I think my home possibly got probed for burglary or a home invasion...

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I'm going to disagree with ColtPythonElite and that you were definitely being probed. First, never let someone in your house. And for free carpet cleaning? Really? Nothing is free and HOA usually don't do stuff like that - or at least I've never heard of it. A lot of criminals use women because they are more likely to be trusted and more likely to be let in to look around, especially by men. Call the HOA and find out if it was legit or not. You failed so many tests on this one so learn from it and don't let it happen again. If someone says they are part of the HOA, ask them names, who they know on the association, what's the name of it, when do they meet, where do they meet, what was talked about at the last meeting, what are some of the main goals of the HOA, etc. From asking those kinds of questions and based on how they answer, you'll know if they are legit or not. Don't be quick to accept something as truth and always challenge it. It will help you smell out trouble. Another thing you can do is ask for photo ID. If they are a (potential) criminal, they definitely aren't going to want to show you their name and other information that may be on the ID card, e.g. address. And it must be photo ID so you can verify that it is their ID and not fake or someone else's.
 
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And for free carpet cleaning? Really? Nothing is free and HOA usually don't do stuff like that - or at least I've never heard of it.
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Really? It's not that uncommon of a sales trick/scam:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/bbbconsume...ree-carpet-cleaning-may-not-be-what-it-seems/
http://www.cockeyed.com/citizen/kirby/kirby.html
http://paintermommy.com/kirby-vacuums
http://kirby.pissedconsumer.com/if-...s-to-free-carpet-cleaning-20100920199229.html
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=390167
http://www.complaints.com/2010/february/14/Kirby_Vacuum_Sales_Scam_227463.htm

This may not have been the OP's case, but it certainly happens all the time.
 
Jorg said:
Really? It's not that uncommon of a sales trick/scam:...
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That's my point. Nothing is free, hence a trick/scam...

edit: While it's not an uncommon trick, it IS uncommon for the HOA to be doing this. I've never heard of it or read of it, or known of anyone whose HOA sponsored/permitted such a thing. Possible? Yes. Common? Hell no. Let's be real here.
 
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I've been thinking about this. Here are a few observations. The woman did not have a business card. That's unusual but not unheard of. She had no sales literature. Again, unusual but not unheard of. While she only had one sample, it's conceivable that she had more in her car. She came inside to look at the carpet and apparently that's just what she did. She didn't ask to use the phone, the bathroom, or ask for some water. You said you had no use for the service and she immediately left, taking her sample with her. To assume she left because she correctly identified a concealed gun and recognized a rectangular object on the table as an AR mag would make Sir William of Occam say 'now that's what I'm talking about.'. On the balance, I think she was what you saw: a lazy, ill-prepared sales person.
 
It sounds like you were being cased to me. The HOA is no more likely to be doing carpet cleaning than the fire department.

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OK, maybe I was being a little hyperbolic re: making them illegal. I'm serious when I say there's no call for door to door sales, though. In this day and age, I don't want people on my property, AT ALL, unless I know who they are, what their business is, and there's been an appointment made for them to come out. In other words, I only want people on my doorstep that I called and asked to come. 99% of the time it's the guy asking if I want my driveway sealed (no thanks, it's just fine like it is) or the guys selling steaks (really? Mystery meats. Mmmmmm...), with an occasional lawn service or tree guy mixed in there.

And maybe "rude" was the wrong word. "Short" or "brusque" would be better. "No thanks," is about as far as it goes.
 
don't let strangers into your house. Did anyone else report this person or is that stuff kept confidential?

For the next few weeks, try not to leave your house empty. No cars in the driveway is a sign that you are not home.
 
I never let stangers in and I just talk to them through the lockeded front door. My routine response is this.
1. Who are YOU! ( BE short and BLUNT!)
2. Well I am not interested in buying etc. ( Be harsh and Louder)
3. Get lost before I call the cops. ( Make this your final answer then call the COPS!!!!!
While doing this I have the wife write down their car and licence plate and a good discriptions so we can call the non emergency or 911 and give an accurate report.

PS if my radar goes off I use my cell and take their picture through my Bullfrog Peephole.
 
I don't even go to the door unless I am expecting someone. I can sneak out the back door if needed.

Co-worker had a sign on his door: "If you are rude enough to show up without calling first, I am rude enough to not answer the door"

He was exactly that rude.
 
Shortly after moving in to my current townhouse, a very attractive young lady came by unannounced and asked me if I was settling in well to my new place. I assumed that she was with property management and invited her in. She began to pitch me an alternate electrical service carrier, and I turned her around, simultaneously impressed at her smooth-talk and kicking myself for buying it so quickly.

Unless I expect you....I don't answer the door......if you don't like that you can lodge a complaint with our 4yr. old male 98lb. GS......he'll be to give you his undivided attention.
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They make bulletproof dogs now? You've got to let me know where to get one!
 
Good dogs are not bullet proof but they are also not afraid of bullets.

They are there to buy you time and cause a rucus. Ask a LEO how easy it is to one shot stop a large breed.

I am not as nimble as I used to be so you get to deal with four of my fuzzy friends while I get a ''bead'' on things.

This is their job to put it harshly. I love them like the rest of the family but they are sadly sacrafitial should the need arise.
 
She then asked if she could enter my home to "look to see what kind of carpet" I had. I (stupidly) allowed her to come in.
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Unless you were actually interested in the service, yeah, stupid move. Even if she is legit, now you have to get her out to go about your business.

She followed me to my living room and started making small talk, such as "When was the last time you have your carpet cleaned? Is there a lady of the house I could talk to? Is there anyone else home?" I advised that I only vacuum and I only live with a room mate.
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Do not volunteer information about your living arrangements to strangers. And if they ask, LIE. Example: "we're going to be back in the neighborhood tomorrow afternoon to drop off this free sample of (insert product). Will you be home to accept, or should we just leave it somewhere?" Your answer: "Yeah, someone is ALWAYS home" In my case, that would be a true statement, but I still said that when I did work away from home.

She then asked for the can of Febreeze back, because it was "the only one she had" at the moment and that she would return later than evening around 6:30pm to have people shampoo our carpet.................. She never showed up, nor did anyone else at 6:30pm.
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If she was legit (and I'm thinking pretty good chance she was based on the info you've provided), she probably deduced that you were not a good prospect.

I think she may have noticed my gun in my waistband printing a little bit, and seemed a bit frantic to exit my house.
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Some people are just that scared of guns.

This afternoon, I left my house to do some errands. As I'm leaving the neighborhood, I notice a red Ford Focus parked near the entrance to the neighborhood with an African American gentleman sitting in it just looking around. I double back around the other side of the neighborhood so I can end up behind the car, pull up behind the car and write down the tag number. At time, the car starts up and he drives away.
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Though others have jumped on you for the racial comment, fact is, profiling is a useful tool. If a person's race (or vehicle, manner of dress, etc) is out of place in your area and their behavior could be perceived as nefarious, you have good reason to pay closer attention to them. He may well have just been talking or looking something up on his phone, but if that was the case, there is no harm in what you did. You did not accost him; You simply took notice of him. If he was up to no good, being noticed probably did scare him off, and that's a good thing. Either way, you did nothing wrong.

As an aside: Overt surveillance cameras are a very useful deterrent during the probe. Even if the person probing won't be the criminal actor, they are an associate, and they know darn well that they'll be a person of interest in an investigation following a crime. The systems are cheap these days, and well worth having, IMO.
 
"I take issue with you assuming that the black person in the car on a public street was up to no good."

But not with the the blonde inside his home? The OP was IDing the driver of a car that was similar in color and make to what he saw earlier after the blonde left; AND the OP said the driver took off as soon as the OP pulled up behind him and started writing down the plate number.

Imho, NOT noting the race is as stupid as the media consistently not fully describing people wanted by the police for crimes, or consistently leaving out the political party of a certain class of politicians when they get caught with their pants down...

"It sounds like the same attitude that got the Martin kid killed."

Iirc, Martin was killed after he started bashing Zimmerman's head into the sidewalk.

"I would be watching for vans as they blend in better in the neighborhood and leave the race thing totally out of it."

WHITE guys in WHITE vans, for sure...

/sorry, couldn't resist.
 
You asked for our opinions, so here is mine.

My Red Alert would be flashing, if I were in your shoes.

The reason is, the number of strange things / coincidences has added up beyond a certain "threshold" level for me. Based on just my personal experience in life, when more than a few things don't feel right, it's better to play safe (and it has saved me several times from both minor things and also very serious dangers).

1) Cold-call offering free carpet shampoo? Sounds too good to be true (but might be OK in isolation; however it is not).

2) Took back the Febreeze or whatever she offered you. Why offer it in the first place? Weird.

3) Nobody showed up at the time when she said they would. No follow up phone call, etc.

4) Strange car in neighborhood (OK in isolation, but weird thing was it just happened to pull away the exact moment you were approaching to get the plates).

Some things I read further into your description (maybe just my imagination, but my imagination is also how I figure things out sometimes and play it safe just to be sure):

Why ask about a lady of the house? Is the lady of the house the actual intended victim as leverage at knifepoint? Casing how many other people living in the house? Will a lady of the house be at home in the afternoon while the husband is away? Etc.

Was the red car she was in about the same kind of car as the suspicious one you saw? Same size at least?

You haven't actually done anything RASH yet. You just reported the suspicious stuff to the police, and asked people's opinions here. So, I don't see why you need to be worried you are concerned. IMHO the concern is valid.

I would see about some security cameras. If you are friendly with neighbors, maybe you should ask and warn them also.
 
I have made it a policy that we do not let anyone into our home for any reason. This has made it a bit difficult when someone whom we are not quite sure of wants to come into our home on a "friend" basis, when they are really not quite our "friend" yet.

Yes, your joint may have been cased, however, it is just one more reason to be vigilant in gaurding your home.

Make this a lesson to not ever allow strangers into your home.
Period.
No exception.:cuss:
 
Oh, one other thing.
I NEVER accept ANYTHING FOR FREE!:uhoh::eek:
I don't care if they are offering me dog food, steaks, a free vacation, a new car, WHATEVER, NO THANKS, I AM NOT INTERESTED.:cuss:

If they continue to PUSH, I have been known to respond "Do YOU NOT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER?":rolleyes::neener::cuss:

Same thing with telemarketers and telephone surveys. If I say hello and no one is on the other end of the phone the instant I say hello, I immediately hang up the phone. If the caller ID has some 860 area code, or any other that I am NOT EXPECTING A CALL FROM, I do not answer, or I pick up and drop the receiver right back down to hang up on them. I have also played with them, pretending I cannot hear them, or telling them to wait a moment while I go and get the person, put the phone on the desk and go about my day until I hear the loud noise indicating the other party has finally hung up.:confused:

If someone is at my front door, with anything from roof work or anything else to sell, I am extremely COLD with them and extremely RUDE to them. They are bothering my day, they are making me come to my front door, they are trying to get their foot in the door, and the WORST thing I could do is answer their first question. I do not answer questions, it is also no one's business how many people live here, what I do for work, when we are home, etc. I am always home, I work from home. "DO NOT BOTHER COMING BACK, EVER.":barf:

I suppose I could add "have a nice life. Bye now!":cuss::fire::banghead:
:D
 
I think the days of door to door sales are over. My wife leases part of her office building to a Kirby dealer. They do the training and send the salesmen out in a large van to canvass neighborhoods. I've had several discussions with the owner of the franchise. He's been in the business for decades and refuses to believe times have changed. About once every two weeks on average his crew will get stopped and questioned by LEO. He even had one young salesman block a door with his foot when the homeowner refused to let him inside. That didn't end well for the business.

I had an incident a couple of years ago where a guy showed up at the house trying to sell steaks (you know the deal). While I answered the front door his partner went around back. It got very tense around here for a few minutes but those two left our neighborhood with a clear understanding of where NOT to do something like that.
 
I moved into an area with a lot of retirees. Seemed like we had sales(?) folk and religious evangilists at our front door about 4 times a week. Those trying to convert us were here again and again. I made up a sign;

NO SOLICITING
WE BUY MEAT AT THE MARKET
MAGAZINES BY MAIL
HOME REPAIR FROM LICENSED CONTRACTORS
WE ARE FIRM IN OUR RELIGION AND FAITH

Two days later, two ladies hauling along bibles, literature and a little girl cursed me and said I was dammed and would go to hell. The Fed Ex guy drove up with a delivery at the same time and got to laughing so hard he had trouble standing. He asked for and got one of my signs. The ladies left furious and tramped up and down my street telling every one they could find we were godless. Within two weeks half a dozen neighbors asked if I had another sign. About that time, at the end of the street, we had an ugly daytime break in when a door was opened to the wrong person. Folks across the street who had been a little upset with me and my sign, started a neighborhood watch. On my street, 65 homes, there are over 40 of my signs. We don't have near as many uninvited bell ringers. Seems we have eliminated a lot of the shysters and the most rabid of the evangilists.
Let me add, I answer the door armed with a CCW BUG. Maybe I am paranoid, but since that day time breakin, I am not the only one.

blindhari
 
I will admit that I have done this samething with a gentleman that was cleaning carpets. I allowed him access to my home (LIKE AN IDIOT) and when he left I had that "what the hell did I just do" moment. I then got in my truck and drove around the block to see if I could find him and could not. I did however find a person who was also going door to door and I got out and confronted him. Come to find out that they were indeed a carpet cleaning company that would clean a section of your house with the intention of selling you the service to clean the rest of it.

The sad thing is I've been a cop for 13 yrs and I've always told my family and friends to do the complete OPPOSITE of what I just did. Go figure. :rolleyes:
 
ChCx2744 - I had another thought. Do you "look" like a cop? Maybe she saw your carry weapon and thought, Oh, this guy is a cop. And took back the Frebreeze because her prints are on it. Anyway like I said, this is all just conjecture, but that is what our brains are for. It was just weird she took it back especially since she told you "they" are offering free air fresheners, and then all the other weird stuff.
 
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