would police be able to get my hold of my old whatsapp messages if i'm being harrassed?

[Whattothinkaboutit]

I keep getting random, unwanted texts from a locksmith i used a year ago. I put the chain on the door at all times now, just incase. I've ignored most of them and only replied to a couple in the past with 'no problem'.

I've just had another one- asking me how many children I have.

Thinking to report them to the police but my phone broke a couple of times in the past year so I don't have a message thread saved on my phone.

Or would it be pointless to show them just the latest one?

It started with 'you have lovely hair', me not replying,then an apology a few days later, to which i said 'no problem.' Then it was something saying they saw me and apologies for not offering me a lift, to which i replied, 'no problem it's only 5 minutes on the bus'. Then it was something about what time they were arriving in Scotland and it being a long journey or something. To which I ignored and they sent a message a few days later saying 'sorry i keep texting you'. Now this latest one about how many kids I have.

It sounds as if he may have previous for stalking and harassment and knows he will be arrested if he doesn't stop!

Horrible post. Awful. Do you feel better now you've been vile?

I only got locked out before because it was the type of lock that locks as soon as you close the door and sometimes I'd forget to grab my key on the way out. Hence why he changed the lock for me to one I have to lock when I leave. I leave a spare key with trusted people.

I've just ordered a ring doorbell last night thanks!

I've never continued talking on WhatsApp?

I replied to one to say I didn't need a lift, so he wouldn't offer again, and to the first apology I said 'no probs', to not make things awkward if I bumped into him, as he lives near me. He's about thirty years older than me and married! I know this because when he changed the locks for me when I moved house he mentioned him and his wife had a spare children's wardrobe if I wanted it. I said okay thanks, then the next message was saying 'i like your hair' to which I ignored.

I know it's so creepy.

To the poster who said they'd get another locksmith to change the locks....believe it or not, I don't quite feel safe around any locksmith now!! I have a friend's husband who has done a locksmith course and next time they're in the area they'll change for me. I've just had the chain on the door 24/7 for a year.

Instead of buying new locks you could ask your friend to swap the front door to the back door and visa versa if they are compatible

Don't hold your breath......I reported my BIL 4 times before the police had any contact with him, and then it was just a friendly chat! His messages were vile, from calling me disgusting names to threatening to stab me in the neck! Had to really get stroppy with the police before they did anything serious about it- only took 4 months!

Im sorry you had that experience with them. I hope things are better now.

The police eventually listened and told him that if he did it again they'd arrest him for harassment, making malicious calls abd threats against us. He had to sign some form to say he'd keep away and not contact us again. He hasn't, so far.

Sorry youre going through this OP. I would be worried too.

Its actually very easy to change your own locks. I moved house few years ago looked at YouTube video and it took literally 2 minutes. I always tell people to do it themselves now. Its just unscrewing 2 screws which loosen the lock then putting new one through and screwing back in

I honestly don’t think you need to panic that he’s a stalker @Whattothinkaboutit. Sounds like he responded appropriately to the text you sent asking him to stop contacting you. He’s deleted your number. Hopefully that’s job done.

I guess he doesn’t normally have people call him out over and over again. Three times is quite a lot (and I have ADHD too so I totally get it!). But he probably fancied you, misread the friendliness, wishfully read too much into the repeated call-outs, and decided to try his luck.
You’ve said go away, he has apparently done so (most likely embarrassed).

No need for any lock changing or police informing!

But I didn't call him out over and over. I called him out twice in one year to get me indoors. The second time I wasn't even there I was abroad and my trusted male neighbour dealt with it for me, so it wouldn't be misconstrued as I was trying to see him. Then the third time was for a house move as he'd said to me that if I ever moved house I could take my lock with me, as it was a good one for people who get locked out, and he'd swap them over.

But yeah hopefully he was just constantly trying his luck for a year and will leave me alone now. I'm so jumpy at night time at the moment...

Blimey, I got woken up to a text at 2am from the police saying it's been allocated under harassment and an investigating officer will contact me...

I think you know instinctively @Whattothinkaboutit that he's a wrong un. That's why you're scared. As I said before, he'll have previous. You did the right thing.

Glad they've took this seriously OP, makes me think they have previous form for this. When my husband was being harassed/stalked he was told he had to tell them to leave him alone in writing, then if they did it twice more after that they'd go round and have a word and then if they did it after that they'd get arrested. He did and although that person stopped themselves, their relatives started following him around on the school run and he couldn't contact them as he had no way to contact them in writing, the police just wasn't interested.

I'm sorry it was so hard for you.

I just looked it up online and it says it has to be two or more times that makes a person feel intimidated, offended, humiliated, threatened, or fearful.

But yeah, also as @bigboykitty says, as they're taking it seriously before I've told him to leave me alone, perhaps there is previous. Or maybe it's because he's a locksmith, so there's that extra level of creepiness?

My ring doorbell arrived today and I don't have a drill, nor have every found time to learn to use one, so I'm going to maybe post online to see if there's a handy man I can pay anywhere. Actually I just remembered a handy woman posted her business recently and I followed it, so I've now messaged her asking a quote.