Should I tell the police?

[PonyPals]

This is more of what would you do..
So my dad is in construction and he started a job today where he has to replace a floor in a garage.
Whilst ripping up the floor he found a semi hidden door behind a big mirror that was hanging up on a wall at the very back of the garage.
The door was half the normal size and when he looked in he saw that it was a small space with no windows but a mattress a tv and a book. It also had a vent leading out of it and the tube was across the garage roof.. we think for air (does that makes sense?)
So what do you think the room could be for?
Client is a man maybe in his 70s. Lives alone.
Should we report this to the police or are we letting our imagination run away?

That's almost exactly the same as the Josef Fritzl case in Austria. I'd be very freaked out by this.

Can’t believe all the suggestions of photographing this man’s private property; far less asking OP to put them online. Gross invasion of privacy and probably illegal. This isn’t a fucking interactive mystery game.

Seriously, OP, don’t.

Was the TV old or a modern model? What was the book?

What book is it out of interest? A very old one or something thats been published more recently? It might give a clue as to how recently the room may have been 'used'.
The book may also give an indication as to whether it might have been a man,woman or child (if anyone) using the room.

What was the book? Was it in English or another language - a diary / notebook or a novel? It may give clues to who was in there and why especially if not in English. There must also be some source of light to read the book?

It does seem rather curious though.

If he lived there in the 30s maybe a WW2 air raid shelter. Does it lock on the outside? That would be a red flag! On the inside, maybe it’s a panic room.

More than likely the room was just being used as a den by a teen.

Ask the homeowner, may have a perfectly reasonable explanation, like a panic room, or bomb shelter. If it had been used to imprison young women or some such, I'm sure the owner wouldn't have allowed it to be discovered.

How old is the tv and the book?

Has the old chap had a family previously? Just mooting it it’s a kids den or similar?

Yes, yes he should report it to the police. Take lots of photos, finish the job, then report it.

it might help solve a crime, it might not, that's not your Dads call, it's our responsibility to report suspicious things, it's the police's job to deal with it.

TV! It's not a WWII era air raid shelter!

OP, please come back and tell us more. You would assume there's somewhere to plug a tv in, right? Does it have any other amenities, like a tap? Evidence of toilet facilities? Is it smelly? Can your DH tell if it feels like it was used recently?

I think the previous poster who suggested it's just a den for a teen may well be right. But ... I agree it feels not quite right. Is this man in his 70's likely to have had a teen there recently? How old is the tv?

I think panic room outside of the main house is unlikely, and how would you fix the mirror back over the door from the inside? Nuclear bunker - well maybe a very crap one but that air tube isn't going to be very handy.

I think there's a lot more unseen slavery going on than we imagine. But it could also be a doss for someone passing through, someone homeless maybe. It's just possible the man has no idea it exists. But the mirror - is it fixed to the door and therefore shuts when the door shuts, or do you have to shut the little door first and then hang the mirror? If the latter then it's obviously somewhere intended to be hidden, and needs someone outside to do that.

@Sheitgeist

Yes, not a good idea to post photos. Sure way to get the thread zapped also.

What kind of floor is he ripping up? Do you mean he’s digging out concrete?

Sorry, quoting my own post . The same applies to a possible air raid shelter. Not very useful.

Seeing as this case has just come out in Germany although probably not as extreme I'd get police or someone to look into it. Remember the Fritzels? That's partly an Inside No. 9 comedy reference!

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/girl-rescued-after-years-in-captivity-hardly-able-to-climb-stairs/ar-AA13Sd5J?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=c9d79f58d6e54b9da98e17486ddb6e7a

I'd definitely think more sinister but that's because I've seen and read too many true crime dramas with a hidden space! Or priest holes (historical fiction!). And have an active imagination!

Tell your dad to take photos and speak to the police for advice (the photos are for the police, not us). I don’t think your dad should mention anything to the homeowner to ‘gauge his reaction’. That could be dangerous if it is something sinister.

It might have been a den when they were kids if they have lived there their whole lives. Does it look forgotten and abandoned (eg undisturbed dust) or does it look used?

Have you heard young people say pics or it didn’t happen.
That applies to this.

Sounds suspicious doesn't it. Like others see if there is lock. Get your dad to take in a luminol light lol

My grandparents found a hidden room behind a false wall in their loft. Turned out it was where the last tenant used to hide himself when the police were regularly looking for him.

I would also check the book and the TV - would help to age when the room was in use.
I would just ask the man whether he know the space is there. He might not even know! It'll be pretty clear from his reaction whether he knows about it or not.
What's the house's position like? If it has immediate neighbours then anyone in that room could scream and be heard.
May be best to call into the local police station and have a conversation, see what they think.

No it chuffing doesn't. You can't photograph inside someone's property without their permission and then post the pics online.

This! Don't mention it, the minute you do he'll cover up anything that's incriminating. Def talk to the police. Hiding a door behind a mirror is odd, a strange room is odd. You've no idea what's going on but its right so say something to the police and leave it to them.