topic Re: What would you do? in Among Friends

What would you do?

dragonflyveb — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:00:13 GMT

At 8:15 tonight, a man knocked on my back window. He said his house was being broken into. He was wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts, with bare feet. I didn't recognize him. He gave me his address which is about a block away from my house, through the back yards. I called 911 and gave him the phone. He asked if I could let him in, he was freezing.

I told him I couldn't do that. I live alone and I was afraid to let him in. The cops had to check his house out before they would come get him. I gave him a jacket, socks, a pair of garden shoes, and a cup of coffee.

I feel bad that he was cold, but I was leery of how far he came to my house (no closer neighbors?), but I just don't let people into my house unless I know them. My neighborhood is pretty safe, but we've had some random "door knockers" lately.

What would you do?

Re: What would you do?

Tribesters — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:04:25 GMT

@dragonflyveb

I think you did the right thing, There are too many crazies out there trying any ruse to get in your home. Better safe than sorry.

Re: What would you do?

QVCkitty1 — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:04:26 GMT

@dragonflyvebwrote:
At 8:15 tonight, a man knocked on my back window. He said his house was being broken into. He was wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts, with bare feet. I didn't recognize him. He gave me his address which is about a block away from my house, through the back yards. I called 911 and gave him the phone. He asked if I could let him in, he was freezing.

I told him I couldn't do that. I live alone and I was afraid to let him in. The cops had to check his house out before they would come get him. I gave him a jacket, socks, a pair of garden shoes, and a cup of coffee.

I feel bad that he was cold, but I was leery of how far he came to my house (no closer neighbors?), but I just don't let people into my house unless I know them. My neighborhood is pretty safe, but we've had some random "door knockers" lately.

What would you do?

I think you did all you could, and you weren't foolish.

Re: What would you do?

Jaspersmom — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:07:14 GMT

Just what you did. I'd never let a stranger into my house regardless of the circumstances. He should have understood that. All of this sounds very strange anyway. Did he leave his house when it was broken into? Why didn't he call 911 if that was the case? Who runs a block away?

Re: What would you do?

on the bay — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:09:47 GMT

@dragonflyveb-

How did you give him all those things without opening your door?

Or did you open the door while he was standing there?

I wouldn't have even done that.

Re: What would you do?

dragonflyveb — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:13:56 GMT

@Jaspersmom

He said he heard someone break the front door and he ran out the garage door through the back yards. He didn't have a phone on him.

It was block away that worried me. Most everyone is home in the evening.

@on the bay

I gave him the phone by raising the screen on my window. I gave him the coat, etc while he was talking to 911. Even that scared me.

Re: What would you do?

YorkieonmyPillow — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:12:40 GMT

If you live alone and a strange man knocks on your door, you shouldn't even open the door.

If you opened the door to hand him the phone, he could've pushed into your home right there.

If you had to do SOMETHING, you could've called 911 and given them his address & told them what he said, that his home was being broken into.

Protect yourself at all times IMHO.

Re: What would you do?

Lucky Charm — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:14:38 GMT

@on the baywrote:
@dragonflyveb-
How did you give him all those things without opening your door?
Or did you open the door while he was standing there?
I wouldn't have even done that.

I agree! I would be afraid he would overpower me and push his way in.....that he didn't really need the socks, shoes, etc.., he just wanted an 'in'. You're very lucky it was his house being broken into, and him not breaking into yours. It's a shame if it's true that his house was broken into. From now on, just be very wary, especially if there have been breakins in your neighborhood.

Re: What would you do?

Lucky Charm — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:18:57 GMT

@dragonflyvebwrote:
@Jaspersmom

He said he heard someone break the front door and he ran out the garage door through the back yards. He didn't have a phone on him.

It was block away that worried me. Most everyone is home in the evening.

@on the bay

I gave him the phone by raising the screen on my window. I gave him the coat, etc while he was talking to 911. Even that scared me.

That was nice of you to help him. Especially calling 911 and then the outerwear. Maybe he saw you through your window, if he knocked on it?

No matter, as I said in my previous post, how awful his house was broken into. But with that aside, I hope he comes back to you to thank you and perhaps even apologize for frightening you. That would be a very kind thing to do. Maybe keep an eye out for you now, since you did help him when he was most vunerable.

Just make sure your curtains/shades are drawn at dusk and you have your doors locked.

Re: What would you do?

september — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:19:00 GMT

@dragonflyvebwrote:
@Jaspersmom

He said he heard someone break the front door and he ran out the garage door through the back yards. He didn't have a phone on him.

It was block away that worried me. Most everyone is home in the evening.

@on the bay

I gave him the phone by raising the screen on my window. I gave him the coat, etc while he was talking to 911. Even that scared me.

You were being cautious while trying to assist. Good for you for your caring attitude. But it still scares me, that this might have been someone who was trying to pull a home invasion type of robbery.

Re: What would you do?

on the bay — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:20:56 GMT

I think in the moment it is probably hard to always think of the safest best thing.

I understand that you were trying to be compassionate toward someone needing help.

I guess my first instinct like others said would have been to call 911 myself for him, letting them know that he was outside my door and had asked for help while his home was being broken into.

I'm glad you are okay because I can think of all kinds of awful scenarios, even taking his shoes off to make you think he had just left his house!

Think of your own safety first and like a cop told all of us in a class once-

When you feel that strange upset feeling in your stomach, listen to it! It could save your life!

Re: What would you do?

x Hedge — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:21:07 GMT

You're right @Jaspersmom, this story doesn't pass the smell test.

Don't assume it was a thief breaking into the guy's house. The person(s) breaking in might have been specifically looking for him. And likely he knows it.

Re: What would you do?

dragonflyveb — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:21:24 GMT

I turn things around and ask what I would want my neighbors to do for me if I were in that situation. I'd hope they would let me in. Of course, as an older lady, I am not very scary. And I suppose it would make a difference if you had a 6'3" man in the house.

still....

Re: What would you do?

OKPrincess — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:23:49 GMT

You are a brave lady but IMO I would have never opened a window or anything else. I would call 911 and wait for help. It’s human instinct to want to help but a person can’t be too careful these days.

Re: What would you do?

KitTkat — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:24:13 GMT

@dragonflyveb

You did the right thing not letting him in your house. You helped him by giving him some things to ease his discomfort and you alerted authorities. I would not have let him in my house either. You never know if peoples stories are true or not.

When I was a teen, a woman came to our house and asked to use the phone because her car had broke down. This was before cell phones were everywhere. My dad didn't trust her for whatever reason and said no, but he offered to take a look at her car and she said no and walked away. A few minutes later, curious, I hopped in the car with my dad, and we drove a mile up the road and back, (quiet country road) didn't see the woman or a broken down car anywhere. We never knew what she was really up to.

Unfortunately you can't trust people these days. Best be safe than sorry. Again, you did the right thing.

Re: What would you do?

dragonflyveb — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:25:24 GMT

That's true, I got itchy-twitchy when he told me where he lived. It did sorta smell to me.

I didn't hear what the cops said to him, but there definitely was something going on at his house. I will check the police report next month.

Re: What would you do?

sol_luna — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:27:35 GMT

I would have told him to get lost.

Re: What would you do?

KitTkat — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:28:57 GMT

Even if his story was genuine, bad guys probably get their houses broken into, too. He might be just as shady as the creeps that broke into his house.

Re: What would you do?

chrystaltree — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:39:41 GMT

You did the right thing by not letting him in but I have to ask how did you give him the phone (and why). You outfitted him and gave coffee...how did you do that without opening the door? If that happened to me, you said he gave you his address so I would called the police and told them about his break in story and told them where he was. I wouldn't have been able to give him coffee and clothes and boots and whatever without opening the door....so other than calling the police, not much else I could do until the police arrived.

Re: What would you do?

chrystaltree — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 01:43:42 GMT

@x Hedgewrote:
You're right @Jaspersmom, this story doesn't pass the smell test.
Don't assume it was a thief breaking into the guy's house. The person(s) breaking in might have been specifically looking for him. And likely he knows it.

I agree, his break in story alone was fishy. And I can't see a woman who is alone in the house opening the door to pass him ALL that stuff....including coffee and even handing him her phone.