I'm kind of freaked the eff out

BPer · February 2013

So at 1am today, I woke up to the sound of a doorbell. I thought that I might have been dreaming, but got out of bed because I had to pee anyway.

When I walked out of our bedroom, our dog was sitting on the top landing of our steps, staring down at the front door. I tip toed into the guest bedroom so that I could peer out the blinds, and there was no car in the driveway.

At this point, I went in and woke H up, telling him that someone had rang the doorbell, and that Lucy was staring at the door. We live out in the country a bit, and the only other time anyone has come to our door past 8pm was when a guy had broken into every car on our street.

He got up, grabbed his handgun, and went to the door, and then did a check of the house. He came back to bed, and told me that I must have been dreaming, I'm assuming because he knew there was little chance of me going back to bed.

So I just get off the phone with him, and he tells me that in actuality, when he went to the door, Lucy ran out behind him, and was sniffing the landing and the steps like crazy, which she does any time anyone other than us has come to the door.

So, pretty much every home invasion I've ever seen on crime shows, or that I've heard of IRL begins in a similar way. And I'm scared shiitless.

So basically, any possible entrance to the house has been dead-bolted all day, and I'm kind of afraid to leave for fear I'll come home to someone in the house. No real point to this post other than to state that I am freaked out.

Salleybelle · February 2013

EEK! I would be scared too!!!

PenelopePond · February 2013

Oh gosh, I would be too! I always "arm" myself with silly things like bleach spray or bug spray when I'm feeling freaked out (no guns in our house). I hope nothing happens! I'd probably leave and hangout somewhere until DH was home.

danabsd · February 2013

I'm sorry, I've been there. I'm a natural worry wart, I've been robbed and I watch to much crime TV.
When I start to get worried/anxious I always remind myself. 1. The dog will alert me that someone is approaching long before they get there so i van take acation 2. It is so rare that when I am home in the middle of the day someone is going to try to break in and if they do when I am not home things are just things and are replaceable. Often with nicer things.

BPer · February 2013

LoisLane23:
I'm not trying to downplay your fear, but a burglar doesn't typically ring the doorbell.

We had a series of home invasions roughly a year ago where two men would ring the doorbell, and step out of the line of vision, and when the homeowner came to the door, and stuck their head out to see if anyone was around, they charged them, gaining access to the house.

kdsmith43 · February 2013

AndreaR1983:
I always "arm" myself with silly things like bleach spray or bug spray when I'm feeling freaked out .

/dead

Holly_1007 · February 2013

yikes. I would be scared too

mamaHippo23 · February 2013

LoisLane23:
I'm not trying to downplay your fear, but a burglar doesn't typically ring the doorbell.

Haha, good point! Sounds more like kids messing around or someone just being crazy/ rude. But still, that would definitely put me on edge and freaked out if anyone was sneaking around being creepy.

willy_gert · February 2013

I am sorry you are freaked out! We had a similar occurence in our old rental house. DH went downstairs and could "feel" someone else down there. (It was pitch black) He called PD and they came and did a sweep of our house and there wasn't anyone. Anyway, we found out the next day that a guy had been prowling between our house and the next one and then robbed the house directly behind ours. You can always call the sheriff or PD and ask them to check your property! It is their job to protect you and most don't mind it, because it gives them a good excuse to draw their weapon and "have some fun" checking! (At least that is what the PD officers told DH!)

Anyway, you will be fine! I am sorry you are scared though!

melody921 · February 2013

Um, I'd be freaked out too. Definitely keep the doors locked. I'd see if neighbors got any 1 a.m. doorbell rings. Might not hurt to alert the cops if it happens again.

MeatballEsq · February 2013

Yikes that is scary. I agree that if you're going to leave, maybe do it later and come back when DH is home.

BPer · February 2013

LoisLane23:
jdunlop1:

LoisLane23:
I'm not trying to downplay your fear, but a burglar doesn't typically ring the doorbell.

We had a series of home invasions roughly a year ago where two men would ring the doorbell, and step out of the line of vision, and when the homeowner came to the door, and stuck their head out to see if anyone was around, they charged them, gaining access to the house.

Ok. But someone ringing your doorbell usually means they need help. IDK, I live in rural Iowa, so while my heart would be pounding, I'd flip the porch light on and see if I could see anything. In my experiences, it's usually someone that is lost, needs help, or is confused.

True, but if they truly needed help, wouldn't they ring the doorbell more than once? And possibly wait longer than 1-2 minutes for someone to answer in the middle of the night?

It's also unlikely that they were lost, because although we're not in a technical 'neighborhood/development' we are less than a mile from a main parkway.

We also don't live in a neighborhood with many kids that would be out at that point.

I'm more nervous because we've had contractors in and our of our house over the last few weeks, quoting this/looking at that, and H had some random guy stop by the other day who is apparently buying our hot tub. And, it's just me, DD, and our golden retriever here most of the time, and she's far from ferocious.

BPer · February 2013

LoisLane23:

I understand your concern and I'm not trying to downplay it, but you heard the doorbell and the dog smelling it confirms that. There are a lot of reasons besides malice for someone ringing the doorbell. Maybe he rang it, stood there for a second and wandered off. Or maybe he had the wrong house and meant to go to another one.

Yeah, I get it. I'd rather be on the safe side though. I should also mention that I am one of those people that sees a light flicker and convinces myself that the house is haunted. No exaggeration here, I read the obituaries every other day to see if the old woman who lived here before us has passed away for fear I'll end up with a haunting situation. So, paranoia may be playing a role here.

MarisaKathleen · February 2013

I would like to believe that anyone dumb enough to ring my doorbell at 1am would be bleeding or in need of some other form of medical attention and not trying to invade my home, or screw around. Seriously, I would cutabitch. My sweet, loving DH bought me a taser (seriously) over the summer, which is right by our front door, and I would not hesitate to tase the crap out of someone, then scream and wake up the whole neighborhood.

Also, why does everything seem way more scary at night? I'm 30 years old and I won't go in my (finished) basement at night if my DH isn't home. As if someone is going to be waiting in the basement in the dark to murder me.

Jams1002 · February 2013

LoisLane23:
I'm not trying to downplay your fear, but a burglar doesn't typically ring the doorbell.

Actually not true. Most of the 911 calls I've taken for home invasions/break ins, the burglars ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home or to get you to open the door so they can barge in.

Megroons · February 2013

jdunlop1:
LoisLane23:

I understand your concern and I'm not trying to downplay it, but you heard the doorbell and the dog smelling it confirms that. There are a lot of reasons besides malice for someone ringing the doorbell. Maybe he rang it, stood there for a second and wandered off. Or maybe he had the wrong house and meant to go to another one.

Yeah, I get it. I'd rather be on the safe side though. I should also mention that I am one of those people that sees a light flicker and convinces myself that the house is haunted. No exaggeration here, I read the obituaries every other day to see if the old woman who lived here before us has passed away for fear I'll end up with a haunting situation. So, paranoia may be playing a role here.

This is me! I thought I was the only weird one like this lol.

Jams1002 · February 2013

LoisLane23:
jaimenamie:
LoisLane23:
I'm not trying to downplay your fear, but a burglar doesn't typically ring the doorbell.
Actually not true. Most of the 911 calls I've taken for home invasions/break ins, the burglars ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home or to get you to open the door so they can barge in.

yes, because you call 911 if you are in the home. Most burglaries happen when they aren't home. People that burgle homes aren't typically violent offenders, they are thieves.If they were going for the person in the home, they'll just break the door.

Even those who aren't violent will typically ring the doorbell a LOT to make really sure no one is home before they break in. Many of the times, these types of calls are reported by neighbours who report offenders ringing on all the doorbells in the neighbourhood til they find an empty house.

JulesDiane · February 2013

Sometimes would be burglars ring the doorbell to see if anyone is home. They are looking for an empty house to rob. That is what they do around here during the middle of the day.

Edit: apparently I missed that someone else already mentioned this. Sorry!

hmp1 · February 2013

I hate feeling uneasy in my own home. I hope that feeling passes for you soon.

MarisaKathleen · February 2013

LoveLossHopeRepeat:
MarisaKathleen:

Also, why does everything seem way more scary at night? I'm 30 years old and I won't go in my (finished) basement at night if my DH isn't home. As if someone is going to be waiting in the basement in the dark to murder me.

I'm a total baby at night, too.

DH was out on Saturday night and I turned on the TV to catch up on DVR, but all I had left to watch was a bunch of episodes of The Following. I didn't watch it because DH wasn't home. I've freaked myself the eff out far too many times by watching crime-type shows when I'm home alone and then I'm too paranoid to sleep.

I cannot watch Criminal Minds if I'm home alone. Even though I'd be staring at the beautiful Shemar Moore, I can't do it. I just get too freaked.

LuvSD · February 2013

That is kinda creep. We had something similar happen to us once. When we were renting a house a couple of years ago there was a night where our dogs started barking around 3am. I just got up and told them both to be quiet, more liked yelled at them. I was tired Anyway, the next morning my DH asks me if I went outside for some reason that morning. I said no and asked him why. There was a dusting of snow on the ground and he could see foot steps to both our front and side doors to the house.

It was super creepy and I felt bad for yelling at the dogs because they were obviously barking at the person or persons that were at the doors. I never again yelled at them for barking in the middle of the night. I am a firm believer that dogs know when something isn't right.

Hyaline · February 2013

I'd be scared, too--nothing wrong with that! I agree w/ pp who said to check with neighbors to see if anything like that has happened to them. Maybe some local teenagers are having fun playing doorbell ditch.

mlf625 · February 2013

That is REALLY effing scary. I would've shiit.

FWIW, we had an attempted break-in when we lived in Austin. Happened just like that, but only at 1pm. I was home alone with baby DS, doorbell rang, I ignored it, rang again, I went for the phone, two seconds later two men were trying to bash my front door in. I screamed and they bolted. The responding officer said it's the oldest burglary trick in the book. I wouldn't doubt at all if someone was casing your house to see if anyone was home that time of day. I'd order an alarm system sign at very least (if you don't want to do the actual alarm). The officer said it's rare for random burglars to bother with a house with an alarm sign. He said it's far better than a dog, because even a protective dog can be thrown off with a hamburger or kick to the gut.

Anyway. That probably didn't calm your nerves, but better safe than sorry. It absolutely could've been someone at the wrong hour or whatever .... but use precautions.

angeleighhh · February 2013

omg I'd freak. be safe!

BeachBabe22 · February 2013

WOW! I'd be really scared. Our house was broken in at 6pm on a weeknight. We had lights on (I always leave them on for the dog when i'm out at night), an alarm sign in front of our house, and a car in the driveway. Luckily I wasn't home and the cops got there before the idiot got away but it's always scary to think about.

I'm glad you are all ok and nothing bad happened!

mimi_8607 · February 2013

The would scare me to. I'm always paranoid. I love the show The first 48. But I can watch it cause my mind wonders to much. I was more freely opening the door before Carter. Now for the most part I keep the blinds where people can see in closed. I also won't open the door unless I know who it is. We have hand guns and I know how to shoot them. So if I felt threatened I would get it and could protect us.

lindsay.lou · February 2013

I hate when the doorbell rings and I'm home alone with the boys. I never want to answer it, but what if I don't and then they think nobody is home and break in.

I don't really like when DH isn't home b/c we have no neighbors in yelling distance, and I always worry about my ability to protect myself AND the boys. Obviously I'm not fleeing the home without them, kwim?