We Really Need a Neighborhood Watch program...would You Alert the Neighbors?

Or.....a guy also on his way to/from work (you're not the only person out at that time) is having a fight with his gf/wife. He sees she texted him just as he is passing your house. He stops to read and answer the text (as he should), fighting texts need to be answered right now. He waits, oblivious of anything that might be going on in any of the houses on the street for her to answer. She DOES answer, something that TOTALLY pissed him off so he peels out just at the moment your husband walks down the driveway....

I suppose if this was the FIFTH time you saw him there, or you saw weapons on the seat of his car, or he resembled a mug shot you saw at the post office.

Anyway, sure 'alert the neighbors'. And for the record, of course I think neighborhood watch programs are an excellent idea, and I think home wifi security is ALSO a good idea.

:)

I used to live alone with my newborn baby and one night, as in midnight, there was knocking at my door. I tried to look through the peep hole but it was being covered. I didn't want to turn on the porch light, which I then realized I should leave it on all the time, so I snuck around my own house looking through blinds trying not to be seen, but then I noticed they were doing the same. The knocking began to get harder. As soon as I went to call the police, it stopped. I waited while checking on my baby to see if they would come back. Needless to say, I hardly slept a wink. I probably should have called anyway, but had to be up in 4 hours and I know I would have been waiting a long time since it seemed as though the people were now gone. I was new to the area, I knew only 1 person in town that new me and where I lived. I got to work the next morning and since I worked with a retired cop, I ran the scenario by him and he told me that I should have called the police. He suggested I call in anything suspicious, all the time, because they will patrol the area and it gives them a reason to stop people for probable cause. They may not have picked up the people knocking on my door, but they have picked up other people that shouldn't be on the street.

So to answer your question, yes, tell the neighborhood and try to get something going. And always call the police with anything suspicious.

Best of luck to you

I don't want to sound critical here but by taking hubby out with you if the man had a gun you have given him 2 victims.
From now on park in the garage, get in the car, lock the doors before you open the garage door and then back out.
If you see him again take a picture or as many pictures as you can. Try to get a picture of his license plate.
Yes alert the neighbors. If one of their houses would have a better angle on getting his plate number call them as soon as you see the car again. I found a pair of binoculars at Walgreens for $5, they are not the best but if I need to I can get a license plate a half block away.
I understand the need for a neighborhood watch program but how many of your neighbors are up at 5:30 in the morning?
I would call the police department and tell them what happened and ask if they could have a officer drive through your neighborhood at around 5:30 every morning.

I think I would rather err on the side of caution if I were in your shoes. Be honest, tell them you didn't actually see him doing anything, but you thought it looked suspicious, and you just want to give them a heads up to keep their eyes open. Tell the neighbors you plan to tell, then maybe (if you guys have on-property mailboxes) you could put together a little note to put in everyone's box, that way you're not having to spend a TON of time on this, but still make people aware.

Suspicious behavior and it doesn't have to be the 5th time or you actually see weapons in the car you have every right to tell the police. It's best at the actual time. At one time I too lived on an out of the way street. Our house backed up to a wilderness area. A car parked across the street from me. There were no houses across the street either. I was concerned and ask that the police make a drive by. When I looked there was nobody in the car. I waited for several mins and saw the cop car coming down the street. I went out so I could talk to them. My next door neighbor came running out of her house terrified. She saw the cop car and was surprised and happy. Someone had hopped her privacy fence and was coming to the back door when she happened to see them and came screaming out the front. The cop ran looking in the area. Later he found the couple whose car was parked out front. She couldn't really ID them so they couldn't do anything but sternly tell them they didn't belong there and that they almost got acused of a crime. Their gain, my neighbor was an award winning shot and well, this is Texas!

I would mention it to the neighbors. I also would call the police and tell them what you saw, why it struck you oddly and ask if THEY have any suggestions for you. They may also add your neighborhood to their patrol route for the next few days/weeks or whatever.

Interesting point that HisMomma made: that even if they don't pick up the person YOU saw, it gives them probable cause to maybe pick up some other ne'er do well. I hadn't thought of that before. :)

But yes, I would have called the police and informed what I saw. In MY neighborhood, I probably would have called then and there and asked them to come out. We live in a neighborhood with a gate, on a cul-de-sac with no other houses. I know our nearest neighbor's cars and their coming/going habits. We have a big dog who knows the newspaper delivery person's vehicle (when they switch carriers it takes our dog a few days to stop barking at 3:30 a.m. when they make their delivery). There is NO thru traffic.
So if that same scenario happened here, I would have called. In the afternoon, I would have just watched. Because there are lots for sale and someone could be taking down information to call about a lot. But at 5:30 a.m.?

Have you heard of nextdoor.com? I just started using it (I'm the neighborhood coordinator lol) and I must say it is pretty awesome, and free! It's kind of like a neighborhood watch version of Facebook. You can report suspicious activity, or let people know when you'll be on vacation. Most people prefer to connect by email anyway (less intrusive and time consuming than making phone calls) so I think your neighbors would like it. Of course I guess this would only be a good idea if you actually trust your neighbors, which hopefully, most of us do.
And as far as the incident you described? Yes, call the police non emergency line and report it. This is one of the ways crimes are solved and criminals are arrested, by tips from the public.
And by all means, let your neighbors know too. Even if it's nothing it's better for everyone to keep their eyes open a little wider.

A neighborhood watch program essentially encourages folks to report suspicious behavior. I would have called the police non-emergency line and reported this man and his vehicle description (surprisingly the make & model are more important than the license number).

I would also be sure to alert the neighbors, as it can only increase their awareness and help keep everyone more safe.

May I suggest you taking over as neighborhood watch coordinator, or encourage a neighbor to do it?

Police will always want to help prevent a crime than respond to one. Please trust your instincts. Many women don't want to be labeled as insecure or crazy and end up victims. You did the right thing asking your husband to escort you and him making his presence known.

Wishing you a safe and happy neighborhood!

It sounds to me like someone (probably a teenager) who was visiting one of your neighbors. He was probably texting someone on his smart phone. He saw your husband and decided to be obnoxious and blast his way out of your neighborhood. It might be worth bringing it up to your neigbhors and asking if it was one of their friends. That would also serve to alert them of some idiot speeding in your neighborhood.

Next time, get his license plate number :-)

If you think it's weird, call the police station's non emergency line and mention it to them. You might also tell the neighbors, especially any that live alone. I've been honest when I didn't see them DO anything but saw something weird, like walking behind my neighbor's house after she didn't open the door. They came and checked it out and took my statement. They found some tree trimmer flyers on other doors, but it could have been a cover. They asked me to call back if I saw anything else.

Hi, 2:

How come you and your husband didn't go up and
ask him what he was doing there?
Just want to know.
D.