Creepy nut casing my house today

[distortion9]

This has got me on high alert and I'm looking for some suggestions.

A little background on my neighborhood. Nice, suburban, middle class town. Walking distance to schools, stores, banks, L.I.R.R. etc. Pretty quiet and normal except for a wave of skateboarder type kids that have been doing some minor vandalism and graffiti lately.

My house is the last house on a dead end street. The dead end turns into a field that the town maintains. Kids use the field as a shortcut on their way to and from school, people walk their dogs or jog through it etc. The house is also pretty close to the street....like 25-30 feet.

First, I have no idea if this is related or not but, my phone rang 3 times at 2:15am Thursday. Woke me and my wife but I just shrugged it off as a wrong number and went back to sleep. It's highly unusual for me to receive calls at that hour but I figured if it was an emergency they wouldn't have hung up so quick and/or just called back.

My wife left for work at 8am and I didn't have to split until 12:30 so, it's me and the dog hanging out. The dog is big...85-90 lbs, Shepherd/St. Bernard mix and is a terrific watch dog.

She's out on the front porch and I'm inside reading the paper and having coffee. She starts barking and I can tell she's not playing...she's spooked. I get up to go check it out and see this guy walking in front of my house that had just come through the field. Mid to late 20's, jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt with the hood up.

I watch him for maybe 3 seconds and I'm about to go back to the paper when he stops. Complete stop. He turns and faces my house and just stares at my house and dog. It struck me as so odd that I just stood there puzzled. He did this for 5 seconds then starts walking again. So I keep watching as he takes about 5 steps and stops again, turns in place and faces the house...I can see him talking to the dog.

The dog is going absolutely nuts. LOUD barking, drool is flying and she's trying to get over the gate to get at him....he should be scared and moving but he's not. My pistol was on a nearby counter in its holster (IWB clip on). I grab it tuck it in at 1:00, pull my shirt over it and head out to bring the dog inside.

When I get outside he's 2 houses down, stopped and staring at my house. I give him a, "You need some help?!" and he just turns and walks away. He makes it to the end of the street and stops, turns and stares at my house for 20 seconds, turns and walks off.

I really hope that I am conveying just how....weird...this whole scene was. I didn't want to leave because I was afraid for my dogs safety. Is that strange?

Anyway, I get home tonight and my wife says, "I'm so glad you're home." I knew exactly what she was going to say and was like, "No XXXXXXX way. Did he have jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt?" Her jaw dropped.

She goes on to tell me that he walked past our house 3 times since she had been home doing the same exact routine that he did in the morning. He was saying, "Shhhhhhh" to the dog while smiling at my wife. She told me the guy actually started to approach the house and try to engage the dog. This guy really freaked her out and I'm seriously pissed off and don't know what to do.

Right now I have my camera by the front door and plan to take some pics of this dirtbag in the morning if he comes by again. Gonna give my neighbors a heads up and ask them to keep an eye out for him. I also plan to tell him to leave the damn dog alone. It's like he's trying to "get to know" my dog so she'll be at ease around him or something. All I can think of right now is threats and ass kickings. I don't want to escalate things especially since this XXXX knows where I live.

Guys, any ideas?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Thumper]

Yup... report it to the police!

Sleep light tonight and believe your dog.

[Cthulhu]

Call the local PD non-emergency line to have car drive by for a suspicious character?

-JT

[falcon1]

I do not know how such things are looked at by law enforcement in New York, but I would believe that a report of a "suspicious person," detailing everything you have recorded here to the law enforcement agency of jurisdiction would be in order here in Tennessee. Can you request "extra patrols" of said agency for all dates and times for several days?

Good luck, and stay safe!

[johnsr]

the calls in the middle of the night. well do you have your name on your mailbox? Old trick used by 2ND story dudes. get your name look up your ph# call to see if you are home..ETC.. About the guy walking in front of your house. Yes get his picture. call the local pd, Not 911, and report him. could be a BG or just a Nut. Locals will prob check him out. Be careful.

[Rock and Glock]

Anyway, I get home tonight and my wife says, "I'm so glad you're home." I knew exactly what she was going to say and was like, "No XXXXXXX way. Did he have jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt?" Her jaw dropped.

Wow! Trust your intuition! Good ideas above, and stay alert and keep your dog safe too. Don't want him/her poisoned or getting friendly with the creep.

[distortion9]

No name on mailbox but it's pretty easy to do a reverse phone number search by address these days.

Maybe this is silly but, I don't want to become "that guy" to the police. I called them about a month ago in reference to some graffiti like I had mentioned and maybe a year ago to report another suspicious guy hanging out in the field.

[Thumper]

No name on mailbox but it's pretty easy to do a reverse phone number search by address these days.

Maybe this is silly but, I don't want to become "that guy" to the police. I called them about a month ago in reference to some graffiti like I had mentioned and maybe a year ago to report another suspicious guy hanging out in the field.

I certainly understand the "that guy" syndrome but... having a report on file could be important should the undesirable happen!

[KenpoTex]

with your (and your wife's) detailed description of his behavior, I don't think the police are going to write you off as someone that's just being paranoid. Definately call them or go down to the station to make a report and then stay alert.

[SilenceDoGood]

Funny you should mention the "that guy" feeling, somtimes, and i leanred this working apartment security, there is that guy, but othertimes there is just that place that for some reason attracts bad people. Living on the dead end of a street with a field sounds like it could be one of those places that just attracts unsavory people, and the fuzz will recognize this.

[Southtexas]

I feel for you, definately take the guys picture, he already knows where you live, Caller ID? You can tell yourself you dont want to become "that guy" to the local pd, but if dont report it and something happens later they are going to say "why didnt you call us before" document and make a statement, get a case number, or at least get a copy of the sworn statement, so if an officer comes out later you can show him you were concerned and took legal steps first. I say this because if you tell the guy to leave the dog alone and he escalates it you will have already documented he is a problem, it will help in getting a restraining order or a CTW.

You cant just up and move and the house is gonna have traffic, sometimes unsavory trafic, (I had something similar a few nights back) the dog is a plus, Not sure of the legal status on OC spray in NEW YORK, but if you go out to confront him about messing with your dog you should have some if it is available. Your dog will probably take a bite out of the guy if he comes into your yard and attacks you, from what you have described above, so make sure your dog has its shots, nothing worse than having to pay for a crooks stupidity or having your dog gone for 2 weeks.

You mentioned your wife, dont know her level of training, but this would be a good reason to take her out to the range a few extra times this month.
Hope everything turns out ok.

[bzdog]

It's possible he is torqued off at the dog barking at him and is trying to stare her down or something. But as others have said, be on alert, take pictures and report it.

-john

[cdwolf]

Call the PD, notify your neighbors! Keep it close and make SURE your wife has one and knows how to use it! Is the back of your house easy to get to from the field?

[ppkheat]

I think you're doing a good job on watching out for things at your house.......keep it up.

I suppose it is possible that the guy isn't really casing your house. Some people find it challenging to try and become friends with a dog that apparently dislikes them. Of course some people would try to do that for sinister reasons, others try because they feel offended that a dog doesn't like them. Either way this guy shouldn't be trying to affect your "early warning system". I'd definitely stay vigilent, this guy fits the suspicious character group. You might consider talking to this guy and tell him not to stop/and or mess with your dog anymore, that about a year ago she climbed over the fence and chewed on someone pretty bad before you stopped her.

[LenS]

In addition to the good comments above . . .

The police should be VERY interested if this creep is hanging out near that field that KIDS use to cut thru. The focus on pedophilia these days could work to your advantage if you also mention "your concern" in that regard when you report him. They can't ignore that type of report, as if anything happens, they would get castigated by the media and politicos.