I’m pretty certain I saw the PC’s most arrested man walking at about noon today on Southwestern, near Bodeker, heading west. He was easy to spot because he looked exactly like this mug shot.
He was out and about today – he rang my doorbell and I peeked out and saw him walk to my driveway to see if my car was there. I called the UP police to investigate.
In the same vein (maybe?), my doorbell rang at 4 am on Tuesday morning. Awakened from a very sound sleep, I staggered to the door asking “who is it”? From my peephole vantage point, there seemed to be a young-ish Anglo man who asked to pay me for a drink of water and some directions. He repeatedly assured me that he was “not a bad person” but I told him that I was not going to open the door, though I would be glad to give him directions. He asked for directions to 75 and I gave them (talking through the door). He held up money so I could see it and again tried to pay me – I declined. He left. I called the UP non-emergency number the next day to see if anyone else had reported a similar incident but didn’t hear back. Maybe he was a lost traveler, but it just seems weird. Any thoughts?
Ewww hpmom, that is super creepy. I have to admit, at 4 AM I would have called the direct emergency UP police dispatch number. There are 7-11’s all over the place that are open 24/7 – they could get water and directions there.
@ hpmom – I think living in the bubble may have made you feel too secure! Answering the door and talking through it to someone at 4AM isn’t safe, no matter what. NO ONE in their right mind/not up to something goes to people’s houses at 4AM knocking on doors asking for directions.
I think my first call would have been to 911 and let the police check it out. I made a call about a suspicious person in my neighborhood and when I apologized to the very nice policemen who showed up for making too big a deal, they insisted that it was best to make the call. You don’t want to NOT call and then find out the next day that your neighbor was robbed – or worse.
Once criminals discover that certain neighborhoods have vigilant residents, they will move on to somewhere else.
hpmom – “just seems weird?” you really have to question this? a doorbell rings at 4 am and you answer, even though just talking through the door???? you should have called the police AT THAT TIME rather than wait until the next day. good grief – how naive can you be?
hpmom, glad you weren’t going to open the door. There is no reasonable explanation for a perfect stranger to be waking up a household at 4AM asking for water & directions. I’d call the police back and ask if anyone followed up on your report; I think that story is weird as can be.
We lived in another city in a very exclusive neighborhood and a neighbor had someone knock on their door in the middle of the night. As it turns out it was another neighbor’s drug addicted son. They recognized the boy didn’t know he was addicted to drugs) and cracked the door. He tried to force himself inside. Long story short, violence ensued and he even invaded another home across street with some sweet elderly couple. Moral of story: do not open your door in the middle of the night. I don’t even open mine in the middle of the day now.
HPmom–are you kidding me? Wow. Call the police STAT next time. Here is what you say, “Hey-stop ringing my doorbell. I’m calling the police. Give THEM your money. Oh and you can’t see it, but I am holding a gun.”
@collinbabs…gah, she didn’t open the door, so she obviously isn’t that naive. I think she would have definitely been okay to call the cops at that moment, but you act like she opened the door and invited the guy in for a drink of water. It sounds like she was just being trying to be cautiously helpful. Sounds like she’s a nice person who listened to her instincts to not open the door. Give her a break!
Logan – nope. see comments from QM and others. I’m sure she’s a nice person – wasn’t questioning that. Just taken aback at the, as you say, “cautiously helpful” behavior. Vigilance at all times is the rule these days, even in the Park Cities. A woman talking through the door at 4 am signals that “the man of the house” is either asleep or absent. 911 first – let the police be helpful.
Our patio umbrella fell over late one night, and I heard what I could only describe as a “fairly violent muffled sound.” Have fun with that one!
The UP police were unbelievably patient (especially given my zany description), and they remained so when I called them back seconds later, flushing beet red, to advise them it was only a fallen umbrella.
HP Mom? Teach your children well these things: don’t answer the door after, oh, gosh, 2:00 A.M., don’t drink and drive, don’t get a tattoo, and don’t ever, ever go to Garland. (The Garland Police are youngsters themselves and so they don’t handle testosterone-laden teenage boys particularly well).
He was out and about today – he rang my doorbell and I peeked out and saw him walk to my driveway to see if my car was there. I called the UP police to investigate.
Are people here hiring him? Can’t he go to Preston Hollow or North Dallas?
In the same vein (maybe?), my doorbell rang at 4 am on Tuesday morning. Awakened from a very sound sleep, I staggered to the door asking “who is it”? From my peephole vantage point, there seemed to be a young-ish Anglo man who asked to pay me for a drink of water and some directions. He repeatedly assured me that he was “not a bad person” but I told him that I was not going to open the door, though I would be glad to give him directions. He asked for directions to 75 and I gave them (talking through the door). He held up money so I could see it and again tried to pay me – I declined. He left. I called the UP non-emergency number the next day to see if anyone else had reported a similar incident but didn’t hear back. Maybe he was a lost traveler, but it just seems weird. Any thoughts?
hp mom, I’m no cop, but I think you can feel free to call the police in those circumstances.
Ewww hpmom, that is super creepy. I have to admit, at 4 AM I would have called the direct emergency UP police dispatch number. There are 7-11’s all over the place that are open 24/7 – they could get water and directions there.
@ hpmom – I think living in the bubble may have made you feel too secure! Answering the door and talking through it to someone at 4AM isn’t safe, no matter what. NO ONE in their right mind/not up to something goes to people’s houses at 4AM knocking on doors asking for directions.
I think my first call would have been to 911 and let the police check it out. I made a call about a suspicious person in my neighborhood and when I apologized to the very nice policemen who showed up for making too big a deal, they insisted that it was best to make the call. You don’t want to NOT call and then find out the next day that your neighbor was robbed – or worse.
Once criminals discover that certain neighborhoods have vigilant residents, they will move on to somewhere else.
hpmom – “just seems weird?” you really have to question this? a doorbell rings at 4 am and you answer, even though just talking through the door???? you should have called the police AT THAT TIME rather than wait until the next day. good grief – how naive can you be?
hpmom, glad you weren’t going to open the door. There is no reasonable explanation for a perfect stranger to be waking up a household at 4AM asking for water & directions. I’d call the police back and ask if anyone followed up on your report; I think that story is weird as can be.
We lived in another city in a very exclusive neighborhood and a neighbor had someone knock on their door in the middle of the night. As it turns out it was another neighbor’s drug addicted son. They recognized the boy didn’t know he was addicted to drugs) and cracked the door. He tried to force himself inside. Long story short, violence ensued and he even invaded another home across street with some sweet elderly couple. Moral of story: do not open your door in the middle of the night. I don’t even open mine in the middle of the day now.
HPmom–are you kidding me? Wow. Call the police STAT next time. Here is what you say, “Hey-stop ringing my doorbell. I’m calling the police. Give THEM your money. Oh and you can’t see it, but I am holding a gun.”
@collinbabs…gah, she didn’t open the door, so she obviously isn’t that naive. I think she would have definitely been okay to call the cops at that moment, but you act like she opened the door and invited the guy in for a drink of water. It sounds like she was just being trying to be cautiously helpful. Sounds like she’s a nice person who listened to her instincts to not open the door. Give her a break!
Maybe we can pester Chielf Adams to weigh in on the best course of action?
Logan – nope. see comments from QM and others. I’m sure she’s a nice person – wasn’t questioning that. Just taken aback at the, as you say, “cautiously helpful” behavior. Vigilance at all times is the rule these days, even in the Park Cities. A woman talking through the door at 4 am signals that “the man of the house” is either asleep or absent. 911 first – let the police be helpful.
In the light of day (literally) I realize that I was very fortunate that my doorbell-ringer was apparently not inclined to seek more than directions.
I thought Nick Nolte was still living in California?
Our patio umbrella fell over late one night, and I heard what I could only describe as a “fairly violent muffled sound.” Have fun with that one!
The UP police were unbelievably patient (especially given my zany description), and they remained so when I called them back seconds later, flushing beet red, to advise them it was only a fallen umbrella.
HP Mom? Teach your children well these things: don’t answer the door after, oh, gosh, 2:00 A.M., don’t drink and drive, don’t get a tattoo, and don’t ever, ever go to Garland. (The Garland Police are youngsters themselves and so they don’t handle testosterone-laden teenage boys particularly well).