Was she setting me up?

You were probably being cased. Similar thing happened to me -- someone needing to use the phone. Four weeks ago, my home was broken into and the only thing stolen was the guns in my home.

I can count on one hand the number of people who have been to my home in the last 3 years, and I live in a VERY out of the way place. You have to know what you were after to get in.... plus, it was obvious to the investigators that the perp had an understanding of where to go inside the home to get what he wanted.

It really lets you get an understanding of how your home can be at risk when you are at work. I have ideas of how to fortify a bit better, but it is a simple fact that if the perp has enough time and privacy (no neighbors and you at work) not much will stop them.

My basic rule is NO ONE will ever enter my home again for any reason.

John

The only thing I would have done different is have called the cops when she said her husband was trying to kill her. If she runs you know it is a setup and she might know the cops are on to her.

I agree with the "Call the cops" answer.

Her behavior was suspicious. The fact that she "Was standing at the slider" instead of knocking/ringing the bell is a red flag. She was casing your place and looking for a point of entry...sliders normally have the easiest lock to defeat unless the resident has added security devices.

I'd be willing to bet that during an interview with the local constabulary that their "reasonable suspicions" would be peaqued and her name/dob would get ran through NCIC with predictable results. Problem solved/averted. At a minimum, the contact with the cops would put her on notice that she was "skylined" and probably encourage her to seek greener pastures for her intended scheme.

I'd still call them and notify them. If she was casing your place and came up without a potential target, then she'll be casing your neighbors as well.

You were owned. Your first action on seeing her shouod have been a very quick cell phone to the police.

Possibilities:

(1) You were being "cased."
(2) You were going to be a victim of theft right there.
(3) The chick was goofy in the head and just wanted to use your phone.
(4) The girl was just plain nuts.

Good move to not let her in your house.

May be the number she called is still on your call history in your phone? If so call it a see who answers or do a reverse search.

The above situation is why I live behind a locked gate. The gate is a quarter mile from the house and also well down a posted private road.

IOW, ANYONE coming to my door is suspect and much more likely to be shot than listened too...

SSS...

May be the number she called is still on your call history in your phone? If so call it a see who answers or do a reverse search.

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I would do this RIGHT NOW. If the number isn't real get the cops on it ASAP.

Maybe she thought you were cute

Just kidding.

You were probably being cased. Did she make an effort to look into your house, or did she seem "distracted", not disturbed, but more like talking to you but looking else where? If so you were being set up.

My advise:

#1 sit down and think really hard and write down whatever comes to mind about her. Hair color, length, style, what she was wearing, height, weight, etc.
#2 call the police and tell them what happened.
#3 ask your neighbors if this happened to any of them.
#4 Reinforce locks, doors, windows, etc, (where possible).
#5 camouflage your safe if possible, if you don’t have a safe (or a RSC) now might be a good time to get one.
#6 keep your eyes open for anything out of the norm.
#7 if you have not already done this, do it now: take pictures of your guns and write down your serial numbers. Make copies and keep them in different places.


Be safe, and watch your “6”!

Also, whoever she called now has your cell phone number - this means they can phone you to see if you are at home.

I have a fence all around my home and when I have a delivery or repairman coming over many times they phone from the street because the gate is locked.

The person who has your number can now phone you and say something to get you to the front door - just to see if you are home - something like - this is the UPS guy I have a package for you - then when you say damn I'm not home he says I'll wait 10 minutes & you say no good I'm an hour away.

Now they know they have 1 hr to do what they want?

Definetly check that number out.

Well, no. Owned would have been being fooled into letting her in.

I agree with some of the above posters that calling 911 for her would have been the best bet. If she really needs the cops you've helped her out and maybe saved a life. If not, then she goes away.

I wouldn't worry TOO much about it, and calling a cell phone to see if someone is home is kinda pointless... most people take them along so they'll answer regardless. I've never been called by the UPS guy in my life... but I suppose they could try some sort of ruse.

I'd call the number she used just to see who answers. If I sounds fishy I'd file a report. Never know.

You were owned. Your first action on seeing her shouod have been a very quick cell phone to the police.

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Strangers don't get let in. Just ain't worth it.

In the future make the call to the cops yourself . I would never hand my property to some stranger at the door , what if they were simply a headcase and decided to keep it ?

I have a few simple litmus tests for things like this .

Does this persons story add up when I look at the whole situation ?

Do I really have the time to get involved ?

Do I need the hassle of getting involved ?

99% of the time one of the above answers will be NO , call the cops and let them sort it all out that's what they get paid for .

Call them tell them you have a total stranger at you door with a story of being threatened perhaps answer a few questions when they show up and politely tell them that is all you know or want to know and tell them you need to get back to minding your own business and go back in your home and close and lock the door .

I had close to this happen last year at 5:45 am around this time of year . Wife was getting ready for work and I was winding down watching TV about to go to bed since I work nights and had gotten home at 2:30 am . Hear the dog going nuts at the door and I toss on some sweats and grab a magnum and head for the living room . My middle son was up going to the john and had beat me to the door some black guy was at the door dressed like a scumbag without a coat in 25 degree temps asking to use our phone . Son had enough sense to talk to him through the door and not open it and told him no , he never gave a reason as to why he needed to make a call .

When I looked out the window I just caught a glimpse of him walking away in front of the neighbors home . I grabbed a coat and went out on the porch with the gun in my pocket and had given my son a 45 and told him to stay put in the living room . The guy must have heard my door and turned around to come back and ask once again I think the 4 inch 357 in my pocket must have been a bit obvious as he stopped when he got to the junction of my sidewalk and the public walk and seemed to be staring at my pocket .

He acted nervous and asked once again to use the phone and I told him no and offered to call the cops if he needed them with that he suddenly didn't have a problem and scurried off down the street .

I walked the wife out to the car with the gun at 6:30 and saw him down the street headed up to a porch .

I went in and locked up the house and praised the dog for doing his job and went to bed with the magnum on the bedside table .

I was tired and didn't need to get involved and quite frankly if the neighbors can't protect themselves it isn't my problem . I can take care of my family hence the dog and guns and have no interest in playing super hero to a bunch of strangers who probably wouldn't appreciate my saving their lives anyway .

This isn't the 1950's and the police don't always do their job add that to the fact that they might Find some trumped up charge for me protecting my home and family and I don't want to deal with them unless I absolutely have to .

If this was recent you can probably assume that if they're gonna do anything its gonna be this weekend when you're most likely to be out. I would park my car where they cant see it, put the dog outside or whatever you usually do when you go out. Then I'd sit in a dark room for a few hours cuddling my
12ga and waiting. If it doesn't happen within the first 2 weeks following this incident, it probably won't happen. I have no research to back that, but it seems like what I would do.

You did right.

Do a reverse telephone search on the 'net through 411.com or other, better such providers (although cell numbers may not work, but do it anyway so you can say you tried), write up a narrative for law enforcement, including all desriptive elements like date, time, physical description of her and her clothing, etc.) as best as you can recall, the direction she left in, etc., sign it, make a copy of it, and file the original with law enforcement. If possible, have the person to whom you turn it in to date and time stamp both the original you file with law enforcement as well as the copy you keep for your records.

DOCUMENT, Document, and document all steps you take in doing the right thing. (and yes, IAAL, and it will prove helpful in the future if SHTF in the future, unless you foxtrot things up then.)

Nothing wrong with being helpful. Don't let them in, if they were poking around before they saw you then it is more suspicious. If it is obvious to someone that is not familiar with your home where the main entrance is and they were nowhere near it then it is suspicious. If however they were just trying to get help and you felt secure and capable of providing that help then great.
However someone, especialy a female that feels someone is going to kill them but does not want the police involved is suspicious to me. Yet the police cannot do much besides document it and investigate if a crime has not been obviously comitted. They also are just as likely to arrest someone/everyone at random for some domestic issue in such a situation and perhaps that is not what they want. Being arrested if they feel in danger might just give them less time to prepare a life change like moving out, or getting thier kids out of danger. It would be nice to think the police will come to the rescue, and if you are in the right or have nothing to hide the results will be favorable to you but that is not necessarily true.
Domestic issues will often involve lies on both sides(making police investigations tough), and domestic laws in many states might require arrest if they had to push past them to get out of the house, or have any physical altercation, as that would be domestic violence. Police are not allowed to even use discretion in some states if they hear any violence (even justified) took place, and are required to arrest and let it be sorted out in court. This is for both sides, even a man restraining an out of control wife to prevent her from harming herself or someone else must go to jail. Same with a wife that used any physical force to escape a dangerous husband. They have some unfair domestic violence laws in place many places that were designed to stop and identify those that could be involved in potential future dangers before they happen, but as any law attempting to apply consequences for something that has not happened, it's application is not necessarily just. So not wanting the police involved is suspicious but not a certain indication it was untrue. In fact if I was a woman with kids wanting to escape a dangerous husband I think calling the police and potentialy having lies/circumstances send us both to jail (to both get out around similar times) and the kids put in someone elses care might be more harmful to accomplishing the goal of everyone relocating safely, than just taking action and being in a better, safer location and situation to deal with the legal aspects from. So her relocating to her mother's and dealing with the legal issues from there could actualy have more favorable results than involving the police earlier on.

To be the kind of person you want to be requires some decisions in life. If you were armed, it was one lone individual that did not pose a physical threat, and you remained alert, it is your decision if you think doing the right/helpful thing outweighed the potential threat. Though it all depends on the situation, and the location of your home. Calling the police, shooing them away, helping them make a call without gaining any new details about your home , etc are all proper choices and only you can make them when it is your security.

If you weren't being set up, keep an eye on the news. If there are any reports of female Homicide or Missing persons, you might have the clue and... evidence on your phone.

Not to jack the thread...I typically open carry when in my house. When you answer the door do you guys tend to hide the fact that you are armed, or view it as a deterent to a would be thief?

Not to jack the thread...I typically open carry when in my house. When you answer the door do you guys tend to hide the fact that you are armed, or view it as a deterent to a would be thief?

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If I have it on, I have it on my right hip. My door knob is on the left as you face the door and the door opens in. If it's someone I'm not expecting, then I simply crack the door and lean out into the small opening and greet them. This keeps the majority of your body behind the door and a better chance to draw uninhibited and unseen.

If it's not on, then it's already in my right hand and ready.

Although I'm not the original poster of this thread, I would like to thank everyone for bringing up some very good points. I've had people come to my door in the past asking to use the phone. All sorts of excuses: Broken down. Out of gas. Lost. etc.

I never let them in the house. But I do allow them to use my HOME phone (cordless) from my front porch. This WOULD allow a thief, on the day of the event, to case the place to check for absence of common vehicles and then call the HOME phone to see if anyone answers. From now on, the person can use my mobile phone to call for assistance. It's a great point that I've never considered. Thanks guys.

I agree with everyone else. Seems like you've been cased. I hope everything turns out ok!

If your cel has a camera, take her picture and pretend you goofed something up on the phone, then call the cops... They may know her from the picture.

When you answer the door do you guys tend to hide the fact that you are armed,

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No, but most people don't notice anyhow.

or view it as a deterent to a would be thief?

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No. I've no way to know if it's a deterrent ("Don't mess with this guy!") or an attractant ("Let's wait for him to go shopping... he's got guns to steal!").

MD_Willington said:

If your cel has a camera, take her picture and pretend you goofed something up on the phone, then call the cops... They may know her from the picture.

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You just gave me a great idea! Keep a camera near your door. When ANYBODY you don't know come to the door, just pop out all excited and say "I'm a professonal photographer and I just LOVE to take impromptu shots of people. <click> Do you mind if I take you picture? <click>" Even if they answer no, you've already got the shots. If they're legit, they'll just look at you like your a bit looney. If not, they'll panic and RUN!

What made me think of this? I've had my camera sitting on the table next to my door for a few months now, and my wife keeps telling me "would you please put that away?" Now I have a reason not to!

I dunno ... we live way out in the country (40 acre plus lots) and I tend to be suspicious yet helpful. Maybe that's bad, but I am always armed at home, and there normally wouldn't be any sign of guns (other than the one I am wearing) just letting somebody step in. When they see all the clutter and worn out linoleum and carpet I would imagine they would think that they had found a pretty poor house to rob - not to mention three dogs barking their heads off.

We've had a couple people come to our door for help since we live within sight of the county road. Once was a couple with a flat tire that I let use the phone out on the deck (I was open carrying that day ) and another time was a HS kid who ran off the road up around the corner. Turns out he was a friend of a friend of ours, and he waited inside the warmth of the house until someone came to pick him up.

Up until about a year ago, we had a very undesirable neighbor. In fact, while he and his buddies were still around, I wouldn't have been at all surprised to have a genuine damsel in distress show up at my door at any time of day or night.