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What constitutes suspicious activity?
7/9/12 | self

Posted on 07/09/2012 8:53:16 AM PDT by LibWhacker

Hi... Sorry to post this here but something strange just happened and I need some Freeper advice.

I was sitting at the computer about 7:15AM this morning reading FreeRepublic when the doorbell rang. Really? At 7:15AM? Most likely, it could only be one of two things. My friends and relatives wouldn't show up unannounced at that hour. It had to be those skinny religious dudes in white shirts and black ties, or... Our house was being cased!

From our master bedroom, I hear my wife asking, "Who is it?" Don't know, I tell her, pausing, straining to hear. Then the doorbell rings again, this time four or five times, rapidly, impatiently.

Okay, gotta see who it is now. I get up and approach the front door. Through the little frosted pane on the inner door I see a large, very dark shadow, looming, shifting from side to side, with the head almost pressed up against the outer security gate, trying to peer inside. Dammit, I'm an idiot for not grabbing my gun!

I open the door and there standing before me is this skinny black guy with dreadlocks, in his late teens. He's got on a dark stretchy psychedelic t-shirt and both of his arms are inside the shirt, out of view. But you can see they are moving around a lot inside the shirt, wrapped around his thin frame. Like he's simultaneously hugging himself and scratching himself all over at the same time. Holy crap, that's weird right there. I can't see his hands. Does he have a gun?

"Is JAZZmeen home?"

Jasmine? Do I look like I have a daughter named Jasmine? Or Shemika? Or Qwanisha? NO! Maybe Amber or Victoria. JAZZmeen ain't happening. Ridiculous even to ask, and he'd know that if he wasn't on drugs and stupid.

"No, you've got the wrong address."

He turns and goes. I go to the side window and look out. He's with another tall skinny black guy now. They don't stop at my neighbor's house, but walk to the corner, turn right and disappear from view.

Okay, what should I have done? The police say you should report suspicious activity. But what did I see? Some guy rang my doorbell at seven o'clock in the morning. Okay, maybe he was an itchy crack addict in dreadlocks. But so what?

OTOH, I KNOW we were being cased and by not reporting it I may have contributed to one of my neighbors getting ripped off, or worse.

So here I sit, with my 1911 locked and loaded one foot from my right hand, wondering... should you report something like that as being "suspicious?"


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: burglars; casing; myhouse; suspicousactivity; suspious; vanity
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To: bill1952
What's the probable cause? Ringing someone's doorbell is not Probable Cause. That pesky Constitution..........damn it. Man Cites Law, Cops back down video
21 posted on 07/09/2012 9:06:56 AM PDT by JohnKinAK
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To: LibWhacker

It certainly does look suspicious and they were probably up to no good.

I guess it is possible they were looking for Jasmine but I would guess not.


22 posted on 07/09/2012 9:07:23 AM PDT by yarddog
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To: LibWhacker

we get people sometimes, police included. I always say “what” through the glass, and if the police want to talk about something I say just a minute and go out the back to meet them in the front. If it’s someone selling magazines or whatever I just say no. I have kids who I have modeled this for and they think I am embarrassing or mean, but at least they don’t open the door for some fool they don’t know


23 posted on 07/09/2012 9:07:56 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: bill1952

I’m so sorry I didn’t do that now. Next time. Been here 20 years and this kind of thing has only happened twice. Both times it really creeped me out.


24 posted on 07/09/2012 9:08:38 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: LibWhacker
with the head almost pressed up against the outer security gate, trying to peer inside.
If you live in a neighborhood where ... 1) you need/have a security gate and 2) Holder's people are checking you out ...
I strongly suggest you install a security camera and intercom system so you can see and communicate with whomever is ringing your doorbell w/o having to open the door.
25 posted on 07/09/2012 9:09:45 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: LibWhacker

You should have shot him and told police he attacked you.


26 posted on 07/09/2012 9:13:27 AM PDT by stuartcr ("When silence speaks, it speaks only to those that have already decided what they want to hear.")
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To: LibWhacker

Had that happen to me once. Figured the guy was casing as well. So when he asked for “Jasmine” or whoever, I changed the name up on on him. I said “Are you sure you have the right address? Where does Yolanda live, maybe I can point you to the right house. Or just tell me the address you are looking for.” He basicly said no thanks and turned to leave. I told him that I would be happy to go down to my friends house who was a deputy - I’m sure that he would know where their address was located or at the very least I could go down to the neighborhood watch block captain and he would know.

Of course the guy passed and got into his car and left the neigborhood rather quickly.


27 posted on 07/09/2012 9:13:27 AM PDT by taxcontrol
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To: yldstrk

Maybe Jasmine was the friend?


28 posted on 07/09/2012 9:14:58 AM PDT by stuartcr ("When silence speaks, it speaks only to those that have already decided what they want to hear.")
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To: King_Corey

I like that idea. A lot.


29 posted on 07/09/2012 9:14:58 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: yldstrk
I always say “what” through the glass, and if the police want to talk about something I say just a minute and go out the back to meet them in the front.
Just how often do the cops knock on your door? And if you know it's the cops, why go out the back door?
Seems like a good way to get yourself shot.
30 posted on 07/09/2012 9:15:24 AM PDT by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
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To: taxcontrol

I like that, the deputy..lol


31 posted on 07/09/2012 9:15:57 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: LibWhacker

German Shepherd rescue has some beautiful dogs
They will love you

and protect your home

Best black and tan security system I ever owned


32 posted on 07/09/2012 9:17:12 AM PDT by silverleaf (Every human spent about half an hour as a single cell)
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To: LibWhacker

I always carry a loaded 1911 to the front door when answering the doorbell. It don’t care if it’s a preacher or the mailman.

Years ago, at about 11:30 PM I was awakened by the door bell. There were four boys there outside asking if my daughter was there....boy, I’ll tell you I screamed so many obscenities and told them if I opened the door, they’d better be outrunning some lead. I then told them to “get the f@ck out of my yard” Had the 1911, had the mad and I would have shot someone at the first sign of trouble.

I quizzed my daughter - didn’t know them, so she said. I told her one or more would get dead if they did it again.

Months later I woke up on a Saturday morning. Driveway (500 feet long) was TP’d up in the trees in the first 200 ft from the road. They didn’t dare try it where I could see them.


33 posted on 07/09/2012 9:17:22 AM PDT by Gaffer (NOVEMBER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
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To: stuartcr

you are kookoo too

HE WAS WALKING


34 posted on 07/09/2012 9:17:39 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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To: mnehring

Riiight, and he and his black male friend parked down the street and around the corner.


35 posted on 07/09/2012 9:19:30 AM PDT by MHGinTN (Being deceived can be cured.)
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To: yldstrk

He could have invited him in, then shot him.


36 posted on 07/09/2012 9:23:33 AM PDT by stuartcr ("When silence speaks, it speaks only to those that have already decided what they want to hear.")
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To: cuban leaf
"...armed people who don’t answer the door..."

"Crazy" Joe Devola (Seinfeld) said he never locked his doors - liked to "encourage" intruders....

37 posted on 07/09/2012 9:24:47 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("Gentlemen, you can't fight in here - this is the War Room".)
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To: oh8eleven

My neighbors tell me that when this house was new, burglars used a pickup truck as a battering ram to crash through the front door. So the owner had that gate installed and it’s a pretty amazing one.

I’ve always wanted security cameras. I just can’t find the right brand/model that would both fit in the tight space at the front of the house and not be easy to steal. I guess I should call in some professionals to do the job.


38 posted on 07/09/2012 9:25:07 AM PDT by LibWhacker
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To: JohnKinAK

Police don’t need even mere suspicion to initiate a consensual stop. It’s just “hey there, how’s it going?”

If he says “fine, thanks” and keeps walking, then you just hang out and watch him. If he takes off running, then you chase him down and detain him (Illinois v. Wardlow).


39 posted on 07/09/2012 9:25:48 AM PDT by mvpel (Michael Pelletier)
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To: oh8eleven

one time some cops knocked on the door looking for some girl that THEY SAID my son knew.

I don’t open the door for police without a warrant (not that they have ever come with a warrant) But I know, from my work, that cops can stick their foot in the door etc and that cops are dangerous. If they are going to shoot me on MY OWN PROPERTY FOR WALKING OUT MY OWN BACK DOOR, fine, at least my kids are safe inside and I would gladly give my life to protect my kids anyway.

I said what through the glass, they said they wanted to talk to my son, I said I would be there in a minute and went around. Sure enough, there was another one lurking by the hedge where you couldn’t see him. I spoke with them, asked if he had a card, said I would talk with my son and if we had anything to tell them, we would call.

I live in a neighborhood with a well funded police dept and nothing for them to do so they get excited and hepped up about the slightest thing.

The other day, my kid’s friend parked on the circle above our house and cut down the back yard to visit my kid. Well, the neighbor got all excited and called the police. The police came walking down the yard and said hey guys and the kids said hey and came inside and shut the door.

I mean, they are dangerous and have nothing to do here. I want no law enforcement contact. We make darn sure our cars are in perfect repair and follow all traffic rules. The police are on steroids and shouldn’t be called unless you want someone arrested or beat.


40 posted on 07/09/2012 9:28:14 AM PDT by yldstrk ( My heroes have always been cowboys)
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