Every so often somebody on social media posts about a suspicious person in the neighborhood or even at their door. So, they ask, “What should I do?”
Well, definitely don’t go to Instagram first. Call the police.
I saw a post a while back where a woman said somebody was pounding on her door at 2 a.m. Of course, the sensible thing is to go on Facebook and ask what to do.
Needless to say, the consensus was, “Get off Facebook and call the police!”
I called the police not that long ago, when a guy came to my door saying he and his company would “be in the area” in a couple weeks doing home improvements. The reason I called was because there were a couple things wrong with this picture. I don’t claim to have a particularly keener eye about these things than other people, but having spent a few years of my career on the Police Desk and having a fair share of relatives in the law-enforcement community, I do try to pay attention to such things.
First, if he came in a vehicle, it was nowhere to be seen. He was not wearing any clothing that indicated he might be a contractor.
And what troubled me most was that he had apparently been looking over my house before he even knocked. He complimented me on the condition of the siding and gutters but added his “company” does all manner of home repair. He carried only a clipboard with a lot of writing on the first page, and just one copy of some sort of brochure, which he did not offer to show me. And he had no business card. My spider sense was tingling big time.
We chatted for a few minutes, and I noted his lack of specifics, only that “his people” would be in touch if I gave him my information. I said we were good on home improvements and thanked him for stopping by. Then I went inside and called the police.
They caught up with him a couple houses down the street. I was later told that while he did not appear to be up to immediate foul play, his sketchy story was enough for the police to question him briefly and record his identification.
Was I being paranoid? Hell no.
One of the top frustrations of the police is when people spot obvious suspicious activity but then don’t make a call. Like the van in the driveway of the neighbor who is known to be on vacation. Or the strange car that sat with the driver at the wheel for an excessive amount of time.
There are people with no bad intent who knock on doors soliciting work. But when they are claiming to have some leftover driveway sealer or something, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Or worse. The guy who came to my door could have very well been scoping out the neighborhood, noting who was not home, who was elderly, who had dogs, etc. Many municipalities require vendors and contractors going door-to-door to get a permit or at least register with the local police.
I am particularly sensitive to this because a few years ago somebody came to my late mother-in-law’s door with a suspicious story. She didn’t call the police, but she did call me, then I called the police. This guy could not be located. I don’t like people messin’ with my family. So, I called the police.
I mean, the police were called on me plenty of times in my day. I figure I have a couple calls coming to me.
Joe brings decades of journalism experience to the Ridge View Echo, covering everything from local school boards to the U.S. Supreme Court. A former National Law Journal editor and Columbia Law School press officer, he now enjoys telling community stories in Blairstown, where he lives with his wife, Rose, and their two dachshunds.
- Joe Phalon, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/joe-phalon-contributing-writer/
- Joe Phalon, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/joe-phalon-contributing-writer/
- Joe Phalon, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/joe-phalon-contributing-writer/
- Joe Phalon, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/joe-phalon-contributing-writer/
