But isn't this suspicious?

[Marmozet3]

I live opposite a construction site for new flats and I've just been woken up around 03:44 by heavy construction machinery that sounded potentially like an excavator. I couldn't see clearly out the window as it's dark but just a bright light. But whatever machine it was it sounded like material was being moved around and possibly crushed.

Now I'm not sure if it's just the crime junkie in me but surely this is weird and suspicious? It can't have lasted more than 20 minutes but why an earth would you be using that machinery at this hour for a short space of time and then just leave? It's all quiet now..

Rules in the UK are Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 8am to 1pm for noisy work permitted.

AIBU to think that someone is possibly using their work machinery at this hour to hide something?

[fashu]

Some new houses were built opposite my house late last year. One night I seen someone walking around the site at about 1am. Watched for a little while and he walked out and back up to the end of the street. He wasn't dressed in builders clothes or a security uniform or any high vis/safety equipment.
Never seen him since, but nothing ever seemed to be out of the ordinary the following days. Definitely weird stuff goes on at night that we will probably never know about. Could have been a member of staff who forgot something, but certainly suspicious.

[LadyEloise]

Check out the builders hoarding and report it to the head office. Tell head office the police were informed and visited the siteso if there's something dodgy going on it will make them think. If the company is doing nothing dodgy it will also make them think and check it out for themselves.

[Graciebobcat]

At the very least most sites have hours of operation and 3am is usually not one of them.

[Lemonyfuckit]

@ElizaLaLa

What stage is the site at? Are they still piling or laying foundations?

Exactly, because that's definitely a prime body-hiding location....

[MerlinsSaggyLeftTit]

I'm sure this sounds like at least three different episodes of Silent Witness. I would definitely assume a body was being hidden.

[idontlikealdi]

Piling rig or similar very heavy plant that needs to be located to site when the roads are clear.

[ICouldHaveCheckedFirst]

@idontlikealdi

Piling rig or similar very heavy plant that needs to be located to site when the roads are clear.

Located, yes, but operated? No.

[PinkyParrot]

Go over now, ask for the foreman and tell him what you saw and you wondered if it was something you should do somethin about or can he give an explanation.
If stuff is being nicked I would think they'd be glad to be told what's going on.
Don't walk onto the building site , just speak to a worker.

[WomenAreBornNotWorn]

My brother works in construction. They were asked to dig a hole and bury a large amount of asbestos. A neighbouring property noticed and reported them and the company were fined.

[IamTomHanks]

When I was in Uni I was woken up by a bulldozer doing donuts in the car park behind the dorm around 1am.

Some drunk students had walked past the construction works down the road and decided to hope the fence and see if they'd left the keys in the vehicle (I know from my summers doing maintenance work for the town that they are often left in the vehicle for whoever has the next shift).

I wonder if this wasn't the same thing?

[NoProblem123]

OP hasn’t been seen since 9:45

[WhereYouLeftIt]

@MotherOfDragonite

We have a building site near us and a lot of the construction company's heavy equipment was stolen in the middle of the night! So it could be theft.

That was my first thought. I've heard of farm machinery - some of those things are half a million! - being stolen to order then turning up abroad. I'd expect construction plant to be just as vulnerable and for there to be a similar market for them.

[SnakesandKnives]

About 15 years ago a friend came into work excited because they were building a new Asda in Harlow, evidenced by the massive tower crane on site with an Asda banner on it. She looked on their website to find out when it was opening but there wasn’t anything mentioned so she phoned them (I’d like to point out we were not all as excited about the idea of an Asda and not sure why she was ). Ended up getting called by one of their senior guys to ask exactly where she had seen it because it had been stolen from their site the night before! Able to steal a tower crane...unable to remove a banner....does make you wonder!

[Marmozet3]

@NoProblem123

OP hasn’t been seen since 9:45

Sorry I've been working. I can't see any signage for the construction company working on the site. It's hard to explain but the building site is opposite but across the key of a canal so I can't simply just go outside and over there to speak with them.

I do wish to speak to them so might send my partner out there in a bit

[ShortSilentNight]

This is exactly the sort of just-exciting-enough local mystery we love in this house.

A year or two back, DD spotted lead thieves running full tilt away from a building site down our road and was able to describe them to police. Pretty much a highlight of her whole summer

[ShortSilentNight]

Oh I've still got my Christmas name on

[WhereDoMyBluebirdsFly]

Did your DP find out what nefarious activities the builders were plotting @Marmozet3 ? I am weirdly invested in the 3am construction noise!

[Keratinsmooth]

Cable theft?

[Dinocan]

Asbestos. I know someone who crushed up their asbestos garage int he middle of the night and buried it in the garden. The fuckers then sold the house renovation for a large profit to some poor unsuspecting buyers who have no idea they have a ground full of asbestos. And yes I did report them, nothing done.

[ShortSilentNight]

@Dinocan

Asbestos. I know someone who crushed up their asbestos garage int he middle of the night and buried it in the garden. The fuckers then sold the house renovation for a large profit to some poor unsuspecting buyers who have no idea they have a ground full of asbestos. And yes I did report them, nothing done.

That's appalling! And incredibly frustrating that they got away with it.

[Osirus]

Perhaps Pat Phelan works there?

[Sinful8]

@Pomegranatemolasses

But how would the police know if there was something out of the ordinary, unless they were familiar with how the site looked normally?

Broken locks/fences etc

[Sinful8]

@WomenAreBornNotWorn

My brother works in construction. They were asked to dig a hole and bury a large amount of asbestos. A neighbouring property noticed and reported them and the company were fined.

Was your brother involved?

[Cissyandflora]

Don’t leave me hanging

[niugboo]

Definitely a serial killer.