To call the police over someone staring?

[MellaY]

Hear me out!

I took my 6 month old LB into town today with my BIL and niece. He needed to run an errand before we went for a shop and my little boy needed a feed so my niece and BIL left me at a coffee shop so I could park up and feed my lb.

A lady who I have seen before locally (I dont know her personally) was watching my lb and myself really intently as I walked in but I didn't think too much of it. I ordered my coffee and sat down at a table directly across from where she was sat as it was the only place where the chairs didn't have arm rests ( I'm ebf so they get in the way of my little boys legs). I had my lb out of the pram and was almost ready to feed him when I realised she was still staring at me. She never looked away- not even when we made eye contact with one and other. It wasn't subtle at all and made me feel really uneasy and I was deeply unsettled so I moved to a different spot with my little boy that I had avoided due to it being an awkward chair to feed in. She was still watching me in our new spot ( baring in mind I hadn't started feeding and she couldn't have seen anything like a breast/ nipple- not that that would be an excuse to stare unblinkingly at someone!). I ended up blocking her vision with my pram but could still see she had her head turned towards us.

My little boy had finished his feed and I was enjoying my coffee when she walked past us to go to the loo. She pointedly turned her head to stare at us as she walked by and only stopped looking when she had physically gone too far to be able to turn her head enough to see us. She left and my BIL came back and I told him about the weirdness of what had just happened.

Scrolling through Facebook I noticed someone else who has been in town today (not someone I know) had posted about a lady of the same description following her and her young baby out of the bus station. I messaged the lady to tell her about my experience with what I thought was the same woman. Apparently this woman had been on the same bus as her and followed her, complimented her on her 'beautiful' baby and was getting herself very close to the pram (the lady with the baby told her to go away). She continued to follow her until she was again told to stop and leave them both alone. This lady also noticed she appeared to be pregnant but with an almost too perfect looking baby bump (which lady with baby suspected may have been fake). Shes been reported to the police by this woman as her social worker (fostering) suggested it may have been related to gangs trying to snatch babies and she has suggested I also report how she was behaving in the coffee shop.

It feels weirdly reminiscent of a bit too many crime dramas/ true crime shows where women have faked pregnancies then snatched babies. The thought of someone with a baby meeting this woman in with no one around makes me feel a bit sick.

I feel like I should report her as the experience of this other woman has turned what happened to me today from something a bit unnerving to something that now feels very sinister. I do feel like I'm going to sound like a mad woman calling the police to report someone for looking at me funny though!

I hope this makes sense as I'm rubbish at being concise.

Don't local oddballs exist anymore ? Why does everyone have to have some sinister motive?
Our local oddball used to stare at everyone passing by he looked very unnerving. But sometimes he would talk to you and he was very amusing. Another one is always walking at top speed and shouting how bad the nhs is

This has all gone a bit QAnon

I used to take my son to garden centre which has a lovely outdoor sandpit. We used to go for a brew and cake at the cafe and we sat outside next to a fence which sort of adjoined the car park. There was always a woman in there that sat in the car staring, she approached and generally asked about the baby and said he was lovely. I stopped going when the weather changed but saw a story I the paper saying.g that there had been an attempted baby snatch from the car park. I often wondered if it was her . Report it OP they can do what they like with the info.

WTF is the stories about people in Wakefield looking at babies at the moment?!

Somehow I doubt a baby snatcher would be quite as obvious as you describe this woman in the cafe to be.

This thread reminds me of the scene in Beauty and The Best where Gaston rules all the idiot villagers into going to burn down the Beast’s castle, exaggerating everything and they foam at the mouth lapping it all up before grabbing their pitchforks

@ButtercupOfFlorin

WTF is the stories about people in Wakefield looking at babies at the moment?!

Is there more than one?

We had one a while ago that came up at Christmas, every year for a few years. Story about how their friend found a wallet and there was a driver licencse in it, so they went to the owners house to return it.

The owner (whose skin colour and assumed religion was always pointed out) thanked the person who returned the wallet by giving them a heads up that a bomb would be let off on a Saturday leading up to Christmas in the white rose centre.

My dad was in the police at the time. Total bollocks, some racist fucking bullshit. Caused so many fucking people to panic.

I suspect, this is the same. Op may have had a woman staring at her. But the description of the woman on the FB is very vague. Only mentions 'foreign woman (of colour)', makes me think its similar to the bomb in white rose story.

Wouldn't surprise me if this is doing the rounds along with 'my social worker says that there a baby stealing ring operating out the black rock'.

Oof this garnered more attention than I thought it would.

Thank you to those who have provided a bit more insight on to what would actually be done with any information I did pass along to the police. I have and obviously if any behaviour that is more concerning pops up it adds to a bit of a bigger picture, if not reporting hasn't harmed anyone and could potentially help someone.

Those saying I should I have said something at the time- I'm a really non confrontational person (probably to a fault- I dont even like complaining in restaurants when my order is wrong for example).

I am a little cross that shes added my account ( a little inaccurately too) to the post and I'll admit this has coloured my opinion of her a bit and agree that she has most likely sensationalised some of the aspects of her story. I was not out to get anyone and don't think setting up a FB lynch mob will help anyone. Though it's not a comfortable situation for either of us to have been and I don't think that either of us should have been in it. Definitely dont agree with hunting her down or getting her caught! The first version of the post I saw was very much just bringing what happened to other peoples attention- I wouldn't have contacted her at all if I thought it would change the way it has. I regrettably feel I have added some fuel to that fire ( very much unintentionally).

When I have seen her before I did get the impression she may have had some learning difficulties which may or may not change the situation. If she does have any form of formal support in place ( I was a support worker pre pregnancy) I suspect this may get back to them and gently addressed with her which was fairly common place at my work. Especially as this kind of behaviour could put her at risk. If she were to follow another mum with a baby it could well end up with a much worse reaction. It means shes likely harmless but I dont think that you can blame anyone for being uncomfortable or alarmed by the situation.

The owner (whose skin colour and assumed religion was always pointed out) thanked the person who returned the wallet by giving them a heads up that a bomb would be let off on a Saturday leading up to Christmas in the white rose centre.

We have a version of this in Ireland - the man says "Since you have been so kind I will give you some advice to keep you safe - don't go to Limerick this weekend." The person returning the wallet is alarmed and says "What! Why?! Is there going to be a bomb?" And the man says "Eh? No. Not to my knowledge! But.... Limerick is just...such a shithole."

I’ve just found that post too the other woman made and she sounds like a massive fucking racist. Someone ‘foreign of colour’ cooed over her baby’s pram at the bust stop and she’s called the police. Horrible little weirdo, and practically giddy with excitement that OP shared her story too.

The owner (whose skin colour and assumed religion was always pointed out) thanked the person who returned the wallet by giving them a heads up that a bomb would be let off on a Saturday leading up to Christmas in the white rose centre

Ah, yes. The alleged terrorist tells someone who comes to his front door (so has his address) that he has inside information about a bomb attack. Terrorists are, of course, known for indiscretion and blabbing plans.

At least they could make it fucking believable.

I can see why you're unnerved, I certainly would be in your position as well. But her behaviour reminds me of a woman I supported with LD who behaved similarly, she had a baby who was taken into care many years ago and had a fixation on babies and pregnant women and would just stare. I just doubt this woman is really a threat, baby snatching gangs aren't a thing, and there's nothing you can really report to the police besides a woman staring at you which is rude but not a crime.

Worth reporting, why not? Can't do any harm.