# Would you knock or wait for police?



## shesulsa (Apr 30, 2012)

I have a standing Sunday evening appointment with some renters. I arrived this evening to find no one home and a screen missing from one of the front windows. This is not a standard feature of the home - there had been an A/C unit and plywood there and it was now missing. This house is on a major thoroughfare and has had so many people try to come in through those front windows I've lost count - and that was when WE lived there. We also had a burglary when we lived there and the tenants recently reported to me a thwarted entry - a man opened the door and stepped foot in when a guest surprised him and shooed him away.

I have little interest in confronting a burglar if I have a choice. The way I see it here, I have a choice.

Before I reveal what I did, I'd like to hear what YOU would do. 

Remember - you own but do not reside in the house.


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## Dirty Dog (Apr 30, 2012)

I'd most likely call the police. 
You were (from your post) reasonably certain that the tenants were not home and that the window ought not be open, and there is clearly a history of breaking. 
Like you, I'm not interested in a confrontation that can be avoided. 


Sent from my iPhone using TapaTalk.


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## Cyriacus (Apr 30, 2012)

Call the Police, then hang around across the street. No need to be too curious - Chances are, given that They werent meant to be there, if someone was inside, They would be more aware of You, than You of Them. Youd be walking right into Them, and Youd be at a disadvantage. Id prefer waiting for the Police, and just keeping an eye on it from a fair distance.


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## seasoned (Apr 30, 2012)

The young me would have knocked, but then, I was young and foolish. 
Now, the old me, has a cell phone.

......and the voice on the other end said "officers are on their way".


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## Gnarlie (Apr 30, 2012)

I would have called the police.  Where I come from, burglars boil water on the stove using your pans, so they can throw it over you if you disturb them.  No thanks!


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## DarkShadowfax (Apr 30, 2012)

I'd probably wait outside. No need to get myself hurt over a burglary. I've heard stories of burglars leaving knives all over the place, in case they're surprised by the home owners.


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## ballen0351 (Apr 30, 2012)

I am the police and id still call the police.  If i was on duty id call for a back up unit if i was off duty id call someone working.  Either way i would have someone else there with me if i suspected a burglary.  I wouldnt seach the house alone.  Of cpurse i say that and the other day i came home to my house found my door sitting open and went in and searched but i was pretty certain my wife just forgot to lock it and the wind blew it open.  So my brain would say call the police but i dont always listen to my brain.


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## MJS (Apr 30, 2012)

shesulsa said:


> I have a standing Sunday evening appointment with some renters. I arrived this evening to find no one home and a screen missing from one of the front windows. This is not a standard feature of the home - there had been an A/C unit and plywood there and it was now missing. This house is on a major thoroughfare and has had so many people try to come in through those front windows I've lost count - and that was when WE lived there. We also had a burglary when we lived there and the tenants recently reported to me a thwarted entry - a man opened the door and stepped foot in when a guest surprised him and shooed him away.
> 
> I have little interest in confronting a burglar if I have a choice. The way I see it here, I have a choice.
> 
> ...



I'd wait for the police.


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## oftheherd1 (Apr 30, 2012)

I had this happen to my home a bit ago.  My wife noticed the door as we pulled into the driveway.  No one lives in the house but my wife and I.

I backed out of the driveway to across the street, and called the police.  Turns out we had inadvertantly left the door unlocked, and partially open.  The police checked and asked some specific questions after coming out.  I'm not always a big fan of my experiences with our local force, but these guys were very professional.  Good on them.

I would do the same in the example that shesulsa gave.  Why go in unarmed with the chance you will find someone inside who is armed, and unhappy you have found them out.

I await with bated breath to find out if shesulsa did not do the same.  Especially since she should have expected to meet tennants there, and mentions no indication anyone was inside.  We'll see.


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## sfs982000 (Apr 30, 2012)

Personally I would've called the police and waited either across the street or from some other vantage point where I could still see the place but be far enough away where if I needed to get away I could do so easily.  No sense in getting hurt if I don't have to.


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## pgsmith (Apr 30, 2012)

I'd have drawn my gun, knocked on the door, and shot them when they answered!  Just kidding. I agree with the majority that calling the police in a suspicious situation such as this is the right thing to do. I also think that you should move away from the house while doing it.


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## Sanke (Apr 30, 2012)

If it was my house? I'd probably really want to rush in and see, but I have a lot of training weapons around that make for great bludgeoning items, and lots of tight corners in there... So if I had my wits about me, I'd call the police and wait. 
If it was a tenet's house, I'd pretty definitely call/wait for the police. I'd have no idea who's in there, what they've got lying around, etc, just too much risk. 

I must say, I'm rather curious to hear what you did in the situation in the OP. 


Sanke on the move.


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## chinto (Apr 30, 2012)

I would call the police for a couple reasons.  one it is a rental and there for you do not want the cops thinking you are a burglar, and second many of the burglars around here are needle commandos who are often armed.  so call the cops, step back and watch and then when they get there, i bet they call back up.  It takes a minimum of 2 to properly clear a room... doing it alone is not a great idea


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## Buka (Apr 30, 2012)

I'd call the police. Even when I was the police, I'd call the police because we have a whole lot of guys who show up.

Not part of the given scenario, but if my dog was home and there was an intruder there, I'm going in fast, gun blazing. Foolish I know, but some of my students are attorneys.


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## shesulsa (Apr 30, 2012)

No brainer, folks. I *totally* called the police. 

The dispatch asked me if I had knocked on the door or rang the doorbell. When I replied, "no" she asked, "why not?"  So I explained to her I'm not interested in getting hurt, bowled over or otherwise damaged by a potential burglar. She attempted to call my tenants (which I had already attempted). 

One single officer showed at first and asked me all the same questions with the same "are you stupid?" look on his face. So, finally I asked him, "do you want ME to go in there? Do you think you could go in WITH me?"

"No, don't do anything, I'm going to wait for my partner - I'm not comfortable going in there alone." 

I said, "I completely understand your position."

My entire family showed up (I'm very annoyed that none of them answered my urgent call on their expensive cell phones with the expensive service I selected for them) with the same "are you crazy?" look in their faces the first policeman had.

The tenant finally showed up and unlocked the door for the police who entered carefully.  They secured the premises - no break-in, just STOOPID TENANTS WHO REMOVED THE EFFING SCREEN AND LEFT THE HOUSE UNSECURE.  Dumbasses.

Disturbingly, my family still thinks I overreacted. Folks - don't let other people's ignorance encourage stupid actions on your part. I have absolutely no doubt I did the right thing and am here, unscathed, because of it.


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## jks9199 (May 1, 2012)

shesulsa said:


> No brainer, folks. I *totally* called the police.
> 
> The dispatch asked me if I had knocked on the door or rang the doorbell. When I replied, "no" she asked, "why not?"  So I explained to her I'm not interested in getting hurt, bowled over or otherwise damaged by a potential burglar. She attempted to call my tenants (which I had already attempted).
> 
> ...



You didn't over-react.  You observed a suspicious set of circumstances, assessed what you knew, and made the decision that it was more than you could handle alone.  You called for the folks with the tools for the job.  I'm kind of disappointed about the officer and dispatcher's attitudes; it seems that they've fallen into an easy trap of forgetting that, no matter how routine something may seem to us, it's not at all routine for the victims and people we serve.


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## shesulsa (May 2, 2012)

jks9199 said:


> You didn't over-react.  You observed a suspicious set of circumstances, assessed what you knew, and made the decision that it was more than you could handle alone.  You called for the folks with the tools for the job.  I'm kind of disappointed about the officer and dispatcher's attitudes; it seems that they've fallen into an easy trap of forgetting that, no matter how routine something may seem to us, it's not at all routine for the victims and people we serve.



I would have been happy to go in with the officer, but that would have involved having responsibility I didn't want to have in the moment. I have to admit I sometimes wonder why, when a citizen makes a good decision (I honestly think this was a good decision) why they respond in such a manner. Doesn't it make their job easier?

Oh well. I'm glad they came, I'm glad they were there to do the job and much appreciate their willingness to do so.


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## Carol (May 2, 2012)

shesulsa said:


> I would have been happy to go in with the officer, but that would have involved having responsibility I didn't want to have in the moment. I have to admit I sometimes wonder why, when a citizen makes a good decision (I honestly think this was a good decision) why they respond in such a manner. Doesn't it make their job easier?
> 
> Oh well. I'm glad they came, I'm glad they were there to do the job and much appreciate their willingness to do so.



I don't understand it either.  For those of us who (literally or figuratively) have to go from fire to fire with our job, its can be nice to get an easy fire to put out every now and again.


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## jks9199 (May 2, 2012)

Carol said:


> I don't understand it either.  For those of us who (literally or figuratively) have to go from fire to fire with our job, its can be nice to get an easy fire to put out every now and again.



Remember... By and large, cops and firefighters are kind of adrenaline junkies.  We want the big stuff; that's what's "cool."  The other thing is that we've probably gone to dozens of those sorts of calls, and we're probably pretty sure it's "nothing" from our POV.  Like I said, one of the most important things for cops, especially, to remember is that even though it's routine for us, it's anything but routine for the victims we're dealing with.


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## Sukerkin (May 2, 2012)

I am restraining myself from dropping "Thanks" on every post in this thread - take a bow one and all, for you are without a doubt a bunch of level headed and sensible people.


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## Sukerkin (May 2, 2012)

Probably more sensible than me, even as I approach fifty; for I would have been sorely tempted to at least sneakily have a gander to see if there was anyone there or not.  I might even have called out to see if that prompted any movement.

Of course, despite all the discourse we've had on crime figures, I still have the mindset that I live in a relatively safe country and do not anticipate that a burglar is going to stab or shoot me when they can just leg it.


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## chinto (May 2, 2012)

hay always go with your gut!!  the day you do not and enter, some needle commando will be waiting with a pistol he stole some where... and shoot you very dead.
even the cops do NOT go in alone!  takes a min of two to clear a room properly, 4 is better!


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## Brian R. VanCise (May 2, 2012)

Good call Shesulsa!  You did the right thing and it all worked out!


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## Carol (May 2, 2012)

jks9199 said:


> Remember... By and large, cops and firefighters are kind of adrenaline junkies.  We want the big stuff; that's what's "cool."  The other thing is that we've probably gone to dozens of those sorts of calls, and we're probably pretty sure it's "nothing" from our POV.  Like I said, one of the most important things for cops, especially, to remember is that even though it's routine for us, it's anything but routine for the victims we're dealing with.



Ahh...now you're speaking my language!!  For the very reason why I love digging in to core network issues, pouring hours in to a mind-melting problem, and then shouting to anyone who will listen that I fixed whatever it is that was broken...........and then the boss jumps on my case because I'm two weeks behind on my paperwork.  Yeah...I get it now


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## oftheherd1 (May 3, 2012)

Carol said:


> Ahh...now you're speaking my language!! For the very reason why I love digging in to core network issues, pouring hours in to a mind-melting problem, and then shouting to anyone who will listen that I fixed whatever it is that was broken...........and then the boss jumps on my case because I'm two weeks behind on my paperwork. Yeah...I get it now



I was always told that if it wasn't documented, it wasn't done.  I didn't like that, but I documented everything.


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## chinto (May 3, 2012)

yep the documentation of the incident is a good thing and that comes with calling the cops too.


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## OzPaul (May 4, 2012)

Always call the cops.  I'm not sure what the exact laws are in your country but most, not all, generally favor the bad guy.  If you were to confront them and got into a fight and you got the better of them and took it a bit too far and hurt them, you might be the one getting charged for something serious and all they get is a useless trespass...


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## GaryR (May 27, 2012)

shesulsa said:


> I have a standing Sunday evening appointment with some renters. I arrived this evening to find no one home and a screen missing from one of the front windows. This is not a standard feature of the home - there had been an A/C unit and plywood there and it was now missing. This house is on a major thoroughfare and has had so many people try to come in through those front windows I've lost count - and that was when WE lived there. We also had a burglary when we lived there and the tenants recently reported to me a thwarted entry - a man opened the door and stepped foot in when a guest surprised him and shooed him away.
> 
> I have little interest in confronting a burglar if I have a choice. The way I see it here, I have a choice.
> 
> ...



At first sight of the theft (screen/AC missing) - I would pull my phone out and call 9-11, while doing that I would start (quietly) walking away and begin to take pictures of any nearby cars/plates, persons, ect, while keeping my situational awareness prioritized with ensuring i'm out of the zone of danger should there be someone in the house.  Using force to protect solely property (which is what you would probably be doing if you found a guy in the house) - is never a good idea from a legal point of view (I have a law degree, haven't taken the bar, so this is not legal advice - check your state laws).

I've had some burglar experience (as landlord and tenant) as well, not fun...

G


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