Think my 'neighborhood' got cased last night

I just started working midnights for the next month so I'm gone all night and home right after the kids get off to school. Well, I got home this morning and my wife told me that my daughter heard 'knocking' on or by her window last night. My wife wasn't sleeping too much and she said the dogs (3 of 'em) were moving around but not barking, just "kinda alert to nothing in particular".
At the bus stop later this morning the other mom's there started talking about thier dogs barking last night, them hearing 'knocking', and feeling something's not right......?
Then my neighbor accross the street came out and told the women he found his front door open (it was left unlocked) and he heard rustling in his garage. He investigated (with his Sig) and saw nothing, but he knows the front door was shut when he got home.

I got the rundown this morning when I got home and called the local PD and got confirmation they'll run some extra patrols thru the area and to call if anything else is seen. I'm also making sure my wife has quick access to one of my sidearms. I very much dislike not being home but at least the neighbors are together on this and everyone will be watching. I'm thinking somebody(s) was checking out the neighborhood and 'investigating &/or interviewing' the area.

Anyone ever had a similar experience with your neighbors in your area? I just wanted to bounce this off our members and 'rant' a bit.

After I first moved into my current house about 3 years ago, I came home one night to find fresh feet tracks in the snow that stopped at my basement door and around the corner at a window. I polled my neighbors and none of there kids allegedly were out. I gives one the creeps and enhances your SA. I live in a rural area with no street lights. I need to get some more lighting around the house.

I hate working nights for that very reason. I hope your family has a contingency plan for when you are gone.

Glad your neighbors are friendly and talk with each other. That can be a real help. I have one, perhaps two neighbors who are friendly enough to chat with me at times. The others just go on about their lives. Ha, one even goes inside when he sees me driving home. Sounds like you are fortunate when it comes to neighbors.

Hope you can get off nights soon.

Dogs are good to a point. A couple pounds of raw hamburger....well. Exterior lighting can be good for spotting suspicious activity.....so long as someone is watching for it when it happens. Dogs and lighting are almost as good a deterrent for an experienced or determined criminal as padlocks are. But they do add that 'sense' of extra security for the homeowner. Locking doors, closing garages, security systems, car alarms, trip wires with pop-up flares would be good also. The local PD extra patrols may be the best option for moving those possible criminals on down the road. But even those may be short lived, and depend on the right circumstances and times to actually catch anyone in the act. Maybe start a neighborhood watch program. Stay alert, stay safe.

Burglar Bomb

We have a quick response plan/contingency for emergencies, motion senstive lights around the house, and the dog won't take a 'treat' from a stranger. My GSD and my son's pit are very friendly, but even more territorial.
A burglar wouldn't find our house open or too inviting.

What's unnerved me the most is that most of the houses down our little street seemed to have gotten 'cased'....just the looking around for an easy score I guess.

RamRod....I like that burglar bomb and I'm thinking of a whole bunch of possiable applications for that 'lil gem ;)

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RamRod....I like that burglar bomb and I'm thinking of a whole bunch of possible applications for that 'lil gem ;)

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I think they make a ceiling mounted one also. 2000ft² coverage? Think about that concentrated in a 30'x40' garage!
We have way too many roaming cats, possums, coons, skunks, etc...around here. Motion lights get a real workout, and nearby dogs can be heard barking throughout the night. Not close enough to bother us though.

Sounds like tonight you should take a sick day and see what happens.

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Originally Posted by atctimmy

Sounds like tonight you should take a sick day and see what happens.

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This is what I was thinking...and about plans to make some dirtbag very sick...:rolleyes:

Where there's smoke, there's fire. Yeah I'd say your neighborhood was cased; or either kids messing around at night. It's not a coincidence that so many neighbors had/heard something out of the ordinary.

Sounds like you are on top of staying diligent.

One of the neighborhoods close to mine had a peeping tom for a while knocking on windows and climbing on roof tops and exposing himself to the women in the area. All ended when he finally jump a 15 year old girl and she was able to fight him off and the police were able to catch the guy. Also wound up charging him with 3 or 4 home burglaries where he had kicked the doors in on homes while people were working. Stay alert my friend.

I can't believe anybody in todays world leaves their doors unlocked at night.I lock mine 24/7 but I don't have kids running in and out either.

Sounds more like pranksters or somebody's boyfriend than burglers.

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Originally Posted by SIXTO

Sounds more like pranksters or somebody's boyfriend than burglers.

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All of the neighborhood parents thought that until my buddy accross the street found his garage door open (that was locked). I gave him some griefabout him leaving his door unlocked.

Well, his neighbor found his fence gate smashed open...enough damage to warrent repair....his gate can't shut now.

The police also had several calls last night and the night before concerning the same thing happening at other houses nearby as well. The local LEO's have significantly steped up thier patrol in the area.

My wife even said she needs to get to the range with me and learnhow to use my shotgun and glock.

My family had a similar experience a few years ago. I spent the night at a friend's house. Even though I had my house keys my parents thought that they would leave the side door unlocked in case I came back earlier than thought. Anyways, that night some teen that lived down the street came into our house and took some money from my mom's purse (the guy was eventually caught and put in juvie, then robbed some more houses after he was 18 so now he's in jail). My dad was downstairs with the dogs watching tv so the dogs didn't hear the intruder. My little sister got up and says that she saw the intruder but thought that it was my younger brother because they have a similar body build. That was probably a good thing because if she realized he was an intruder she might have screamed and due to some stories that I heard about the guy he probably had a gun on him. If she screamed he might have shot her, or my dad as he came up the stairs. He ended up just leaving without anyone realizing he was there until the next morning. From now on I get really angry and talk very sternly to my parents whenever they even think about leaving the door unlocked.

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Originally Posted by BigD7

From now on I get really angry and talk very sternly to my parents whenever they even think about leaving the door unlocked.

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Same here.. I spent a good amount of time and money installing 3/8" thick steel draw-bolts on all exterior doors that don't a have a keyed deadbolt... AND THEY DON'T BLOODY USE 'EM!! I am constantly coming home late to find everyone in bed and two or more exterior doors left unlocked.. so aggravating. :rant: