![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:25 • Filed to: None | ![]() | ![]() |
This morning, at 5:30 AM, my roommate left for the gym. There was an unknown Kia Soul in the street with a man sitting in the drivers seat. No big deal, the house next to me was just sold, remodeled, and the new neighbors moved in a week or two ago. It was probably someone they knew. A little after 7 AM, the roommate comes home and notices the car is still there. The man was still siting inside, smoking. I leave around 7:30 and notice he is still there, smoking, engine running. I planned on grabbing the plate number, but it is still on paper plates. I am more suspicious but I leave. Close to 9:00 AM my roommate leaves for work and texts me that the car is still there. The man is still inside smoking and the engine is still running. At this point, I text my friend who is a sales rep in the area to check on everything if he has a chance. He swings by around 10:30 and says the guy is still there. He goes to check out my place and says nothing is out of order. In this time, the guy leaves his vehicle and my friend is able to take a picture of the registration in the windshield. He notes there are a pile of cigarette butts outside of the car.
Right around the same time, I call the police station to report the suspicious activity. Am I being overly cautious or would you have called the police too? There haven’t been any break-ins but with new people next door, you never know what kind of friends they bring around. Maybe they saw a shiny red car in my garage and want to see what else is inside. Or maybe they are waiting for the girl down the street to leave for class and grab her. Who knows!
I would think it was a stakeout, but I’m pretty sure the Feds wouldn’t buy a KIA.
The KIA in question. Note the Cig butts on the ground
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:53 |
|
My admittedly uninformed guess would be that it’s a common-or-garden divorce PI watching for signs of somebody cheating.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:55 |
|
If it were me I’d ask Soul man what his deal was.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:57 |
|
Same. We sometimes have strange people walking in our neighborhood. If we ask them if we can help them, they either response politely and conversationally, or they get evasive, in which case we know they shouldn’t be there.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:58 |
|
I would have called the police after an hour (in the suburbs) because that’s just not normal. Maybe 2 hours in the city. Could be an Uber waiting on somebody or whatever.
Still, the right thing to do and if the guy has a problem with the cops asking him what he’s up to, that’s his problem.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:58 |
|
You’re not being paranoid. Being observant is how you protect a neighborhood.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:58 |
|
if you think the feds wouldnt buy a kia
doesnt that make it exactly the kind of car they would buy?
O.o
![]() 05/08/2018 at 15:59 |
|
My friends came to visit somewhat late in the evening one night. My neighbors came out and asked if they can help my friends (I was not outside yet)
We watch each others backs like hawks.
I would have either asked him what his deal was, or called cops early in the morning to see what he does when cops show and if he stays / comes back after they leave.
My wife says i’m paranoid, by I know every car on our street and I know when an unknown car is present and I pay damn close attention to it and who goes into/out of it and what the hell they are doing in general.
One day some woman knocked on our door. We opened and wanted to know what she wanted. She said oh. wrong house. and walked down the street. You better believe I watched to see what the right house was...
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:02 |
|
If he was on foot, for sure. I don’t want to approach someone in their car though. Even being in CA, could have a gun or other weapon, easily concealed.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:03 |
|
That’s a good point. Didn’t think of a PI.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:04 |
|
Are they less likely to have a gun if they’re on foot?
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:05 |
|
This neighborhood is protected by SPAMBot is down to 12 Cylinders
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:09 |
|
That is great you all watch out for each other. There are a lot of cars that seem to come and go on my street so it’s harder to keep track of everyone. I did think about calling the police when I was still home, but didn’t want the police to say he wasn’t there that long or give me some other run around. Hindsight, I should have called right away. We live in a safe area so the cops really don’t have much else to do haha
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:10 |
|
*running out for foil hat*
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:13 |
|
The cops seemed to be on it and didn’t give me a tone like I was wasting their time. That was nice. I called the non-emergency so they were probably just happy I wasn’t tying up 911 haha.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:15 |
|
Good point. My first thought was that he was an uber driver waiting to get connected to a rider, or just someone waiting on a neighbor, but neither of those scenarios would make him be there that long. I should have called before I left work but I knew my roommate would be home a little longer and I guess just wanted to wait it out.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:16 |
|
Now if I could only take care of that person with the loud car and all the cars parked on the street. Oh wait! ;)
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:16 |
|
Good. If the guy stays, and you don’t see a patrol car come by eventually, consider asking for them so send one around.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:17 |
|
No, but you can read body language easier and see if their hands are reaching for anything.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:22 |
|
If I was at home, I would be watching like a hawk. But I am at work so no way to know for sure. I should have requested a call-back from the officer. Oh well, live and learn. This is the first time I’ve called the police for something like this.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:25 |
|
It’s a cop. Your new neighbors are in witness protection.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:27 |
|
I would have called the police hours ago.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:27 |
|
I just blew their cover!
I would think they would be more stealthy though
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:27 |
|
You’re not wasting their time, it’s their job. And 911 is always the best way to call.
![]() 05/08/2018 at 16:32 |
|
I was on the fence about calling for various reasons but was glad when I finally did. In hindsight, I should have called earlier. I’m honestly the most upset with him littering on my street. Those butts will be on the beach in no time -_-
![]() 05/08/2018 at 17:25 |
|
Yeah, I would have called after an hour
![]() 05/08/2018 at 17:58 |
|
Hopefully everything is in order when I get home tonight!
![]() 05/08/2018 at 18:02 |
|
Yes! Damn work ruining keeping us updated.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 05:59 |
|
not paranoid at all, maybe NSA or FBI
![]() 05/09/2018 at 07:10 |
|
I have never once heard a cop say a suspicious person is not suspicious because he hasn’t been there long enough to be suspicious.
You’re making up excuses and there are no excuses to make up. If you call, they will show up.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 09:46 |
|
I always call the non-emergency number if I see something suspicious. Rather be safe than sorry.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 13:49 |
|
Spoke with my friend when I finally got home last night. He said two patrol cars turned down the street as he was leaving. Nothing else out of place so let’s hope it was nothing.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 13:51 |
|
Definitely better safe than sorry and police presence in your neighborhood is rarely a bad thing for crime.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 13:52 |
|
They sent two patrol cars. My friend saw them turn down the street as he was leaving. So only like 5 min after I called. Not a bad response time.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 13:53 |
|
My roommate does have clearance. Maybe it’s the Russians! Hmmm
![]() 05/09/2018 at 14:01 |
|
Good, what a weird situation.
![]() 05/09/2018 at 14:09 |
|
So strange. I would like to think he had a legitimate reason for being there, but it looked out of place.