Odd behaviour to a caller to my door - have you got a light?

nyquist

Hi,
I'm living in Ardken Vi!!age and yesterday evening a young fella I say he was around 14 years old, came across to me as a traveller, called to my door at around 8pm and ask me for a light.
He said he from just down the road in my estate but I have never seen him before.
I said no and he said ok and I closed the door.
I thought it was odd so I went upstairs to see if he would go into another house and ask for a light. He didnt instead he went across the road to another two boys (14 and 8 approx) and they just walked up the road back towards the main entrance to the estate. I thought it was very odd especially since I know of a few breakins in my road in the last 2 months - young fellas involved. I rang the Waterford Garda station and told them what happened.They thanked me for letting them know of the odd behaviour and said they will send a car to drive around the estate to see if they bump into the young fellas. I havent heard anything since.

My next door neighbour told me today same thing happened (have you got a light) to them but it was a female traveller that called to their door (I forgot to ask what time) but it was on the same night.

I just want to point out the kid who called to my door didnt give me any lip and was calm and collective when asking me for a light.

We don't have a neighbourhood watch scheme and the residence association are only interested in grass cutting collection at the moment so I have no way of letting people know if this is something to be weary of or not.

Has this happened to anyone else before?
Is this some way of someone casing my place?
My house had 2 cars in the drive and I have a house alarm. There was other houses on my road that have no cars or alarms on their houses and I didnt see the kids knocking on their doors. Mind you I only took notice of them after one called to my door while the other two sat down across the road. So I couldnt tell you what the were doing previously.

Maybe it is nothing but I thought it was odd.

ziedth

It does sound odd to me TBH but since my ma was robbed by a lad who simply walked in and walked out (I posted about it here) I've become fairly suspicious.

Only thing, The fact that he knocked, Daylight, Seemed OK might suggest to me that at the they where genuine. Also are there many travelers out in ardkeen village? If it seems they were walking you must know of a van in the aera. If not I would again become suspicious and let the neighborhood society know and at least your conscience will be clear.

Asmodean

Very odd behaviour alright. Fair play for contacting the Gardai and spreading word on here. community vigilence is the best way to ensure these toerags are caught.

nyquist

ziedth wrote: »

Only thing, The fact that he knocked, Daylight, Seemed OK might suggest to me that at the they where genuine.

But what bugged me was that if he wanted a light and I said no why didnt he go into the house next door or other houses on my road. I went upstairs to see if he would do that but he didnt. I am kind of located in the middle of my road so there was plenty of houses at either side of me.
Odd and slightly suspicious is what comes to mind.

ziedth wrote: »

Also are there many travelers out in ardkeen village?

Not that I am aware off. I have noticed an increase in door to door selling by them in the last 2 weeks. I am not there during the day time so I couldnt comment on daytime activity in my area.

One old traveller women was quite funny 2 weeks back. She tried to sell my Brown Thomas pillows for a knock down price, she apparently got a wrong delivery and so she had to move on a wrong shipment of really expensive pillows so. She wanted me to feel the quality and everything. She was gas.

TanG411

It's difficult to say whether this is suspicious or not.

Just keep a lookout for the next couple of days and see what happens. You were right with calling the police.

nyquist

Asmodean wrote: »

Very odd behaviour alright. Fair play for contacting the Gardai and spreading word on here. community vigilence is the best way to ensure these toerags are caught.

Thanks, I thought that is all I can really do. boards.ie is handy for reading about local news that sometimes is not in the papers. Plus there is no neighbourhood watch facility to read about things to look out for.

maybe this is nothing but it would be interesting to see if others have experienced it.

I have made it my business to get to know a few neighbours and I chat to them regularly (small talk, have a joke etc) I think it is important.

hellfireie

they where sizing up your house more then likely , i'd doubt they where that badly stuck for a light if they didnt try next door to your house . what time of the day was it ?

byhookorbycrook

sounds like they were checking was there anybody home.

dlofnep

Odd, you're right to be weary.

nyquist

hellfireie wrote: »

what time of the day was it ?

Just after 8pm yesterday evening

dlofnep

Probably young lads trying to scope out empty houses to rob. People don't call to doors for a light.

Quigs Snr

Trust me, you are being scoped out. This is common practice. If there was no answer they would be around the back and in... once you answered the door they would have had to a different area to avoid being connected to anything (i.e. they could hardly knock at your door, talk to you and then you find out that next door was robbed the same night) Someone, somewhere got broken into by these scumbags that day, you can be sure of it.

SteelyDanJalapeno

Did you have a car in the driveway?


Do you keep your keys in the hallway, and were they visible to him from the door?

Just an idea to move the location of the keys somewhere else, in case they were scopin the place,

renraw

Thats dodgy out!

I came home from work a couple of weeks ago and was wrecked tired and went straight to bed, was about 10pm. I heard knocking on the door and was well tucked up in bed and wasn't goin to bother me arsse ta get up. They kept knocking and still i didn't move. A few minutes later i heard what sounded like keys being put into the chubb lock. That definitely got my attention so I jumped up outta bed. When I opened the door, here were two eastern european lads trying to get into the apartment. Called the cops and haven't heard anything since.

The two scumbags got a fair fright and I wasn't quick enough to get the baseball bat out of the bedroom but started screaming me head off with every second word fook. They ran down the stairs with me just nn boxers and a tee shirt and out on to the street. Took the cops all of 15 minutes to show up. Imagine if they had gotten into the apartment and I was a sleep? Never again.

They come in all sizes and ages :mad::mad:

anplaya

renraw wrote: »

Thats dodgy out!

I came home from work a couple of weeks ago and was wrecked tired and went straight to bed, was about 10pm. I heard knocking on the door and was well tucked up in bed and wasn't goin to bother me arsse ta get up. They kept knocking and still i didn't move. A few minutes later i heard what sounded like keys being put into the chubb lock. That definitely got my attention so I jumped up outta bed. When I opened the door, here were two eastern european lads trying to get into the apartment. Called the cops and haven't heard anything since.

The two scumbags got a fair fright and I wasn't quick enough to get the baseball bat out of the bedroom but started screaming me head off with every second word fook. They ran down the stairs with me just nn boxers and a tee shirt and out on to the street. Took the cops all of 15 minutes to show up. Imagine if they had gotten into the apartment and I was a sleep? Never again.

They come in all sizes and ages :mad::mad:

same thing happened to me,whereabouts are you living,was two eastern european men too

brendansmith

OP you will have to be vigilent from now on, also warn your neihbours and if you see that kind of sh1t happening anywhere in you estate ring the guards immediately.

You paid good money for all your possessions, as did you neighbours, why should these degenerates be able to poke around your neighbourhood until they find an opening. Get the guards out whenever youre suspicious, they are there to make you feel safe, thats why you pay their salaries.

CantGetNoSleep

I thought do you need any work done boss was an unimaginative excuse for scoping out your house, but come on, have you got a light? Surely they can come up with better than this

Cabaal

Got a light...wow you'd think they'd think of something better to say.
Def somebody checking to see if anyone is home

tbaymusicman

Maybe you are gorgeous and the teenagers were all betting who could talk to the hottie:D:D

More then likely they were casing the place!out of curiosity when you look in your sitting window is there laptops and games consoles in view?

nyquist

tbaymusicman wrote: »

Maybe you are gorgeous and the teenagers were all betting who could talk to the hottie:D:D

I'm a guy, so unless they were gay travellers I doubt they thought I was gorgeous. I do have a female housemate, so maybe they were hoping she would answer the door.

tbaymusicman wrote: »

More then likely they were casing the place!out of curiosity when you look in your sitting window is there laptops and games consoles in view?

You can see TV, DVD player and if you look carefully you can see a Wii.

Naturally I also keep my left foot to the back of the door when opening it and my hand on the door. Not that I am expecting any danger I just do it naturally.

Like I said I didnt think I was in danger or anything. Just thought the behaviour was odd. I have told other neighbours around me to be vigilant.

mike65

If you want to put off opportunists, a radio on near a small open front window or a few (old) childrens toys on the front garden/driveway is a good idea.

ToxicPaddy

Defo sounds like they were scoping out the place, also if the place has a dog as a dog barking would attract attention..

Tox