I think someone has been in my house

[ALittleBitWorrriedNow]

I came down this morning and a side table had been moved about a metre and a half across the room. The phone socket, tv aerial etc is behind the table.

It’s fairly heavy and was wedged into a corner so the dog couldn’t have moved it by mistake.

I initially thought it may have been one of the kids fiddling with the WiFi box but they say they haven’t moved it.

Trying not to freak out here but thinking it could be some kind of surveillance operation due to the phone socket behind it.

There have been people outside over the last few days in unmarked vans installing “community fibre”.

Am I being totally unreasonable and paranoid?

Any reason the powers that be would want to surveil you in particular OP

(Hint. Kids lie/forget/misremember. All the time).

Could you get a nannycam or similar to set up downstairs? Are the kids old enough to prank you?

What could be the point of entry? Are your doors unlocked?
Likely to be the kids if no obvious entry to the house.
Could the dog have moved it deliberately rather than accidentally?

Yep, probably paranoid unless you think there is genuinely some way that an intruder could have broken in overnight without leaving any trace whatsoever. And definitely paranoid if you think people might want to surveil you.

The community fibre people can surely be easily checked up on if you are concerned they aren't legit and are somehow scoping out places to rob later.

The obvious explanation is usually the correct one, and in this case it’s the kids or the dog.

Also, if they’d broken in as part of a surveillance operation why would they make it so obvious they’d been there? Not exactly super spying.

It probably is the kids maybe the dog knocked the table over and the kids picked it up and "left it" because clearly it belongs there 🙄 I witnessed my cat carry a Teddy bear the length of him downstairs and randomly abandoned it in the middle of the room ive been blaming my kids for fucking months 🤣 it was the damm cat!

Surveillance ? Are you quite well ?

It's much, much easier to hack into a wifi and telephone network remotely than take the massive risk of breaking into someone's home. That's only used for dramatic effect in films and TV.

Eh? It was the kids if no on else has been there.

Twas a ghost.

Thanks you’re all putting my mind at ease a bit but there is a strange black van with tinted windows outside. It’s been there all day and still there now.

Only thing I can think of is exDP moved out a while ago and I’ve had to claim universal credit so they might think I’m committing benefit fraud (I’m not).

He’s got some mental health probs and is majorly behind on his tax returns. It’s a mess and he will most likely be paying fines etc. But surely that’s not a reason for surveillance? That would be court summons etc

One of my neighbours is an arse, he may have reported me maliciously to anyone who’ll listen. He took offence to me having another child (not that it’s any of his business) I suspect my toddler has ADHD and has frequent meltdowns etc - it does get noisy so I would be surprised if he’d reported me for child abuse. But surely they would be looking for evidence from school, other neighbours, interviewing my older kids etc instead? I am not abusing any of my kids, just to make it clear to any doubters out there.

It’s so weird. Tempted to go and take a pic of the van outside.

Surveillance??!!

There will be an explanation. Perhaps someone in your house was sleepwalking, or your dog fell down the back of it somehow and it moved.

Worst case scenario is that someone managed to break into your home and tried to steal your TV.

Were your doors and windows locked? Does anyone else have keys?

I’d be tempted to change my locks to be on the safe side.

Almost certainly the kids either forgot nor don't want to admit why they moved it.

Although we did have a situation when DC were small when DH was saying "pesky kids have hidden my phone". I was saying "don't be daft it's where you left it" and it turned out we'd been burgled while we slept.

Is anything missing?

Are you sure nobody has broken in ? A call to the local cop shop wouldn't go amiss

Ex DP? Does he have a key?

Cover up the sockets?

Go and speak to the men in the van, ask them what they’re doing, have a chat to put your mind at rest. If the back of the van is kitted out with laptops and monitors and guns and ammo, you have a problem!

Have you checked nothing missing eg money, passports, jewellery, keys? Go ask the van what their business is?

How is your own mental health right now OP?

Unless you are in MI5 or on the Interpol wanted list, I doubt there's a surveillance operation!

There’s no one in the van, we’ll not in the front anyway.

It wouldn’t be exDP.

Front door was locked and still locked this morning. I didn’t check the back door as I’d already let the dog out before I noticed the table.

Have been under a lot of stress with exDP etc so I could be being very paranoid.

The van is a bit odd though. It looks like a minibus with tinted windows. Never seen it before and usually only see the same cars here, especially at night.

Well if its some kind of surveillance, they totally blew their cover didn't they..

@LowlandLucky

Are you sure nobody has broken in ? A call to the local cop shop wouldn't go amiss

Call the police and say your side table has moved one metre? I’m sure they’ll be round in a flash…….

In all honesty, I am sure there is nothing to this.

The majority of surveillance can be done remotely - there would be very little extra anyone could gain by coming into your home.

The likely explanation (If you have checked all valuable belongings are still in the house) is that it's been moved by someone who has forgotten.

Tonight, if it puts your mind to rest - do a quick set of photos / video of how things are before bed. Then you can compare to tomorrow.

I'm sure the van is just neighbours or someone parking on the street. Take a photo of the van / plate and keep it in your phone if it helps.