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AIBU?

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Original poster

Loft hatch wifi burglar/poo leaver? Help me through the night please.

358 replies

Thattwatoverthere · 05/04/2018 22:43

There was a thread similar to this a while back that I can't find now but I promise I'm not a copy cat troll!

Last night i noticed that the loft hatch was open in the babies room. I definitely didn't do it, OH says he didn't do it. The cupboard under the TV where the electric and wifi box are was open yesterday, again, neither of us had opened it.
I called the police to report this last night and explained that I'm often alone with an 8 week old baby and that the house is really not secure (rental). Their next steps were to raise with their team manager and to contact me within 24 hours if they felt they needed to take it further, put it on record if not. Presumably this would be useful when I've been murdered in my sleep but whatever.
I've called the lettings agent who would get someone round to look at the locks that aren't locking.
I've heard nothing back from either. My life has no value clearly.

I've been blamed twice in the last fortnight for leaving a poo in the toilet by OH when I definitely, definitely haven't. Clothes have gone missing presumed lost somewhere and the wifi speed has dropped significantly over the last few weeks.

I'm concerned.

I have a CCTV style baby monitor that wasn't being used that I've set up in the living room to monitor anyone getting in which I thought was a pretty genius idea but forgot that you can talk the other way too. Tonight I'm pretty sure someone was talking through it. OH is working away but swears that it wasn't him. I need to be brave enough to get close enough to unplug it now.

There is access through the lofts from the other houses and only one key was given from the lettings agent so presumably another key is somewhere else out there. I can always hear footsteps from the houses either side of me which used to be reassuring when I was by myself. NOT ANY MORE!

Tomorrow I'm permanently closing both loft hatches, changing all locks and learning self defence. In the meantime help me get through the night. What can I do to make it as safe as I can? or channel Kevin from Home Alone And can I do anything on the wifi to see if someone else has signed up to mine?

I was a lot braver in the daylight...

I've got my baby asleep on me and I don't think she'll be much use if I'm confronted.

OP posts:
BalloonSlayer · 06/04/2018 10:34

My grandad's telly used to pick up local taxi drivers talking. They were definitely not loft dwelling taxi drivers either.

Exactly! And baby monitors are notorious for picking up other sounds. That's why they have more than one channel on them - so that if you keep hearing the neighbours' baby crying or (more likely) the neighbours arguing or the blokes from Aaaarvark Minicabs Best in Town discussing their next job you switch to the other channel.

rainbowstardrops · 06/04/2018 10:37

Ooh how intriguing?!

Juells · 06/04/2018 10:38

not only did you not get a bolt for the outside; you actually left a ladder in the (baby's) room?

Well you would, wouldn't you? Grin

ToriRay · 06/04/2018 11:01

@RunMummyRun68 good lord! I just read the dear David storify. I hope the OP does not!

PancakeBum · 06/04/2018 11:04

That dear David thread is a load of bollocks.

HeebieJeebies456 · 06/04/2018 11:05

Why haven't you checked your broadband settings to see who else is logged into your internet?

Mammyloveswine · 06/04/2018 11:07

Omg just read the whole "dear david"... so clever! Glad its daytime!

PretABoire · 06/04/2018 11:10

Are you in terraced housing where you can access the whole row of loft spaces? I swear I've heard of this before where a homeless person has set up camp in a shared loft because it's easy to hide in a big space and sneak into houses when they're empty.

QuimReaper · 06/04/2018 11:12

Dear David was a good idea by that guy, bet he got squillions of followers from it! The weak spots were the "girl in the library who told him about Dear David" Hmm and the "reveal" when we actually "see" David and he's clearly either computer generated or a doll. That's true of almost all horror films though, the reveal is always a letdown, and there's often a shlonky deus ex machina walk-on part to set the ball rolling. I actually laughed out loud at the end of that terrible movie adaptation of The Woman in Black, the directors really didn't understand the law of diminishing returns.

QuimReaper · 06/04/2018 11:14

I don't know why, as they have nothing in common from a plot perspective, but that Dear David thing has made me think of the Zeebrugge troll from many years ago - does anyone remember them? It was hilarious Grin

user3546546 · 06/04/2018 11:17

It could be your landlord, have you thought about that?

ToriRay · 06/04/2018 11:18

Definitely! quimreaper I am impressed by his commitment to the cause! He's up to 1m followers!

HesterLee · 06/04/2018 11:27

A question while we wait for the op to come back - on the back of this thread I decided to check what devices are on my router and got the Virgin page where is says "Please sign in with your Hub 3.0 settings password"
I tried my wi-fi password but that didn't work. I don't have any other password so am a bit Confused
Should I have been given another password?

KendalMintCakey · 06/04/2018 11:27

dejectedharry I love your SOH! made me giggle x

Mia184 · 06/04/2018 11:32

It might be a good idea to get into the router via its IP address and see what devices are registered there. If there are any unknown devices, block them and change the password.

SchadenfreudePersonified · 06/04/2018 11:34

The poo in the loo is odd though

Defecating during break-ins is very common intruder behaviour - it's due to stress and adrenaline.

Many burglars just shit on the floor or bed. If you do have a covert intruder, I imagine he's used the toilet so that you and your DH will each think the other is responsible (and not flushed in case he wakes you or baby).

This may turn out to be nothing, but I think that you are wise not to take the risk, especially with having a baby in the house.

Original poster
Thattwatoverthere · 06/04/2018 11:36

iamgreyhound Nope. I noticed it first on Wednesday night when taking my little one up to bed. It's not a swinging hatch, it's a lift up and move sort so the only reason I knew it was open was because of a draft. I'd be a bit of a twat to leave a ladder in there if I already knew someone had been through it. Now I know, I'm getting it secured.

I'm ok today. The OH is coming home this afternoon so I'm off to B&Q to buy padlocks, tasers etc. Still at my mums after a much better nights sleep than I would have had at home Smile

I might not read Dear David for a while but looks interesting!

OP posts:
SasBel · 06/04/2018 11:37

Hester yes, you should have a wifi password and an admin password. Mine are on a little card at the back of the hub.

Talith · 06/04/2018 11:38

Changing locks isn't as expensive as you might think and it can give a tremendous amount of peace of mind. Put one on the loft hatch too if it helps you feel more secure.

I'm not sure what's going on, I'd veer towards it being a series of misunderstandings and put it down to having your nerves jangling with a new baby (I used to hear mine crying all the time when they weren't due to sleep deprivation).

But change the locks anyway. It'll go a long way to making you feel more secure and preventing anyone else from getting in.

After me and my STBXH split up we were reasonably amicable but I changed the locks because I had this spidey sense feeling he had already or might try to come in and poke around my things. He probably wouldn't have but it was enough to make me hyper vigilant and anxious - changed the locks and slept much more soundly.

5plusMeAndHim · 06/04/2018 11:45

OK OP

  1. wind causes a difference in air pressure at different sides of the loft hatch and so sucks it out of place 2)poos in the toilet are caused by the plumbing and/or floaty poos
  2. Baby monitors are picking up someone else transmitting on the same frequency 4)Internet speeds - vary depending on the time of day.It is not just a question who is on your BB , the provider only has so much capacity

But go and LOOK !!!

PumpkinPie2016 · 06/04/2018 11:51

Poor you OP- I'm have been petrified! Glad you want to your mum's and that you are getting the loft secured today.

My aunt lived in a row of terraces with through lofts but she got my grandad to brick theirs up as it freaked her out.

My dad used to be in the police and in the town where we love, there were many rows of terraces with through lofts and he got several calls over the years about people in the lofts/houses being broken in through lofts.

Can you get someone to brick it up for extra piece of mind?

Do you get on with any of your neighbours? Migt be worth telling to them/warning them.

BlueEyedBengal · 06/04/2018 12:05

Just looked up that Dear David wish I hadn't put the shivers into me don't think it's real? Anyway get how serious this is over to the police. We rent out a 1880s terrace cottage to tenants and there is no full wall in any of the attic a person can travel down the full row and we have a lift and fit door no lock . You don't know but I would stAy our until it's secured and checked get back to them as burglary's are really common through the attic /roofs

threelittledinosaurs · 06/04/2018 12:07

Very scary OP. I hope your OH can put your mind at rest when he gets home, and does a search of the place. I'm pleased you got out of there last night!

BlueEyedBengal · 06/04/2018 12:07

Stay out until secured (dame I phone auto correct)

QuimReaper · 06/04/2018 12:19

Of COURSE Dear David isn't "real" Grin