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AIBU?

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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 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:
Original poster
Foxysoxy01 · 21/12/2017 22:02

The neighbours are fine really. I know I'm making them sound awful and if I had a real emergency I'm sure they would help but it would be after a bit of eye rolling and huffing. They just like their privacy and because a few are like that you tend to just leave each other alone so you don't really learn who the 'normal' neighbours are.

OP posts:
ShoesHaveSouls · 21/12/2017 22:03

One of the scariest things to happen to me, washing up late at night - you know, with the kitchen window just a square of blackness - there was suddenly a rap-rap-rap-rap - sounded like a very deliberate knocking at the window. I jumped out of my skin and ran to get Dh from upstairs.

He shone a torch around the garden (a mag-lite - lit everything up) from the window - and there was nobody there. Very weird and must have been a 'building noise' - but it was so loud, it didn't sound like something just tapping in the wind or whatever. Never did find out what it really was.

These things freak you out - but the whistling is a bit disconcerting.

GardenGeek · 21/12/2017 22:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DiseasesOfTheSheep · 21/12/2017 22:20

I hope your DH is a burly cage fighter and your poker is sharpened and ready for action! I'm sure there's an innocent explanation, but it's good you're not alone tonight for your peace of mind at least.

I understand about the neighbours - I know some similar folk round here too...

WendyWhale · 21/12/2017 22:37

This thread has scared me, I'll be sleeping with the landing light on tonight Blush

The whistling is so strange! Was it the same tune again OP?

Original poster
Foxysoxy01 · 21/12/2017 22:42

So DH car alarm just went off! Shock

He went out as I stood menacingly at the door with both dog and poker!

Nothing wrong with car he could see but obviously it's late, dark and we were both shitting a brick!

Now inside and have locked up and double checked everything!! We will not be venturing outside again until daylight (it doesn't matter what the hell happens out there)

Going to snuggle in bed with dog, poker and two mobile phones aswell as landline.

OP posts:
WendyWhale · 21/12/2017 22:47

Oh god OP Shock I'd be buying a pack of Rottweilers, 10 outside and 10 next to my bed - just to be sure!

HeebieJeebies456 · 21/12/2017 22:50

OP you need to report these incidents to the police - stop being so 'british' about it!

This isn't a ghost/werewolf/jeepers creepers scenario fgs!
Someone is deliberately targeting these houses/you.
Pretty soon your dog will get used to their scent and be even more docile to their presence than it currently is Hmm
The noises could be to lull you into a false sense of security, so eventually you relax the extra security measures and ignore 'odd' noises - which is when they will strike.

I may well be overthinking this but if i were living in the middle of nowhere and this shit was going on i'd be on it like a hot potatoe.
Do you have security lights on the perimeter of your property - i.e the gates/wall?
Can your lights/alarm be disconnected from outside?

For all you know your neighbours are experiencing the same and have the same attitude as you?
Updating/informing the police means that at least they have a timeline to work with to build a bigger picture if/when anything happens.

Tessliketrees · 21/12/2017 22:51

Does your car alarm go off a lot?

Sassenach85 · 21/12/2017 23:01

Jeeso I am well and truly creeped out!!

MyKingdomForBrie · 21/12/2017 23:04

Uurrrgghhh that’s creepy..

sausagerollsrock · 21/12/2017 23:06

Gosh, this is creepy op. Hope you figure out what's going on.

Original poster
Foxysoxy01 · 21/12/2017 23:07

Ok so, yes we have outside lights. None of them came on when DH car alarm went off.

His alarms goes off very occasionally if it's really windy. It has once gone off because of a massive moth trapped inside the car.

We have a house alarm it can't be disconnected from outside.

When our doors are locked it is as safe as possible inside our house so honestly I'm not worried about anyone getting in with us here.

I still don't feel it justifies a call to the police yet. All I can say to them is we think we have heard whistling, we have found a bauble on DH car that tbh could have been there for a while maybe his work mates put it there and he just hadn't noticed it, the car alarm went off and the dog has barked when let out. I just feel a bit silly when I write it out like that. It's not actually anything particularly menacing it's just because of the weird bloke I am putting it all together and then it seems more scary but it might not be connected at all.

OP posts:
Kookietoo · 21/12/2017 23:08

Foxy, I agree with HeebieJeebies, you really need to talk to the police & your neighbours about this & need up your security. If you can definitely hear whistling outside your isolated house (can your DH hear it too, so definitely not your mind playing tricks?) then that means there is a person outside your house! I can’t think of an innocent reason for a person being outside your house at night can you?Maybe they are testing to see if you notice the noise & how you react? Don’t ignore your instincts & please stay safe. Keep us posted & let us know you’re ok

Littlehenrylee · 21/12/2017 23:10

Looks like your area is being marked

reolink.com/how-to-know-if-your-house-being-watched-or-targeted-by-burglars/

The whistling is weird as it draws attention to themselves although of course they could be getting the dog used to the noise.

WendyWhale · 21/12/2017 23:11

I think Kookie is spot on with them testing to see how you react to the whistling, maybe to see if you're light sleepers?!

I'd say sod the neighbours and their desire to be left alone, go have a word with them about it and see if they've had the same! Any baubles about etc or whistling. If he's doing it you then chances are he's doing it to everyone!

Greenkit · 21/12/2017 23:14

Bloody Hell, scary stuff

Almostthere15 · 21/12/2017 23:18

Blimey this is frightening stuff. And I think you should trust your instincts. So Id call non emergency again and explain about your dog, the whistling and the flowers/baubles.
Your instincts are screaming at you for a reason.

JeremyCorbynsBeard · 21/12/2017 23:22

Not sure if this helps or not OP, but we have a bird that often whistles in the garden at night time. But only at certain times of the year. Could be an explanation? Hope you get to the bottom of it.

Original poster
Foxysoxy01 · 21/12/2017 23:23

DH and I have chatted about it and we are going to see if anything else happens tonight at all and if so we will call 101 otherwise we will see how we feel in the morning. I will go and chat to the woman in the middle house and our neighbours the other side tomorrow and see what they say.

All is quiet now so will get some sleep and have a think in the morning.

OP posts:
strawberryclouds · 21/12/2017 23:27

The bauble was almost certainly a way of marking the car for theft, no other logical explanation. Keep an ear out OP.

Tessliketrees · 21/12/2017 23:35

The bauble was almost certainly a way of marking the car for theft

How shit a car thief would they have to be to do this? Were they worried that without the bauble they would accidentally nick the wheelie bin?

JessieJams · 21/12/2017 23:42

Bullet, it was me asking. I read the thread late last night and thought of the OP when I was awake during the night. OP, it’s all very strange but agree with others to advise police just to be safe. i think I’d be totally spooked in your shoes. Keep safe - and please either walk dog with company or go a different route.

Ceebs85 · 21/12/2017 23:50

This is so scary OP so glad your partner is home. Speaking to locals needs to happen and police need to be updated. Even if it just helps them build a picture. If the properties are being scoped then a police vehicle just doijg a round would alert the burglars that they had raised suspicions and may even put them off!

Hope its all nothing but the bauble thing sounds too odd to be nothing!