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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

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 Blush

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:
Pouffealouffe · 23/12/2017 10:58

Well OP can't just call the police if they're not doing anything criminal can she?

Microwaved111 · 23/12/2017 11:29

Im wondering if anyone is living in the woods?

I grew up in a rural wooded area and at one point there was a few polish people living in the woods until they were moved on and found housing by the local council.

MaggieFS · 23/12/2017 11:44

You ok OP?

In reply to PP, I agree people often seem to call the police in haste, but with this much weirdness surely there's grounds for them to come out? Stalking? Trespass? Dunno, but there must be something.

Motoko · 23/12/2017 12:07

Well, I've seen tweets by the rural crime team of one police force who say that if you're rural and see people you don't recognise, hanging around, to let them know.
It's not just burglaries from houses, but also livestock thefts. Whole flocks of sheep or chickens often get taken in the middle of the night.

I don't understand why OP is so reticent to keep the police updated.

BedtimeTea · 23/12/2017 12:16

You could check here and see what crimes have been committed in your area. www.police.uk/northamptonshire/SCT164/news-and-events/

I read this and hoped that it isn't in your area, www.northants.police.uk/news/2017-12-22/witness-appeal-following-serious-assault-wellingborough

DrRanjsRightEyebrow · 23/12/2017 12:17

OP is in the south west

LaLaLamp · 23/12/2017 12:30

I wish there was an alert for updated threads! This sounds so scary - I would have employed a security guard by now with a massive alsatian dog!

BedtimeTea · 23/12/2017 12:30

Crime map, www.police.uk/northamptonshire/SCT164/stop-and-search/map/
I wonder, since you're moving out, if you can hire surveillance cams set up until your last day there?

dayswithaY · 23/12/2017 12:32

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mumonashoestring · 23/12/2017 12:38

In fairness Foxy did say they had friends arriving, it's just possible she's busy doing things that gasp don't involve Mnet Grin I can quite believe this though, I grew up in a very rural location and apart from the more predictable large machinery and livestock thefts and poaching, we had shed burglary spates, mysterious cutlery thieves, rough sleepers, cannabis farmers, drug dealers, people traffickers, 2 cases of hand grenades abandoned in a hedgerow...

Turkeyneck · 23/12/2017 12:48

OP is keeping the police well informed, I don't know why people seem to think she isn't. RTWT!!

Littlehenrylee · 23/12/2017 12:56

I don’t care if it is a wind up and for the OP’s sake I hope it is. That said I grew up in a rural community and think the descriptions of the tracks, corner houses sound very real. I’m intrigued by this thread. Keep posting OP!

Foxysoxy01 · 23/12/2017 13:08

Sorry I haven't updated sooner but I have been really busy.

So I have spoken to the police again. They are keeping an eye on it and have given me a number to quote when ringing. I don't want to go into what they did and said too much but basically they are proactive but don't have any reports from anyone else or anything particularly suspicious.

Last night was quiet after the bloke/s went back past house.

Friends may stay tonight but they have relatives on Xmas eve so will go home early tomorrow if they do stay.
We also have family back tomorrow so at least the house should be full and more witnesses!

I'm not sure if it's anything interesting but when we took the dog this morning there was a blue drawing pin the the tree. It looked fairly new (not rusty) but I haven't ever had cause to inspect the tree so Hmm

Answering a few questions, we did speak with the middle house woman. We also spoke to neighbour the other side. I'm not going round again unless something really bad happens, that's up to the police now.

We have spoken to the police on 3 occasions. They are being very good and haven't made me feel like a complete idiot. Grin

I don't think anyone is living in the woods. It's probably too small and the police would have found them I'm sure.

We have all been talking and we have decided it's teens/adults from the village knowing we are moving and probably had a good old laugh about how to scare us. (We haven't fallen out with anyone in the village but were not on chatting terms and some of the locals are a bit odd. It's also boring where we live so people will always find ways to amuse themselves)

Will see what today/tonight brings. Fingers crossed, nothing!

OP posts:
64BooLane · 23/12/2017 13:11

Thanks so much for updating! Hoping for a peaceful night for you.

Foxysoxy01 · 23/12/2017 13:15

Honestly it doesn't matter if you think my thread is real or not.

I put my first post because something pretty scary but interesting happened to me and I thought I would post about it. The rest of the thread has been an escalation of what has been going on.

I don't know how to 'prove' I'm not a troll and I can't really be arsed to anyway.

You don't need to read the thread if you think it's rubbish.

Thank you to everyone who has given a virtual handhold!
I do appreciate people offering their support. Flowers

OP posts:
Foxysoxy01 · 23/12/2017 13:17

Sorry 64BooLane that wasn't directed at you but my slow typing makes it look like it is. BlushSmile

OP posts:
DesertSky · 23/12/2017 13:18

Oh for goodness sake, why everyone on OP’s back?! She’s informed the Police and kept them updated. They are hardly going to send a cavalry just for creepy men walking past their house. The OP has friends staying with them in their well secured house! And the suggestion of people having a pen affair sounds like the least likely explanation ever. Did people not read the thread properly? They are clearly trying to intimidate you. Stay safe OP and keep us updated. I hope these idiots are caught in time for Christmas so you can relax and enjoy the festivities! xx

Tiredmumno1 · 23/12/2017 13:20

You don't need to prove anything to anyone Foxy

Stay safe Thanks

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 23/12/2017 13:56

It's possible that the baubles are an odd coincidence. In my area - rural, but the opposite side of the country - there are baubles all along several tracks. I'm not sure if one of the locals was feeling festive and decided to decorate the area, or if it's marking out a route for a walk / run of some kind.

They're spaced out along the tracks so they look pretty random if you see them in isolation, but they're not related to properties / anything which could be subject to theft - some are near-ish houses, others are in the middle of nowhere.

Ashamedandblamed · 23/12/2017 14:16

What did the note on the wall say I cannot find it at all.

I don't think this is people pranking you it's to pointless and long winded now.

GlitteryFluff · 23/12/2017 14:33

Very very spooky. Hope it stops soon op Flowers

hollyisalovelyname · 23/12/2017 14:37

Definitely a bit weird OP
What did the woman living on her own think?
DH Some people are blissfully unobservant.

GardenGeek · 23/12/2017 14:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

newz2day · 23/12/2017 15:08

Gosh I I bet you can't wait to move OP

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 23/12/2017 15:13

Crikey, I've been pretty keen for house sales to go through in the past, but I've never donned a hood and lurked in their bushes to scare them into it...

Maybe next time though Xmas Grin