Intruder Alert!

[An Officer]

This is so spooky!

So, last weekend, I left the flat keys in my overnight bag, at a hotel, while I went out for the day. Parked right outside the hotel, is a car I noticed particularly as it happens to be the exact same make and model of ours, except a few years older, and a hideous shade of lime green. It is not a particularly popular or prevalent model in this country, I might add.

So, we drive home and unpack etc... then pop outside later that evening. Parked outside, two or three cars away is, whada' ya know, a hideous lime green of same make and model. My flatmate and I keep walking and turn the corner, and I point this curiosity out in a joking way, asking: "What are the chances?"...

Some gears start turning in my mind, and I remember that I had left my home keys unattended for the entire day in a hotel room, the same little hotel which also had our home address... the same hotel that had a lime green car parked outside, a car now parked outside our home as we are leaving it! We go back inside and check that pair of keys is where it should be, and hasn't gone missing during our trip, it has not.

We relax and even put it out of our minds... until tonight, I hear a key attempting to turn in the deadlock (I was right next to the front door), I think, how strange, I thought my flatmate was home, I check and sure enough, she is! We start asking each other questions about possible causes of the noise, and by the time we check around outside, there's no one there!

I very distinctly heard a key trying to turn the deadlock! Luckily, the tab on the top lock was up, so they couldn't just walk straight in, even with a key. It occurs to me someone didn't need to steal my key entirely, they had plenty of time to make their very own copy. Tonight, we both happened to be engaged in activities which didn't make any noise - I was online, and my flatmate was doing some paperwork. It is conceivable the intruder may have assumed the house was deserted, or that we are asleep, since it's now 12am!

What do you guys make of this? I am seriously spooked and shitting my pants personally. I'm thinking, it could have been my imagination, but nope - I know that noise, and I most certainly heard it. We're going to change the locks first thing in the morning. *Gulp*

In the meantime - the AUDACITY! While we're right there. The neighbours above and below are all home too. Wow. Super weird.

 

[ancientone51]

Lock change...good idea.
Report all info to Cops...even better. This may well be a very well organized group of perps.

Be safe rather than sorry.

 

[rramarr]

Call the hotel and inquire about the vehicle's owner. Sometimes if people think you are on to them they chill.

 

[archeryguy1701]

I agee with the suggestions to change your locks and ask the hotel about the vehicle. I know that the last two or three places I've stayed at have all asked for a vehicle description, so they might have some information. Definately try the lock change though, and maybe test out some motion activated porch lights for your doors.

 

[An Officer]

We only saw this car, last week, at the hotel, then outside our home when we arrived back. It just struck me as a little odd at the time. Still, it may or may not have been the same car... unfortunately, since nothing was amiss the first time I saw it at the hotel, I did not bother to glance at the license plate, or I would have a better idea of whether it was the very same car, or some weird coincidence.

Facts are, something, a copy key, or some kind of thieves lock-pick, or whatever else, was actually trying to turn our lock tonight!

 

[Holdfast]

Call the cops, change the locks, hide under the bedsheets until all is done. You can choose the order you do this in.

Also consider cancelling and changing your credit and debit cards, if you left those unattended in the same hotel. Might be an overreaction, but this sounds more than coincidence, and if they went to the effort of copying your key, they might have cloned your cards too.

 

[Jadzia]

I can understand your feelings.

Firs thing -- ask yourself how far apart is your house from the hotel. It may be coincidence, but if you believe it was the same car, then that distance the car has travelled is very relevant to how much of a coincidence this is.

In the morning I'd ask your neighbours if they saw the car and if they knew whose it was or if any of them had or were expecting visitors. A visitor to at that hour would be expected. It may be one of their friends or relatives, and if it turns out to be that, it will put your mind at ease.

You might also want to call the hotel and ask about the car and tell them it was outside your house. I don't know if that would be a good idea or not, but it's something I'd be tempted to do. Because if someone at the hotel is involved in some burglary ring, it would let them know that you're a step ahead of them, which might make them think twice.


I remember a couple of years ago something vaguely similar spooked me. Looking out of a window one evening and there was a van parked outside my house. As I peered through the curtains, it promptly drove off. I thought not much of it. Two hours later I peeked out again and the van was back but in a different spot further down the road, and again it promptly drove off. That scared me to death, and for a few days I felt creeped out by it. So I know what you're feeling.

If something like that happened to me again, I'd be barricading my doors just to be on the safe side. At least then if it is intruders, it would slow/prevent their entry and at a minimum give me reaction time to call the authorities with my mobile phone that I'd have at my bedside.

Sorry I don't want to sound scare-mongering, and I really hope it's nothing, and it is just your imagination. But as said above, it is better to be safe than sorry. As long as those locks remain unchanged, this will play on your mind.

You probably won't leave your keys unattended again.

 

[NCC-1701-B]

Yikes, sounds spooky. i hate the thought of random people in my house *shudders*.
Dont know why, but this reminds me of a time my nan got back to her car after going shopping, unlocked the door, got in, switched the engine on, then realised it was not her car and there was a man in the passenger seat!!! the thing that scares me is she got into a different car with her keys!!

 

[An Officer]

Thankfully, no other valuables were left in the hotel.

The hotel is 60 miles away from our home.

We only saw the car last week. Not tonight. I only mentioned it because it made me do a double take at the time. And now I'm wondering if they're related... No hard evidence to show if it was or wasn't the same car - that could only be done if I'd noted the plate - it was certainly the exact same make model, and shade, we both remember that clearly.

Also, a strange man was ringing the doorbell four times this morning (wondered why they were so persistent, must have been there about 10 mins). We chose not to answer it because we were not expecting anybody, didn't recognise him, and often get drunks and all kinds of strange people trawling through the road as it's in the middle of the city. Not sure if it's related, but someone could assume we're away for Easter hols or something after all that...

Oh and can't ask the neighbours about that car, as this is a main road, and there are more non-resident cars parked here than those of residents! Not a very big sense of community, unfortunately. There are "neighbourhood watch" signs up, but I don't know where this watch is or if they actually do anything.

Haven't called the police yet, as I don't know what they can do at this time... have secured the door with some furniture, mobile by the bed (there's a police station 2 min drive away, they could get here pretty quick). Going to sleep on it, gather our thoughts, take in advice, and see whether it's worth reporting tomorrow. Wouldn't want to pull officers away from more urgent business. I assume most sane robbers don't want to enter a residence they saw to be occupied after attempting to get in!

 

[Trekker4747]

Change your lights, install a motion-sensitive light on the porch and it may even be wise -if you want to go that far- to install a motion-activated video camera/security system on your front door. They make these that are video-doorbells too.

But at the very least: CHANGE YOUR LOCKS!

 

[ancientone51]

Please call the cops. Let them decide if there is anything to consider. That is their job, to make those kinds of decisions. They would rather have to ask a few questions and dismiss it than find out later you had info.

Criminal Justice major daughter says call cops.

Just asking...how many hideous lime green cars do you see that you would not be concerned?

 

[An Officer]

I've called the police at last, explained the whole situation start to finish. They've told me to call them with the license place if I see the car in the area again, and for now they've put the incident in the system and have informed my local police station. They've also advised me to change the locks, tomorrow.

I was reassured I was right to call and it's best they document these these things. Nice fellow, feel a bit better. For now I feel wired and my hearing is hyper sensitive - trouble sleeping!

 

[Kelso]

Where's Kevin McCallister when you need him?







(not to be confused with Kevin McAllister, the Scottish footballer)

 

[ancientone51]

Good deal.
So tonight may be rough sleeping. New locks tomorrow will make it better from then on.
Be alert and know someone is usually on line here at most any hour.

I'll send good vibes your way.

 

[JuanBolio]

You could leave a threatening note on the windshield of the car or outside your door. Something to the effect of "I know what you did and what you're planning to do. Try and you're a dead man."

 

[Trekker4747]

You could leave a threatening note on the windshield of the car or outside your door. Something to the effect of "I know what you did and what you're planning to do. Try and you're a dead man."

Or! How about this:

"Knock, Knock."
"Who's there?"
"An Intruder."
"An Intruder who?"
"An Intruder whole stole your keys and will be soon met with death."

 

[JuanBolio]

You could leave a threatening note on the windshield of the car or outside your door. Something to the effect of "I know what you did and what you're planning to do. Try and you're a dead man."

Or! How about this:

"Knock, Knock."
"Who's there?"
"An Intruder."
"An Intruder who?"
"An Intruder whole stole your keys and will be soon met with death."

That works!

Perhaps I'm pathological, but the only thing more satisfying to me that a direct confrontation with someone who intended on victimizing me would be psychological warfare... the kind that leaves the enemy jumping at every sound and fearing every shadow.

 

[An Officer]

I could stick up a large drawing of The Finger...

I'll send good vibes your way.

Thanks for the support! You spooked me so much I rang them immediately. Felt a bit foolish, as nothing major had actually happened... but they dealt with me seriously and sensitively. Very cool.

 

[Kelso]

You could leave a threatening note on the windshield of the car or outside your door. Something to the effect of "I know what you did and what you're planning to do. Try and you're a dead man."

Yeah... provoke the mysterious stranger who may have a key to your home and spends his time watching your house while you sleep.

That'll show him!

 

[An Officer]

Gosh, I'm not that interesting, to be followed 60 miles! Probably a series of coincidences and innocuous noises... that's what I'm telling myself. Just to make sure - locks change! Peace of mind is priceless.

For now, I'm going to switch off the computer, and try to read myself to sleep with a travel book of sunnier climes. It's 3am here - yikes! Thanks for the support everyone, very much appreciated.