Last week I had 2 visits to our front door, unknown knockers. 1st one said he was meeting a friend, 'john wilkinson' there. And 2nd guy, days later, said he was there to 'buy a controller'.
Im a life long resident in my city, cant remember last time Ive had a wrong address unknown knocker, tho I know they occur. Now 2 in a week. We upped our security immediately, which was already pretty solid, but added 6 cameras.
It freaks me out for obvious reasons. Idk if theres an address spoofing scam going on or its casing. I dont believe it was just 2 random wrong addresses. Absolutely not. I read dozens of articles over the weekend on scams and both knockers stories were listed as examples to be sus of. And even without reading those duh. Come on. So Id say Im in a strong condition orange rn. Does anyone know of any scams going on that would include using addresses or has had experience with door knocking casing that you could offer input about?
Burglars like to knock to see if the house is empty before they break in. They will also often knock neighbors doors in the houses around where they intend to break in.
This 100%...looking for a lost dog is another one they use if they get an answer at the door.
This is what's called "casing." Go around knocking on doors, if someone answers, give a bullshit story. While giving bullshit story, look around over the home dweller's shoulder for anything of value, thank them for their time, apologize for the inconvenience and confusion, and walk away. Now they have a good idea of what you have and may have elsewhere, judging on the quality of what they saw.
Also, it let's them know who is at home, and possibly whether there are more people in the house, or if it's just a lone person at home. Gender in this regard ONLY matters if it's a "fighting aged male," 18-55 who answered the door.
This is a time tested, true way to find out who's at home, how many may be there, WHILE ALSO getting a good idea of what's inside if anyone answers the door.
Or, it could've been two randos who were being truthful, but not usually two in the same week.
Question, OP: what color were the two who came to your door? I'm asking because this type of scenario is usually perpetrated by young black men, or young hispanic men. And by young, they could be anywhere between 14-55.
Side anecdotal note: we had this issue in Miami back in the late 80's, until I started answering the door with my Dad's .357 pointed right at their faces as I opened the door. I was a 12-13 yr old white boy loving in a neighborhood full of Cubans, Dominicans, and Haitians. Once I started doing this, and calling my female hybrid Dobie/German Shepherd to the front yard, it all stopped. Not even a slow moving car would pass by our house after that.
So, for anyone else who reads this reply, answer your door with a weapon in your hands, and they'll install ave you alone. Always.
'Question, OP: what color were the two who came to your door? I'm asking because this type of scenario is usually perpetrated by young black men, or young hispanic men. And by young, they could be anywhere between 14-55.'
guy 1- Id say maybe mixed asian/kind of ambiguous actually, couldve been filipino, mex, black, white any mix of these, age Id guess from 20-30ish guy 2- black guy, age Id guess 40s. We have both on vid and their cars, but not their plates
I spoke thru door and security door. For guy 1, I opened main door, spoke thru sec door which I can see out but its hard to see in and guy 2, I was like wth another stranger?! and this time spoke thru both doors, opened none
My ring used to go to live view with mic on by default and mic is always off, I have to turn it on. This is a change that they had to have made and it makes it inconvenient bc when ur already on high alert, fumbling for ring mic is just not what need to be the focus. I wish I could hit live view and talk like before. Anyway, hence why speaking thru door.
I dont like them hearing womans voice, they can also interpret this as opportunity. Tho this woman is an armed law abiding ex-fighter at home with homeschooled well disciplined and aware teens who also know muay thai, boxing and bjj. Still. They hear woman and think shes home alone with kids bc I also have little ones whose toys are seen in front.
They honestly seemed like they thought they were there for friend and buying controller, I take that as either a) well good acting to case or 2) address scam of some kind
Want to add that about 2-3 mths ago my teen son saw someone taking pic of our house, from their car. Cant help but be on high alert.
I know, and it being couple months ago, we thought well, seems odd but couldve been a lot of reasons. Then this. Maybe not related but nothing would surprise me
Get a gun (if you don't have one already), or several. Make sure to take the safety class (as should your kids).
John Wilkinson is clearly a made up name. That’s a name you think of quickly off the top of your head. IMO
I use "Jenny Hellifino" as my go to fake name
Jimmy John.
Phillip McCracken.
I got a recording of 2 vicious dogs growling and barking. I play it and command the nonexistant dogs to back up. I would either talk thru the door or opened with chain on. Beware of dog sign helps too.
thanks. Im going to get the recording. I talk thru security door at minimum which is heavy iron, cant see inside but I can see out, and opens outward. But also will talk tthru camera from now on anyway. Also putting up sign saying No unknown callers, dont even knock. We see you, hear you, and are being recorded.
Search your address in Google and type in listing or Craigslist or classified ads and see if someone's using your address in any listings
I actually did do this, I didnt find anything yet anyway
We have 3 GSD's so people usually walk VERY fast past our house - but all of our neighbors have had breakin's over the last few months. (we live in the "country")
No direction, also its a cul de sac, 4 homes on our st. And it being 2 different guys, 2 different reasons, same week, I also was leaning toward address scam
I just learned about this marking! Never knew it but read pretty much what you just said in a number of articles. And as you said, its often so small you wont see it unless youre specifically looking. Good advice! thanks
Hahah you told the guy right!
Turn your external lights on at night. That's what my neighborhood started doing when we started noticing "odd" night traffic. Worked like a charm. The extra security (by changing the environment) is worth the extra $ in electricity. If you have a neighbor group or facebook page, recommend everyone doing it for the next month at least.
It is the same for phone calls, when I had a land line I had someone calling and describing my house, and making threats. The phone company told me to get an answering machine and never answer the phone, call back the ones I trust. Luckily the address was an old one, I went buy and warned the woman living there of the calls. She was thankful and said she had seen a guy acting funny hanging around the area and would call the cops if he came to her house.
You're right to be suspicious. One time is accidental. Twice is coincidental (and I don't believe in coincidences). Third time is enemy action. A good rule to live by. I am at home during the day and live in a fairly peaceful area.... but I still keep a 9mm by my side and a shotgun easily reached in the corner. Friends say I'm "paranoid".... I'm just cautious. In God I trust....all others bear monitoring.
Thanks, thats a good rule, I agree! Ppl also think Im paranoid at times, but things happen geez I think look around ppl! Not to mention if our 'conspiracy theories' would just stop coming true.
I want to add I had 2 other little but notable mentions same week, basically door guy 1 was mon, door guy 2 sat. But also on fri I was walking with my 2 youngest, one on scooter one in stroller theres this kind of desolate st Im about to turn on and not kidding--I see a car coming down. Kind of weathered older looking car, super slow w/windows down, guy looks at me, my kids. I see him lock his eyes on us, literally go past and Uturn back toward us. My little boy noticed, and I said I dont like the look of that car, come on lets go the other way. He points at it like that one?- so then as guys is almost back to us, I point at the car and say that way. The guy slows down, looks at me, maybe the pepper spray on my arm, or the boxing cap Im wearing, maybe my face which tho yes, fear on inside but prob my face said DONT EVEN--or maybe the angels he saw around us--the guy slows down right before us but looks and clearly does a double take and drives past us, the way he came from. I 100% believe he was looking for a quick grab and thought twice, by the grace of God. Other thing when I was discussing with neighbor, she told me on sun the furn delivery guys that came made her very uncomfortable. One guy asked do you live here alone. I told her how we saw them an already stared them down, have them on vid bc yes, they looked real sketchy and drove a truck with screeching and insanely reversed into our driveway so fast. So yeah. WTH are we supposed to do anymore? These ppl are CRAZY and desperate, also emboldened by the support of lawlessness.
Im with you, IN GOD I TRUST. ALL others- verify and prove yourself.
This is sending shivers down my spine. Saying a prayer for you and your family now. You are not crazy ... do anything you can to stay safe.
Thank you so much?
Most Americans would not agree with this, but I feel like WE have been in a low-grade war with THEM for a long time now. The daily stories I read about of violence, robberies, muggings, and just plain malicious maiming for fun tells me to keep my head on a swivel, and to trust my gut instincts. If something doesn't FEEL right, it probably isn't. Regard all strangers as potential thugs. And with our court system the way it is now -- demoralized, politically correct, and afraid to offend minorities -- no one is coming to save us, we're on our own.
I am fortunate enough to live in a state that just passed a Constitutional Carry law. It goes into effect July 1, and I have already picked out my carry piece. It's different from the one I carry now (a tepid .380)... my new piece will be a compact .45. Hoorah!
I agree with you 100%.
Thats very good about the constitutional carry law! Im in a blue state but as a lawful, responsible American have my ccw. My neighbor and I were just discussing this--theres no deterrent anymore--except to be responsible for securing our homes/families/self. Another thing we realzed and agreed on, is tho weve never discussed it before, from now on, we are having each others backs. They keep our numbers close and have permission to call at any moment and likewise. I think this is something we will be doing more of
Have you ever actually CARRIED a Desert Eagle for an entire day? It's heavy, and I do mean HEAVY. There is a point of diminishing returns in carrying a heavy firearm (plus extra mags) in that after a few hours its bulk and weight become onerous. My sidearm in the military was the 1911 .45 in a leather holster...again, heavy. I didn't have to worry about concealment then, but trying to conceal a large frame firearm is difficult.
On the other hand, there are several small frame, light weight (using aluminum frames or high-density plastic frames) that are easier to carry on a daily basis. A few that come to mind are the STAR PD Spanish made .45 (no longer in production I believe but very lightweight) and the Russian Makarov in 9mm (not the .380).
It gets to a matter of choice but one has to weigh that choice with ergonomics, convenience, stopping power, and comfort. IMHO, that is. Your mileage may vary, and others are most certain to have other ideas.
Good luck then. The Desert Eagle weighs about 4 pounds, more when loaded. After a day of carrying that it will feel more like 40 pounds. Practicality informs me that other very potent sidearms are more utilitarian.... but to each his own. It's a free country....at least last time I checked.
CC can be difficult esp for smaller framed people. Im thin, I carry G43, which is a 9. Id rather carry a larger 9 even but hard to as a CW bc theres nowhere to conceal it. It does get heavy even that small of one when you wear it all the time it gets old. Sometimes I just dont want to. My best solution is I wear a waist pack, very nice one its leather made in France. I added a holster in it, and also keep phone, money etc there. I dont carry purse anymore so my hands are free bc Ive got my kids with me. Its sad we even have to spend the time we do thinking about how to be safe bc the potential of insanely bold criminals anywhere.
A couple of thoughts on this.... first is that whenever I see someone with a fanny pack, I assume "gun" right then and there.... others may do the same, so just putting that out there for you to consider. Second, most Americans (and Europeans too for that matter) have been brought up to believe that we live in a civil, safe society.
The truth is that is a rare situation, as history and the rest of the world will show. Mankind has a long, long history of murder, genocide, and violence down to the individual level. We in the West have been blessed for the past few decades in that we have lived in relative peace and comfort, while the rest of the world lives in its natural state of violence, ignorance, poverty, and privation.
But I fear that blessed condition is about to come to an end, and players like BLM, Antifa, and the CCP want to make SURE it comes to an end. It's better, I think, to adopt an attitude that each of us are on our own, no one is coming to save us, and we are ultimately responsible for our own safety and security.
Thus the need to be armed is more of a necessity, rather than a privilege or a backup plan. For me, it's Plan A.
I wish you well in your own personal search for safety and security, and for those you are responsible for. If you ever want to see the real face of desperate people in times of great strife, read up on Selco (his eye-witness books about living through a civil war are on the internet) and also Matt Bracken. Develop your own Inner Barbarian and keep it well fed.... and Happy hunting.
I know it sounds paranoid but all we have to do is look at whats going on. Every day. And I remember during election when a dem guy came to our house, tho we are NOT dem. He was cool tho, said he was voting Trump but just moved here and canvassing job was only one avail. Anyway, he showed me his phone with all the info he had--for dem canvassing. Technically its all public info. But seeing it organized in list with names, political, contact info, demographics--to say that there is def the means of them doing something nefarious if they were inclined is realistic
Own firearm. Answer door. I guarantee you no one's going to come back to buy or sell anything after that. Cameras are great for proving a case but a cam setup isn't going to prevent you from being harmed. It's an illusion of safety that really only serves a purpose before or after a crime. Not a bad thing to have but can't be the saving grace. Especially with all the defund the police rhetoric. Get a gun and get mighty comfortable with it.
Yes, I answer by speaking thru door, Im also armed. Also trained in fighting arts, which go beyond physical defense capabilities, also train our senses, 2 teens at home also trained. The cameras have some value for ability to speak thru them, they are also mounted high so visible but unreachable which can add as a deterrent, with everything else. I think my biggest point here is to share my experience and see if anyone has had similar ones, and if nothing else heads up of possible scam. I think its a good thing if we all share with one another and stay as alert as can be!
About getting comfortable with my gun, I agree! Havent been to range tho in awhile bc range ammo, geez its so expensive when we can find it. I do have laser set up for practice tho. I agree the defund the police rhetoric is making things worse! I pray God protect all our LE, its awful for them and for law abiding folks like us
I would now talk through the door if a stranger shows up. Make sure you have a camera, so you know who is at the door.
Yes, I spoke thru door, 1st time thru security door, 2nd time thru both doors. We had 2 cameras then, Ive got them on vid. We now have 8 cameras, added 6 the next day.