Knocking on the back door at 9.30pm

[Slightyamusedandsilly]

I live alone in a terraced house. Back yard rather than garden, with a back lane.

Someone just knocked, twice, at my back door. Dark in the back lane. It's a minute walk round to the front, where I MIGHT have answered (might not now it's dark tho). Creepy as fuck.

Would you have answered the door? I found it very odd that someone would go to the back door (even in daytime). There's no reason to. My car isn't there. My bins aren't out. I have nothing in the lane itself.

I ignored it. After they'd gone I checked the doors were locked (they were).

No. Would also install high fence and security light.

Can you honestly imagine calling the police to tell them somebody had just knocked on your back door? Where do you think they would ‘log’ it? 🙄

They’d log it in the “Oh shit, another Mumsnetter” book…..

Although I wouldn't want to answer the door, I'd want to know who it was and why they were knocking otherwise I wouldn't sleep because of worrying.
Hopefully it was a drunk person at the wrong door rather than someone up to no good.

No lockable gate on the back yard?

fair enough, but not sure why you think it's magically safer when it's not dark.

I would not have answered the door and I would have been very frightened. I have a sign on my back gate clearly displaying a photo of two large Rottweilers and a warning that they are roaming free. In reality I had a very elderly, extremely friendly, chocolate lab. I also kept his food and water bowl visible from the back door. We had a series of break ins locally and when the police visited to ask if I'd seen anything, they saw my lab and said that's the best deterrant to an intruder that you can have.

I said 101. 🙄

I used to live in a similar home @Slightyamusedandsillyand this would have unsettled me too.

What deterrents do you have in place?

Yes, which is the police. 🙄

I require 3-5 business days to prepare for backdoor entry

Have you warned your partner

I agree. I would be done the same, before i go to bed i make sure all exits are locked and secured.

What a strange answer 😂. Does it really need stating that it you’ve ordered a takeaway you’ll open the door to accept the delivery?

Because I can't see at night.
I installed One Way mirror film on my windows which is fantastic when it is light outside... You can stand inside and nobody on the outside can see you all they can see is a mirror, the problem is that it reverses at night, that you try to look out, and all you can see is yourself but someone on the outside where it's darker can see you just fine. So even if you have a porch light or something on it's not enough light, hence, if I can't see who it is, I don't answer the door.
The mirror film is fantastic!

Maybe time for some security cameras, OP. They’re very easy to install and set up these days.

I had someone banging on my back door many years ago. When I looked through the window, he shouted that someone was after him and pleaded to be let in.

He was just wearing jogging bottoms and had no shoes on. So, I let him in.

Turned out he had been shot in the bottom. I called the police and wrapped him in a duvet. That resulted in armed police being in my house which was quite a sight.

Everyone I spoke to later thought it was absolute madness to let a stranger like that into my house when it was just me and my young child asleep upstairs.

Why did I do it? It was just instinct to help him. I'm not sure whether I would do it again. But at the time, I thought if I didn't help him, what would have become of him and I didn't want that on my conscious.

😂😂😂😂

You’re being ridiculous. Clearly, it’s not.

I had knocking on my door before people broke in. Also the police knocking at night because someone who called, whilst having a domestic, had given a fake name and address to police, my address. The police wouldn't believe it wasn't me, even though wrong name, until I asked them to call back the number they had whilst I held my phone.

I thought this post was going to be about anal sex 😂😂😂😂

Because someone knocked on the door?!

I once had a knock on the door late at night, I ran upstairs and opened the upstairs window. In my case it was innocent but at least I could see who it was safely.

It's called a joke 😆

I had someone knock on our door around midnight a couple of different times. I put the hallway light on so that they could see someone was home (but did not answer the door) and they immediately left (I looked out the window - both times it was shifty looking guys in caps) I think this was burglars checking if anyone was home. I would put some sensor lights on your back door, ring/cameras is a good idea too.