Follow you home...not just a Nickelback song

[mega twin]

Different dog?

[raimius]

Simple door/window alarms make a lot of noise. It might provide that extra few seconds of warning, if he decides to return. They are also fairly cheap. If you don't have some sort of security system, I'd recommend at least one on every entrance.

[Stressfire]

Thanks for the feedback all. Definitely a bit of a wake up.

Pvt Long & Jeremiah: Paper trail is started. As far as finding him in the house upon return, yes, a little worried, however it is relatively easy to identify forced entry markings on my door - I checked out the scratched he left with the card (or w/e he was using) and got pics before I painted over. On second floor so i think door would be the likely entry point, no large trees or climbable areas near windows. And for the time being, the fiancee is to call me when she pulls into the driveway and i stay on phone with her until she "clears' the house. As I said I am currently shopping for a shotty, just don't want to rush and get an undependable POS.

CLC: As far as neighborhood, its not suburban "cul de sac" class, but its not what I would call bad or dangerous. It's literally less than a mile from where I grew up from 12 yo on. While I don't necessarily let that lull my sensibilities, its not the type of area where addicts wander around.

I currently have a beagle - just got her 2 weeks ago. She's great with the bark but as far as intimidation factor goes....well, she's a beagle and more likely to roll over for a belly rub than defend.

Am also stopping by today and picking up some of those stick on alarms for the door(s)

[Ringolevio]

Stressfire, it sounds as if that skell is a local or has some connection to your neighborhood. Keep your eyes peeled (or even stake out your block some night) and you'll spot him again.

Then you can call the cops with a description and location (maybe even a car and plate number) or...you could follow him home...

[Stressfire]

Was up til 4am this morning doin' the lookout thing. Soooo sleepy and at work now, doh

or...you could follow him home...

lol, mayhaps but sounds like a good way to get capped myself. Though I do know what house, or at least what driveway he came out of.

But to do so may, again, be pushing the bounds of instigating a conflict

[kraigwy]

I'm different. If I think someone is following me, the last thing I would do is lead him to my home and family.

I'd try to loose the guy, if I couldn't then obvously he is trying to follow me. I'd confront him right then and there. Sucker ain't getting to my house.

On another matter, I wasn't there and I didn't talk to the cops but, the Police get prowler calls all the time. (or at least I did when I was in LE).

The dispatcher would get a discription and relay that to the officer. The officer would search the area, but seldum, unless the complainant request contact, would we make contact with the complainant.

Many callers don't want the prowler or who ever to know who called, going to the complainant's house leaves no doubt who called.

[jrothWA]

Avoided direct confrontation but sounds like you need to do perimeter security, namely install motion lights high-up to provide light and detection. Consider apex of garage below rood line and give side illumination to neighbors.
Put doos side lights up to ID intruder location.

Make sure to silhouette the area/ intruder but not illuminate yourself!

Besides a shotgun, may I recommend the M1 Carbine, loaded with soft-nose ammo, very good HD with the increase on range. Stock pouch with two 15 rdrs are always available. Low recoil, maybe fiance MIGHT need to operate it???

Also add dead-bolts to outside doors, keyed alike and re-key the existing lock with same. Door with window use a key both side dead-bolt. Hang emergency key in known location for egress situations.

What county in Ohio?

[Ringolevio]

Stressfire:

Was up til 4am this morning doin' the lookout thing. Soooo sleepy and at work now, doh

Quote:
or...you could follow him home...
lol, mayhaps but sounds like a good way to get capped myself. Though I do know what house, or at least what driveway he came out of.

But to do so may, again, be pushing the bounds of instigating a conflict

Don't instigate, investigate. Make discreet inquiries and observations, from a safe and detached distance. Learn all you can; you'll find something you can use. E.g., you may find others with similar experiences.

There are all kinds of ways of neutralizing a threat, and they don't necessarily involve violence or personal confrontation (or putting your own safety and freedom at risk).

(Ah, for the good old days, when you could just "have a little talk" with the subject, perhaps while administering a little "tuneup". But of course that would be wrong.)

[Stressfire]

Ah, for the good old days, when you could just "have a little talk" with the subject, perhaps while administering a little "tuneup". But of course that would be wrong.

Indeed, on both counts.

Ya know, I never particularly worried about this crap for all the years I was single, sigh..

[curt.45]

you might consider putting a thick piece of plexiglass over the inside of that window on the door just to slow anyone down or make more noise if they do try to get in.

[Ambishot]

Safeguarding your fiance, property and self without having to take a life is probably the best outcome possible. So you did well!

That being said, I would definitely advise that you take some precautions as mentioned by other posters. A security door on the front and back doors to the residence, an alarm system-the simple attach to door and window variants are inexpensive and work well- and/or motion lights are great ideas. Other than that, stay alert. A remington 870 is also an inexpensive and reliable weapon to consider. Plus as you found out, the sound of that pump action will most likely raise the hairs on anyone's neck. (I'm sure the fiend was just a little scared)

I would NOT recommend that you recon/follow this guy around. Especially if you're carrying. Vigilantism won't work here in your benefit. (as great as it sounds)

If you see him again snooping around your house - call the cops/lengthen that paper trail.

[Buzzcook]

A cell phone on your walk would have been a good idea.

If you'd had a camera handy you could have taken his pic through your window.

There are bars that can make your door very difficult to get into.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-26.../dp/B0002YUX8I

Some of them have alarms too.

[markj]

and see him attempting to jimmy the lock with a card

After he saw you wit ha dog and after you entered the dwelling? Guy musta been looking for a way to commit suicide.

Get a motion detected light for outside, a better dog that will bark and defend you on a chain outside the door and a big fat cat in case he gets in you toss the cat in his face.........

A real shotgun would be number one if I didnt already have 6 or 7.

[Wag]

Knowledge is power and spreading it around makes it even more powerful.

Talk to your neighbors. All of 'em. Let 'em know what happened and give a description of the punk so people can keep their eyes peeled. Eventually, something will get back to you if there is anything to be said, especially if the dud lives in your area.

--Wag--

[jimmythegeek]

and if you deem it unnecessary after a while, you can sell it for about what you paid. I see a few on GB for $350.

[Hook686]

Let's see:
-You are in the 2nd floor unit
-no window entry
-you have a dog that barks if someone comes to the door

Sounds to me as though:

1)motion detection activated lights/alarm (wireless driveway type)

2)a bar against the doorknob, such as:

http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-26.../dp/B0002YUX8I

3)discussion with neighbors

ought help you get a good nights sleep.

4) a home remote monitoring system, such as:

http://broadband.wordpress.com/2006/...emote-monitor/

can give you peace of mind concerning the interior of your place before you get home.

Your companion walks into trouble while on the phone with you. Just what is she, or you suppose to do at that point ? Clearing the house visually before you, or she enters seems like a good idea to me.

[publius]

I think you did pretty good. Like kraigwy said, it would have been a better idea to lead him away and somehow lose him away from your home. i probably wouldn't have thought to do it either. I imagine you were a little rattled (I would be) and wanted to be in the safety of your home. You need to address your shotgun problem. The recording was effective and funny as hell, but you need the real think. An old 870 or Mossy 500 can be had cheap. Don't worry about how much blueing it has left or the fact that the wood is destroyed from 20 years of sitting in the bottom of a duck boat. Just get one in good working order. Get a couple of boxes of bird shot and 4 boxes of #1 buck. You and your girlfriend go to the range and put those 2 boxes of birdshot through, shooting at cans, targets, whatever. Now that you know you have a properly functioning gun and some practice, put a box of the buck through it at varying ranges. She will have a much easier time w/the shotgun than a pistol, (so will any of us)Get some motion lights and some lights you can turn on with a switch that will light up the yard like a stadium. Look at getting some sort of crossbar/pipe bracket to fortify your doors.

[moose_nukelz]

Glad it worked out for you, I would have skipped going to my house and went up and down the block a few more times.

[BGutzman]

Time to buy a 12 Ga, sounds like you did just fine but I would certainly take some steps to reinforce the door and then look at your place from a If I was going to break in quickly how would I do it and then take steps to counter whatever would be the fastest way to break into your place.

[tmlynch]

well, she's a beagle and more likely to roll over for a belly rub than defend.

Don't sell beagles short as protectors. Every beagle I have had was very serious about looking after their people. They were vigilant, alerted others to hazards, and took effective action when needed.

When I was a kid, we had the same mailman for as long as I could remember. He was known and liked in the neighborhood. The beagle I grew up with would always stay between me and him.

The beagle we had when my daughter was an infant, stayed between her and the TV, whining and yipping until we moved the set and found the scorpion.

We once gave away a beagle to a family that wanted a companion for their golden retriever. Shortly after moving in, it was the beagle that found and killed the rattlesnakes in the backyard. I was told her head swelled up pretty good, but she came through it fine.

Regards,
Tom

[WARRIOR I]

CLC,
The type of neighborhood really doesn't matter much anymore. This sort of thing happens everywhere now.

[Helios]

You scared him off with a cell phone but you telling him to XXXXXX to his face didn't do it?

[Terry A]

September 1, 2011, 12:42 PM #1
Stressfire
Senior Member


Join Date: June 16, 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 249 Follow you home...not just a Nickelback song

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Then I see the door handle jiggle. The door is older style with a large window taking up the upper portion. I peek through the side of the curtain opposite the knob and lock and see him attempting to jimmy the lock with a card.

So, judgements? Comments? Suggestions? Snide remarks?
__________________
"The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank" - Montgomery Scott

Stressfire,

Glad everything worked out that night for you.

Just by way of saying "something to think about", & since you asked for any comments or suggestions, I have one.

The part that I included in the quote, about you seeing the door handle jiggle.....Why in the world did you feel the need to peek outside? If you knew he was following you & then the knob was moving, that's when I would have called 911 & also set up with one of my firearms in a position that affored me cover but also with a view of the doorway you mentioned.

In the scenario you described, I would NEVER go up to a glass window to peek around a curtain. If HE had a gun, you're face is what, one foot from him? If he was that brazen to follow you home and then approach the entry way of where you lived....you had to figure that the door knob jiggling was because his hand was on it outside the door!

Peeking around a curtain to confirm that it wasn't the wind () is just like one of those horror movies where the damsel in distress hears glass breaking in the dark basement & calls out "Who's there?" as she descends the stairs. What the heck was she going down there for?

And why the heck peek thru a glass window when you strongly suspect (know, really) that the guy on the other side has already been an issue? That move really serves no purpose & if it was replayed, I would just forgo the peek & get on the phone & post up somewhere away from the door.

Thanks for allowing our input!

[Uprangewilly]

So do you live in Cincinnati, Cleveland or Youngstown. I assume its one of these cities because you said the Police never showed up.

I live close to Cincinnati and I think alot of people dont realize how dangerous of a city it can be, especially at night. But as was already pointed out, this can and does happen everywhere.

On a side note, do other cities legally allow panhandling? It seems like the panhandlers are way worse than they used to be before they allowed panhandling.

[Stressfire]

So responding in order from my last check in:

curt45: The window in the lower door is double thickness plexiglass, wasn't terribly worried about breakage to that - plus I reinforced with some molding cuttoffs to make it look like a 9-square.

Ambishot, publius: Shotgun is on the to buy list - slightly short on cash at the moment, but will be my next purchase. And no, if I'm carrying, last thing I want to do is go following anyone, would not take much intelligence for him to call that in, and all of a sudden guess who's the victim now?

A cell phone on your walk would have been a good idea.

I had one, that's what I used to simulate the pump action, and to think I had originally intended that for a ringtone

Wag: Talked to downstairs neighbor about it, rather large burly fellow who has worked construction for the last 30 years - he will be helping to keep an eye out, and to further answer those who recommended a shotgun, after talking for a bit neighbor made same suggestion and lent me a mossy maverick 88 from his rather extensive collection-that I was completely unaware he had. Nothing special, but something he wouldn't care a bout having lost to the evidence locker if necessary. So got a new gun buddy out of this as well

As for the dog - no doubts about her whatsoever anymore. Sent a loose pit packing yesterday when it ran up on us out in the backyard. Had to stop her from swallowing the part of its ear she tore off.

Helios: Yup...go figure, although outside he was unaware that I was armed

Terry: Yeah kinda figured that was a bit dumb afterwards, but hey, if you live you learn, and that what I have you guys for, right? To say: Not bad, but do ___ next time.

Willy & one or 2 others that asked: Northeast of Cleveland on brder with Lake Co. Thus jurisdictional issue with Sheriff's dept. But as Warrior I stated, this crap happens everywhere anymore