Can you call and report a suspicious car?

Luvmy2sons

Is that dumb?? About 2 hours ago a car flew up our street, about 70 mph (we live in a neighborhood, 25 speed limit). Turned around, and came back and parked in front of my neighbors house. The person sat in the car for a bit, then got out and walked away. Like away, away. Not into someone's house. Should I call the police?? Person hasn't returned yet, and the car is still there.

twirlerbride

I would call and have called when weird things happen in my neighborhood.  Better to be safe than sorry.

AmyJoy728

I would. They may not come very quickly though.

DragonflyBelle

Probably a bait car...or undercover officer.

gisa886

DragonflyBelle:

Probably a bait car...or undercover officer.

I'm guessing someome from the Italian Mob left it there. It is probably full of guns and pizza

ImThisBabysMom

Do you live in the city? The suburbs? Known mob area? Pleasant little housing community?

SteelCity44

If you knew the crap that old people "reported" on a daily basis, you wouldn't feel silly reporting something like this. It could be absolutely nothing, but I bet it will make you feel better to call.

Ximena M

The police would rather look into a suspicious thing and it be nothing than have to investigate a crime.

Patella1129

Ximena M:

The police would rather look into a suspicious thing and it be nothing than have to investigate a crime.

I agree with this.  We have an annual Community Crime Watch meeting for our HOA and the police officers that come always say this.  If you think something is off, then call. 

Annie234567

In my neighborhood, people call the cops when kids ring their doorbells and run, so I say go for it.  But call the local police department, not 911.

katcarls

SteelCity44:

If you knew the crap that old people "reported" on a daily basis, you wouldn't feel silly reporting something like this. It could be absolutely nothing, but I bet it will make you feel better to call.

I'd like to hear some of these stories.

kkfeb04

I have called the cops before.  For a while there was a car with a blonde girl in it that would park (but leave the car on) for about 45 minutes and then a guy would walk from who knows where (was definitely not from our neighborhood--not to be mean or stereotype people but all the neighbors know everyone and typically when I'm home from work I get a call from a (middle-aged) woman asking if everything is okay).  He looked like he walked from the main road and we are a few roads in from the main road and then they would take off.  They did this constantly for about 4-5 months.  DH has said that it's probably an affair or he needed to get away from his baby mama.  I had called before because it was suspicious and I know others have called before.  She did eventually stop coming down our road because the cops would patrol the street.  It helped that we are two blocks from the police station/borough building and that we live in front of the borough maintenance building that the cops typically are at a few times a night.

lotus88

I'm curious about the outcome. Update us.

huahualove

I reported a suspicious car once that kept showing up in my neighborhood and the guy would sit in his car. He ended up being a private detective that someone hired to spy on a person who lived a few houses down but I felt better knowing what he was doing.

sweetdreams2000

I would call, especially if that kind of behavior/traffic isn't normal.  My neighbor ended up doing this for a car that behaved similarly to what you saw, and it turnedu it the guy used it to scope the neighborhood before robbing several houses in the area.  Take a pic/get the license plate of the car if you can too. . .

Edit - I would report it via 311 though, unless the guy is still wandering around somewhere.  They may transfer you to 911 if they deem it an emergency.

Luvmy2sons

So here's my update. I consulted a friend of mine who is a cop. He said to inconspicouously walk the dog, get the tag numbers, and anythign else I can on the car. Then send them to him. He'll run the plates, etc. The car sat there for about 4 hours before the person came back. It was definitely a younger person, maybe late teens/early 20's. I have no idea where he walked, when I walked my dog I coudln't find him. But when he came back, he had a "friend" in another car, and they both sped off and haven't returned. FWIW I live in a VERY quiet little neighborhood in suburbia. Think like Desperate Housewives neighborhood quiet. Though their neighborhood isn't that quiet I suppose, but I mean the houses/styles, little white picket fences. That's us. So something like this going on is pretty un-normal. And our neighborhood is loaded with young kids on bikes, people walking babies and dogs, etc. When this kid sped up my street there was a group of kids on their bikes at the corner. One wrong move and he would have killed one of them. When people do that, the neighbors usually yell at the cars, "SLOW DOWN!!" etc. That's how little of a hood we live in.