Previous home owner is being stalkerish

[Bluebird79]

I don't post very often, but am sitting here mulling over today's events and need some advice.

We moved into our new home about 6 months ago. We knew that the family living here before had a turbulent break up and was the reason for selling up. Half way through the purchase we discovered the husband was in prison for a rather heavy crime. I don't know why, but it gave me a bad feeling. However we loved the house and carried on as it was obviously nothing to do with us.

Fast forward to now. In the last week I have had the police call looking for this guy (he has been released early). They didn't tell me why they thought he would be here. I now know he lives in a house that virtually looks onto our front garden. It isn't close enough to see him up close, but it is close enough for him to see us come and go. Then today he called at my house and told me he wanted to buy the house back, and in time, it would be his again. He told me he watched me doing the garden "his garden" and offered to give me a hand! He came off very unhinged, rambling and obviously in a bad place. He seems to think we got the house for a song (we didn't). I didn't really know what to say - he scared me and I froze like a moron. To be honest, I felt he was creepy.

I told my DH and he said that we should call the police if I felt harassed, but I don't want to inflame the situation. But maybe we should tell them...what should I do? We are thinking maybe he just wanted to get this off his chest - he obviously feels bitter about the past. Has anyone experienced anything similar to this?

[PragmaticWench]

The police will probably pass the information to his probation team, they link-up when someone is released after a serious crime. Don't be hesitant to tell the police that you feel watched and threatened.

[2016namechangecomingalong]

You did the right thing phoning 101. i hope they can have a good chat with you and you can find out a bit more about what you're dealing with.

[thenewaveragebear1983]

If he's released on licence (is. Served half of his sentence) then police will definitely be interested, and it may result in him being detained again to finish of his time. If he's served the whole time, it might be treated as a 'new case' in which it's less likely anything will happen as he hasn't hurt you or threatened you. So keep evidence of everything as will any neighbour dispute and photo evidence if you can.

[Bluebird79]

Thanks all. I hope to hear from the police this coming week.

[OzzieFem]

As he was walking away he was pointing to the trees that line the perimeter and saying they were his soldiers, which sounds nuts doesn't it?

Even worse. He does sound like he is mentally unbalanced but you could take the above comment to mean that they were guarding something (like soldiers do). Please be careful.

[Hennifer]

It sounds more like he wants detaining on a psychiatric ward than in a prison tbh

I hope you get somewhere, anyway.