To be concerned about parked van?

[weatherisjustmist]

We live in a cul de sac, and there's been a van parked in the street for about 3 hours. The driver is sat in the drivers seat watching tv on his phone.

It's a bit shifty isn't it? What could he be up to? It's not a camper van (or at least there's no rear windows)

Yes bit dodgy

Take a note of registration number etc etc

Call the police

Call the police? 🤨

And which specific crime could be reported? Looking at someone in a funny way?

Maybe he has a break from a split shift and he is too far away from home?

call the police? 🤨

I'm not planning to waste police time by reporting it, I'm just confused as to why someone would park up for three hours at night watching tv. I did suggest DH went over and asked what he's up to but he's unbothered 🙄

Is he "war driving" - picking up un protected WiFi outside someone's house to stream?

Maybe he lives in the van, and has chosen your street to spend the night?

Could be waiting for someone, working a split shift, just getting peace and quiet from someone at home. My DH takes our kids to a lot of extracurricular stuff and is quite often the creepy man sitting in the car watching stuff on his phone.

We had a few burglaries our way, police thought the thieves had parked a van up beforehand and then loaded up when the cost was clear. But I don't think the driver sat in it watching TV.
So if you have a lot of burglaries your way, then yes give the police a call but it's probably nothing.

Omg why are you making a big deal out of this

I do this for work sometimes

I work around the country and sometimes have time to kill

*He could be a same day courier waiting for a return trip

*Waiting for a customer to come back so he can work

*Living in his van

*Secret agent from Russia informing Putin how best to attack the UK starting with your road

Who knows, but probably not a job for the police,

That was my first thought but it's been 3 hours plus.

I had one of these a few years ago. White Transit van with ladders on the roof and blacked out windows, parked in the layby outside my block of apartments. Two people in the driver's and passenger seats. They were there at eight in the morning and still there at midday. Having decided they were up to no good I nonchalantly strolled outside to read the number plate and phoned the police on the non-emergency number. I told the operator what I'd seen and why I thought it was suspicious. She said to sit tight and be prepared for a call back, which duly came less than five minutes later. I was told the van wasn't 'bent' in any way and was no cause for concern. Within a minute or so, it was driven away! The operator wouldn't reveal any more details but my guess is I'd been looking at a surveillance vehicle for some law enforcement agency and I'd unwittingly blown their cover.

They move among us.

I was had bulgary in October this year the white van was parked not far away.

Go and ask him.

If he has a tachograph it may be that he has reached the legal limit for how many hours he can be driving for and has therefore had to find the closest convenient spot.

Could be anything really…maybe he lives around the corner and has had a fight with his wife and stormed off 🤷‍♀️

The police don't have to come out

They will just log down what you've told us along with the registration number etc and if anything does happen they have a note of it. It's hardly wasting police time. If they think it's worth coming out for then they will otherwise they just log it.

Why do you think neighbour watch is a thing

It's exactly for these types of situations that don't feel right

I wouldn't think it's dodgy because he's clearly not trying to hide his presence!

I'm guessing break from something.

I do this too but I don't tend to park in residential areas as described because I don't want a Mumsnet thread started about me!

And it's your business... because?

Jesus some people are wet blankets.

I often eat my lunch is residential areas (I normally work on the edge of town and it's just where I can find a spot to pull in)

My dream is that one day someone starts a thread about the weird person sitting in their car eating sandwiches and what they should do about it and it's about me

I lead a very sad life 😞

Seriously??

You’re braver than me! I’ll go on the edge or a Main Street, anything else and I’m scared old Deirdre will come knocking and I’ll have to explain myself.

if I ever see you, I promise to start a thread about you 😂

Jeez. It’s not illegal to sit in a parked vehicle.
I’ve seen what I assume are drug deals going on in a dead end near my street. But they don’t affect me in any way and I’m not certain what’s going on so I just ignore it.

Maybe ask him if he is ok.