I look again but can't see him and I was not about to walk back and see if he was still there.

Now the whole behaviour of this person was off. They very clearly did not want me to see their face. They were either an incredibly burly woman or a man, fairly thickset about 6ft obviously in black and just quite terrifying.

I am home alone tonight and just a bit worried I suppose that he was either waiting for a person walking (maybe not with good intentions!) or to break into the middle house? Or the thought did cross my mind if was he waiting for my but chicken'd out.

The woman that lived on her own is I suppose fairly vulnerable as her house is a bit away from any others and she is on her own (the house is quite large and obviously worth a fair bit of money so you would presume there could be antiques etc)

This all happened about an hour ago now so it was dark.

I'm not sure if I'm just being silly or should o go and check if he is still there? Phone someone? Or just ignore it all.

Writing it all down makes me think I am over reacting and the bloke maybe just wanted a walk but it really didn't feel like that at the time. His behaviour seemed odd and his body language was quite menacing tbh.

What do the collective of MN think?

Sorry it was so long!

OP posts:

Failingat40 · 23/12/2017 02:52

This is terrifying to read, I hope you are all okay?

I think my first concern would be that he was out to steal the dog. He was perhaps not prepared for you about turning out the walk where you first saw him and then acknowledging him directly. The whistling sounds at night make me think he was seeing if the dog would maybe come running outside.

The car alarm going off could be a test to see your/police response time and also as a decoy to get into your home while your outside checking the car.

There's been 6 cocker spaniels stolen in Devon area this week.

Burglars generally don't hang about this much. If I were you I'd get the best quality cctv I could afford and get it installed tomorrow.

Lu223 · 23/12/2017 03:28

Ahh just read this at 3am in the dark and am now terrified! Hoping tonight has gone without incident for you op! How very creepy x

gingergenius · 23/12/2017 03:38

Sounds like a plot line from the Purge! All very odd.

FannyFifer · 23/12/2017 05:54

This is bloody weird & also a reminder of why I will never live out in the countryside.

MaggieFS · 23/12/2017 05:59

So was where you followed the two blokes last night and they then vanished into the trees on your land? Was it obviously so? Ie over a wall or through a gate? I think you're handling it admirably but I still think you can push the police harder.

EvilDoctorBallerinaRoastDuck · 23/12/2017 06:14

This is really freaky. Do the police know they've been on your land?

hollyisalovelyname · 23/12/2017 06:23

As Kasimir said I hope you secured and locked all doors and windows when you went out to confront them.
I would want the police to be making regular checks. I hope your night was uneventful.
I feel sorry for your female neighbour living alone - did you say she was in the middle house ? I hope you have alerted her.
Scary stuff.

froshiechipandbrickie · 23/12/2017 06:42

Oh gosh, this sounds so scary. And I’m so happy your friends are staying with you. I hope you’re alright and managed to get some sleep.

Betsy86 · 23/12/2017 06:49

Have u got one of those big floodlight torches? If you go out after them again light up the area or if spot them out the window light it all up to see where they go if you can get a look at them etc.

MrsPringles · 23/12/2017 06:51

Op, have you considered just moving?

Seriously though, it’s pretty unsettling and I would continue to log with police and hope this person gets bored soon

MyOtherProfile · 23/12/2017 07:45

Hope you had a peaceful night OP.

bastardkitty · 23/12/2017 08:02

Thinking of you OP. Was scared to go do my food shopping in the middle of a city after reading your thread this morning.

SunshineTheMonkey · 23/12/2017 08:11

How odd

RitaMills · 23/12/2017 08:19

Oh this is so creepy, I had to close the thread last night as I went to bed before DP and was getting creeped out reading it all on my own, glad I’m not living it.

Hope you get to the bottom of it OP, the best outcome will be silly teenagers thinking their funny scaring people.

Prusik · 23/12/2017 08:38

Hope the rest of your night was uneventful! Are you guys planning on going away for Christmas? Maybe they're getting a feel for the place for when you're away

debbs77 · 23/12/2017 08:41

Please ask the police to actually come round in the day. Say you're scared and actually ask them

SheGotOffThePlane · 23/12/2017 08:46

My word - I've just RTFT and I'm terrified. Who wanders around the dark countryside at 11pm unless they're up to something?
OP stay safe and I really hope your buyer isn't a mnetter

Bananamanfan · 23/12/2017 08:49

Did the police know anything about the baubles? A friend heard someone trying to get in her door in the night, the police came out and found a glow stick by the gate. They told her that these were being used as markers fpr burglaries in the area.

Trafficjammadness · 23/12/2017 08:59

Hope you're ok this morning op

dramaticsigh · 23/12/2017 09:12

OP - hoping you got some sleep eventually. I would also be feeling pretty tense by now. Hopefully they'll bugger off home for Xmas then forget about trying to scare you.

MissTeri · 23/12/2017 09:28

This sounds so weird OP! Any chance that someone might be 'living' in the woods? My thought would be someone has become homeless and decided to camp out there and has possibly been trying to get food from your house or neighbours house? Wouldn't explain the baubles, not or flowers but possibly someone with mental health problems? Or a runaway teenager trying to scare you out of the home so he can gain access to get food/other whilst your gone and doesn't want a confrontation just food? The baubles could be because they would reflect the light to help lead the way if he used a torch or just as some kind of visual marker?

Cornettoninja · 23/12/2017 09:48

Do you have/know anyone with a drone? I'd want to see if there was any signs of a camp or something in the woods.

Pretty sure the police wouldn't look but if you knew for a fact they were there they might move them on or at least have a word to stop being so creepy.

impossible · 23/12/2017 09:54

I imagine they are checking out the houses for Christmas break ins or sleeping in the woods - or both. Have you spoken to woman who lives alone yet? I think you should knock on her door.

Turkeyneck · 23/12/2017 10:17

Update please OP! We are all on the edges of our seats and concerned for you!

justilou1 · 23/12/2017 10:50

I'm intrigued by this. Why don't you call the police every time you see these people???

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