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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have called the police

52 replies

Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:21

Up late can’t sleep, here on my own with my kids so quite alert to any noises. Heard something outside looked out the window and saw a large man using his iPhone torch and entering next door through the downstairs window. Freaked out and phoned 999 to report what I thought was a break in. Turns out my neighbour forgot his key Blush now I feel like a dick, but wouldn’t have forgiven myself if it was someone breaking in and I didn’t do anything. Police turned up and banged on their door, not looking forward to seeing the neighbours in the morning now!

OP posts:
RosaWaiting · 22/08/2019 01:22

You did them a favour! They should be glad to have you next door.

Original poster
Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:23

Just to add, my other half has forgotten his key loads of times, never once has he gone in through a window, he just rings me or the doorbell!

OP posts:
Alicewond · 22/08/2019 01:23

If it was my flat if forgive you for doing the right thing. That must have looked scary!

WelshMoth · 22/08/2019 01:24

Don't worry about this - your neighbours know you were ultimately being vigilant and looking out for them.

Try and relax and get some sleep Thanks

ErrolTheDragon · 22/08/2019 01:25

YANBU.
You saw what could reasonably be mistaken for a burglary. The police evidently thought it was worth turning out,

If I was the neighbour, I'd be glad someone had bothered even though it was a false alarm.

Hope you can get some sleep - being alone with kids can make you a bit hypervigilant.

Original poster
Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:26

I hope they see it that way, why didn’t he just ring his wife or the doorbell? Is this a normal thing?!

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:27

If he was trying not to wake anyone up I’ve kind of ruined that plan!

OP posts:
Original poster
Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:29

The adrenaline is pumping through my veins! Do not think I could sleep if I tried.

OP posts:
Toneitdown · 22/08/2019 01:35

If my neighbour did this I wouldn't be annoyed, I'd be happy that they were looking out for me. You're fine OP, no need to avoid them

Benefitofthedoubt · 22/08/2019 01:38

Someone called the police when we were out and we were broken into once. We were eternally grateful. You did the right thing.

avamiah · 22/08/2019 01:42

Hi OP,
Don’t worry about it too much but you said it’s your neighbour , so I know it’s dark but do you not know your neighbours very well ??lol

pumkinspicetime · 22/08/2019 01:47

I would be grateful to you if you were my neighbor.
You were trying to protect their house for them.

BruceAndNosh · 22/08/2019 01:53

Under "reasons to call the police about my neighbour" this is one of the few welcome reasons!

Original poster
Snowdropfairy85 · 22/08/2019 01:53

We’ve only lived here just over a year. The neighbours keep themselves to themselves and the man that lives there seems to come and go rather than be there full time. I would recognise him if it was daylight but all I could see was a silhouette of a large man opening the window and climbing through. Maybe I’m naive I just wouldn’t expect someone to break into their own window in the dead of night, if it was me I’d ring the doorbell or ring my wife’s phone.

OP posts:
SleepIsForTheWeeak · 22/08/2019 01:53

Id appreciate you were watching out for us if you were my neighbour.

My husband got up to use the loo in the night a few months back and heard a noise outside but just ignored it. Turns out someone had broken into our next doors house trying to steal their cars. Luckily our neighbour got up and chased them out the house. They had the police searching our garden (apparently) trying to find them. My husband just ignored the noise- great neighbour! We found out weeks later, my husband said "oh yeah I did hear a noise" Hmm

avamiah · 22/08/2019 01:59

Snowdropfairy85,
Then you calling the police was totally correct .
They should be thanking you.

Talkingfrog · 22/08/2019 02:00

I would be thanking you if you were my neighbour. Most people would have thought it was a break in.

avamiah · 22/08/2019 02:02

Yes better safe than sorry at the end of the day .

quizqueen · 22/08/2019 02:14

I can't believe the police actually bothered to turn up for a (suspected) burglary!!

SadOtter · 22/08/2019 02:25

If you were my neighbour I would laugh at the misunderstanding and thank you for caring enough to trying to protect my home/family. Explaining to the police won't have taken him long.

StoppinBy · 22/08/2019 02:25

If someone did this for me I would be very glad to know that my neighbours had my back. Would probably say thank you and it wouldn't cross my mind that they should feel bad about it at all.

HennyPennyHorror · 22/08/2019 02:26

Good neighbour. My dog barks a bit sometimes and I always feel bad...then the lady over the road said "He's doing his job...he barks if anyone goes near my house too and I'm glad of him"

We live rurally in Australia so passers by aren't common...I was just afraid he was a pain but apparently not!

StoppinBy · 22/08/2019 02:30

P.S Maybe he is serial key misplacer and didn't want his wife to know so decided to try and get away with it by crawling in the window lol

MsJaneAusten · 22/08/2019 02:35

I can't believe the police actually bothered to turn up for a (suspected) burglary!!

Break in happening now = 999 (& probably prioritised)
Burglary discovered after the event = not emergency

Brenna24 · 22/08/2019 03:55

Years ago I heard breaking glass after midnight and saw a leg disappearing into the window of a ground floor flat next door when I looked out our window. I called the police, they arrived, then I heard them having a conversation with the guy saying "I don't think that your landlord will be best pleased having to replace a window." OK, so clearly the same situation except that he lived in a bedsit, so probably alone. W weeks later, breaking glass. I hesitated, then called the police. Same scenario. A month after that. Breaking glass. Thought, sod getting out of bed and wasting police time again. Turned over and went back to sleep. The next day I had the police at my door asking if I had heard anything during the night as the same flat had been burgled. The look of horror on their faces when I said that I had heard breaking glass about 12.45. They said "why didn't you call 999?" I answered by explaining what had happened the previous 2 times recently and their answer was "fair enough, I wouldn't have either."

You did the right thing. I still sometimes wonder if I should have called on that third time.

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