In the middle of the day, asking questions about every vehicle you see, asking if you can trim my trees, that you can't see need trimming from the street. "i'm just looking for little jobs". Really? My neighborhood has one way in, one way out. No through streets to other subdivisions, you didn't accidentally end up here. So take you and your neck "Mara" tattoo back to your silver Acura Va. lp VXW-5562, and go apply for a job. The economy is booming, you can probably find work. I could be wrong, but I more think you are casing our 'hood.

Seems pretty fishy alright. I think I would have called in a suspicious vehicle report. Might not do any good, but it’s something.

A popular scam in the '70's in downtown Reading Pennsylvania was Ghetto rats claiming to look for work in Doctors/Insurance/legal offices.

Ghetto bums were casing the building.

Yeah I had a guy do that to me about five years ago or so. I was home during the day because I worked nights at the time, and around noon on a Wednesday, the doorbell rang. Then he rang it again before I even got to it, which didn’t take long because it was a moderately sized townhouse. When I got to the door, I saw a scruffy looking white guy in shitty clothes. “What do you want?” Same spiel, just looking for any odd jobs. He actually got a little pushy about it, this through the closed door I never made a move to open, while now casually holding a .45 on him. I finally told him “I need you to leave, now. Good bye.”

He hung around for a second or two and then decided to bail. I was in the middle of the row of townhouses, and I don’t know which end he started at because nobody else was home. No plate number either because he parked around the corner on the main road. This was right around the time our vehicles started getting prowled and ransacked without any broken windows or setting off the alarms or anything like that. Look to your parked vehicles, OP.

I live in a large, historical home that I have spent a lot of time returning it to its original 1908 glory. As such, many people like to pull halfway up my driveway and get out of their cars to inspect the gardens, etc. I even caught one old broad in my sideyard trimming sprigs from a mature holly bush. Car was parked in my driveway and everything! Her response to my confrontation was classic self entitlement; "I've done it for years, nobody seemed to mind before".

To the chagrin of my bougie-ass neighbors, I have taken to sitting on my front porch in the evenings, Budweiser in hand, large hilbilly dog by my side. The dog knows to challenge intruders, but not leave the porch unless I give the command. The frequency of unwanted visitors has significantly decreased. Some of the "visitors" have definitely given me the vibe that they are casing the place.

When I lived in Dayton, a scumbag used to stop by when I was outside watering my posies. He would ask if I wanted to buy any yard care equipment. If you said yes, and told him what you needed, he would break into garages in the neighborhood and steal the item to sell it to you. I report the dude to DPD. He was a frequent flyer who had been arrested many times for this scam.

As someone who recently had $3000 worth of tools stolen from my garage I have upped my "get off my fucking property" game to new levels. What I defined as mildly annoying before is now completely unacceptable.

One of the favorite scams here is the palm tree trimmers who just happen to be in the area and will trim your tree for $25.00 then fall out of said tree and go after your homeowners policy

I think you are right on the money.

Years ago, a guy came into my pole barn where I had been working. When he pulled into the drive I came out to meet him and he walked right by me in the barn.
Got robbed later. He was the set up man.
Police let him off because he blabbed on the guy who did the robbery and the top guy....his cousin.

Yeah, you roll past the 4 "No Trespassing" signs on the long driveway without a viable reason and you are going to get a very curt greeting and told to never come back.

I live at the very end of a dead end road, with a drive about a quarter mile long and well marked with no trespassing signs. If you make it to my house, you're there on purpose. If you're not invited, I am known to be pretty short with intruders. I'm always armed when I'm home, and especially when answering the door if I'm not expecting anyone. I may be rude but I get the point across that I'm not someone to fuck with and they need to leave. Now.

Had a guy wandering around our house in Michigan two weeks ago. Our driveway is 800 feet long ; there's no way he accidentally drove past the open gate, warning firearms in use, and this property protected by S&W signs. He was mid-60s, neatly trimmed hair, clean shaven, wearing a horizontally striped golf shirt, khaki cargo shorts, loafers and socks. He claimed to be looking for a "lost dog" and knew the neighbor two houses down and her dogs all by name. I'm wise to him. Fortunately nothing has gone missing, yet.

On the other hand, I've had a garage broken into and two motorcycles, an outboard motor, all my riding and racing gear, and full rolling tool box stolen. I've had the Bravo I outdrive and heads, intake, etc. on the 454 MAG MPI, on my Formula boat stolen. My house was broken into and 20 guitars, 8 tube amplifiers, my stereo equipment, appliances, etc were cleaned out.

I'm a bit sensitive about people I don't know on my property. Alarm systems, security cameras, lights on all night. In case anybody wonders, the dog hasn't bitten anyone this week. I don't tell anybody about trips, vacations, etc. I don't talk to anybody about what I may or may not own; certainly not on the internet.

Just had this happen two days ago while pulling weeds out front. Cameras recorded the guy in a white box truck pull up to the house. There were at least two other guys crammed in the cab. Driver got out and asked if I needed the exterior of the house cleaned. I said no. My hairs on the back of my neck were tingling and didn't get a good feeling at all. Thankfully he left quickly. I will be keeping the video clip just in case. He did not stop at any other hoes in this end of the community. I was the only one and my garage door was up. I think I need one more camera on the garage now.

quote:

One of the favorite scams here is the palm tree trimmers who just happen to be in the area and will trim your tree for $25.00 then fall out of said tree and go after your homeowners policy

Ha! Brings back memories.

When I lived in Scottsdale we had three massive palms in our front yard. Those dudes would come around and we would negotiate with them. The best deal we ever got was $10 and six mixed beers that we had in our fridge for all three trees. We even made them pack all of the disgusting, pigeon shit covered trimmings into their POS Buick Century.

I think they never tried the scam because all five of us living in the house would sit outside, pop a few tops, and watch their every move.

 
Mostly the "trim you trees/clean up your yard guys" now just leave a business card in our mailbox, or wedged into the outside. They used to come up the driveway, but it is pretty intimidating to a stranger nowadays that our dogs' fencing goes right to the street and they are greeted by some large (but really very friendly) dogs with deep menacing barks, even though they're just alerting. The fencing extends up both sides of the 100 yard long driveway. Makes them wonder what would happen if they ventured up to the house. I do get approached in Ace or Tractor Supply when I'm buying obvious yard equipment/tools.
 

I really love my gate. I don't get visitors unless I want them. Unwanted visitors, well, the dogs are happy to "greet" them. (I haven't had any of the unwanted kind yet)

quote:

Originally posted by P226RN:
Just had this happen two days ago while pulling weeds out front. Cameras recorded the guy in a white box truck pull up to the house. There were at least two other guys crammed in the cab. Driver got out and asked if I needed the exterior of the house cleaned. I said no. My hairs on the back of my neck were tingling and didn't get a good feeling at all. Thankfully he left quickly. I will be keeping the video clip just in case. He did not stop at any other hoes in this end of the community. I was the only one and my garage door was up. I think I need one more camera on the garage now.

Proof read that.

Hope that wasn't a Freudian slip, Tara.

Whoops! Oh my gosh I am leaving that as is! That is funny. I am the worst typist! Hahahahahahahahah!

quote:

Originally posted by MRBTX:
In the middle of the day, asking questions about every vehicle you see, asking if you can trim my trees, that you can't see need trimming from the street. "i'm just looking for little jobs". Really? My neighborhood has one way in, one way out. No through streets to other subdivisions, you didn't accidentally end up here. So take you and your neck "Mara" tattoo back to your silver Acura Va. lp VXW-5562, and go apply for a job. The economy is booming, you can probably find work. I could be wrong, but I more think you are casing our 'hood.

I would call in a report on that.

Probably was high on something too. I dealt with a guy like this on a gun deal last year and my gut was telling me something was wrong. Especially with all the weird details about himself and the questions he was asking. These days I normally trust my gut. By a few details he gave me about himself over the phone I found out he was a felon and meth dealer/user. Luckily I found out before I went through with the transaction. I could also tell he was delaying things, waiting for it to get dark outside..