Did this guy want to rob me or am I just paranoid?

[skywalkrNCSU]

I get a knock on the door not too long ago and I decide for whatever reason to answer the door. I really should have just done nothing and ignored it but I didn't.

So I answer the door and immediately I wish I hadn't, it was a pretty shady looking guy. You know the type, dressed and his whole appearance was a little ghetto for lack of a better word.

I don't open the door very far and keep my left shoulder behind it just in case he tries to bust through and he starts talking telling me he is getting people to vote for him so he can win a contest. I ask him what he is talking about and he hands me a small piece of paper with a bunch of writing in a laminated sleeve. I quickly glance down and hand it back to him asking what it is. He tells me he can win a trip to Europe, asks me if I have been, asks me if I am a student and I tell him no to both.

He tells me that he just came from next door and he says, "yeah man those guys are crazy party guys, they say they don't smoke pot but they have a bong sticking out their window, have you seen that?" I say no and he says, "don't you want to see it" as if he was trying to get me to come out from behind the door so he could bum rush me. I tell him no and I think he gets the hint that I am not moving.

He then tells me to win all he needs to do is sell magazines and he tries to hand that paper back to me. As soon as he said sell magazines I handed it back and said no thanks and told him I was in a hurry and getting ready to go somewhere just trying to get him to leave (I am not going anywhere) and he tries to push his pitch again and I say nah man I'm good and he replies yeah you sound like it or something along those lines as he walks off and I shut and lock my door.

If his goal was to get into my apartment then I figure that handing me a piece of paper with a lot of writing on it was to get me to look down and read it so I would not be aware of what he was doing. Now I am all nervous about this guy coming back sometime when I am gone because I wasn't exactly friendly towards him and he seemed ticked off. Of course maybe he was actually trying to sell some magazines and I am just a little on edge.

Thoughts?

 

[Fred Fuller]

'Selling magazines' is a favorite scam for burglars looking for houses with no one home. But some people really do try to sell subscriptions door to door.

And some people just seem to be in need of mental health professionals... you never know who'll be knocking at your door. Pays to be careful. Sounds as if you were, at least to a degree. You might consider an intercom...

lpl

 

[skywalkrNCSU]

I should have just not been stupid and answered the door when I knew no one I know would be knocking. I live at an apartment complex and am moving in July so something like an intercom is out of the question and I literally might have had 4 knocks at my door since I moved here in October. I should have just sat near the door with my gun in hand waiting for him to leave.

 

[TimM]

You should answer the door. Burglars look for homes where nobody answers and takes it as a sign that it is okay to break in because they assume nobody is home.

I always look through the peep hole. If it someone that I don't know I tell them (through the closed door) that I am not interested. If they persist I tell them to leave or I am calling the police.

 

[Jon_Snow]

FWIW, back in college I had high school students come by about twice a year to try and sell me magazine subscriptions so they could 'win a trip to Europe'. I never got a bad vibe from any of them, but you never know. Of course, this guy could have just been imitating them as Lee mentioned. You can never be too careful.

 

[Rockwell1]

I should have just not been stupid and answered the door when I knew no one I know would be knocking

I've said this before but, I've never answered a door to a stranger and had it turn out good. That's not to say that I've ever been robbed, but it's always been some kind of a pitch that I really don't want to hear. Now I simply don't open the door

 

[Cannonball888]

We get solicitors once in a while but never sending up red flags like yours. We once got a strange female at our house door asking if she could come inside and use our bathroom. Now that was sketchy since we are not the first house coming into our subdivision and there are also plenty of bushes and wooded areas around.

 

[sm]

Lee nailed it.

This type of ploy is going to get worse. One would be wise to carry concealed about the house and property.

Another is folks wearing "uniforms" and "badges" and being about neighborhoods to see whom is whom, what their schedules are and casing them.

This is why I hate this "uniforms/badges" will make you safe nonsense. Thrift Stores have uniforms, Office Supply places have "badge" making items and lanyards, retractable pin on badges, etc.
Add a clipboard, and one can case a neighborhood so easy, and provide lookout for criminals.

Cell Phones work for both criminals and law abiding.

In a legit work, I have used strategy and tactics to get things done.
i.e.
Food Delivery "get up" to get something to a undercover cop in a house with criminals.

Knocked on the door, which had a chain , and I know the criminals had guns, and I know one had to be aimed at me through that door.
Delivered the nice take out food and even got a nice tip from the criminals.

Yes, I was "casing" them from the time I approached where this place was, until I left the area.

Hint: That old fella messing with lawn mowers next door, was one lookout these criminals had.

Strategy & Tactics is not just something Law Abiding do. Criminals have been using S&T forever as well.

Truth is, criminals have more time, therefore have more hours invested in S&T than law abiding.

Some models of criminals have more actual hours of "training" and "practiced application" of S&T than law abiding as well.


The earlier a person can pick up on a signal, the more "distance" they have.
Distance means time, as well as inches, feet, and yards...

 

[WardenWolf]

You should always answer the door, but you should not open it unless you know the person. If you don't answer the door, the person may assume no one is home and break in. Or, if it's a delivery person with a package you have to sign for, they only wait about 10 seconds before they walk off with your package. I had to practically beat this in to my braindead mother who still quietly tiptoes to the door at a snail's pace, taking at least 30 seconds to get there. There is NOTHING to be gained from not answering the door, and plenty to lose. Period.

This person was probably trying to get you to take your hands off the door when he handed it to you and look away so he could bum rush his way in. I agree that he was probably trying to rob you. People like that are a condition orange threat, so to speak. The proper response is to ask them to leave it by the front door and you will collect it later, then watch for them to walk away through the peephole.

 

[kyo]

don't come to the door without the self defense.

 

[quatin]

I get this alot at my condo complex. I chatted with a couple and then just stopped answering the door. They solicit magazine subscriptions and some say there's a trip to Europe prize if they sell a target goal. Most are high school kids or "hoodish" young guys, because I can't imagine the pay being high (they probably sucker in these kids with the "You can win a trip to Europe!" routine). They are chatty because it's a marketing strategy. You get someone to open up by talking about sports, hobbies or their life and they are more likely to buy something from you.

If his goal was to get into my apartment then I figure that handing me a piece of paper with a lot of writing on it was to get me to look down and read it so I would not be aware of what he was doing.

This is also a face to face marketing strategy. It's hard to convince someone to buy something from you just by talking to them so you need a prop of some kind. If you can get something into their hands they will look at it. If I just started giving a 5 minute pitch about magazines you will likely zone out, but if I gave you a paper with a list of subscriptions you have something to focus on while I talk.

 

[Arcticfox]

If you don't have a peep hole, ask "who is it?" through the closed door. If they are selling you something, simply respond, "no thanks." That will be the end of it. I learned that when I had a similar experience with a deviant type person one evening.

 

[Cannonball888]

It's hard to convince someone to buy something from you just by talking to them so you need a prop of some kind.

But not with "your neighbor has a bong hanging outside his window. Why don't you step outside and see it?"

 

[dasmi]

Had a couple guys roaming around my neighbor hood selling home security systems. They seemed a little off to me, so after they left my porch, I walked over to the old lady next door, and she said she got the same vibe from them. So I called the Sheriff. He picked them up a few blocks away. Turns out they were legit, just not very good at what they do. Sheriff told them perhaps out neighborhood isn't the best one to be selling in right now. People are on edge from the recent home invasions.

 

[YammyMonkey]

Since I moved into my house a while back I really started appreciating the steel security door that covers my wood front door. It’s one of the iron bar with glass or screen insert deals. It’s very nice to be able to open the door & assess the whole situation while keeping someone else on the other side of a couple locks.

How much can you really see from your peep hole?

I would vote for paranoid on the original post, but you never can tell. I had one of those magazine sales people tell me her goal in life was to be in a girls gone wild video.

 

[quatin]

But not with "your neighbor has a bong hanging outside his window. Why don't you step outside and see it?"

The subscription list is the prop. Talking about his neighbor is inducing small talk.

 

[gwillys]

heres where i live. the property is alarmed & posted. i carry all day. if anyone knocks on my door, it's them that has a problem. i've sent a few off looking for a change of drawers.

 

[AlexIT]

At my place we have a security door. It is all steel and screen-like with perforation to allow air through so I am able to see and talk to someone while the door is locked and the perforation makes it difficult to see into the house. So I can see them, they cannot see me.

 

[Gypsy Pilot]

I had a student stop by one evening trying to sell magazine subscriptions for a chance to win a trip to Europe. When she got pushy I asked if she had any of my favorite aviation magazines for sale (ones that are membership only, ) and she had to say no. She became downright rude after that and I told her to have a nice night and then closed the door. I didn't classify her as a threat. The bong comment was a little out of the norm though...shifty

 

[Zundfolge]

Around here there's some organization that gets "disadvantaged inner city youths" to sell magazine subscriptions door to door as a means of "keeping them out of gangs and drugs".

So a lot of the kids they hire aren't really all that professional in appearance or demeanor. Asking you if you wanted to come out to see the bong could have been a means of keeping you engaged in conversation so he could get you to buy magazines, OR rob you ... I think you handled it properly (even if he was just selling magazines ... if he's not going to develop a more professional persona he needs to fail so he can learn).

 

[rrruuunnn]

I lived in a small college town. One of those salemen knocked on my door. She was selling magazines.

You have to ask why these people can't get a regular job.

 

[Cannonball888]

she became downright rude after that and I told her to have a nice night and then closed the door.

I actuall had a little JD cuss me out after I said I wasn't interested. As if cussing me out or being rude is going to make me change my mind and buy whatever they're selling

 

[06]

With home invasions on the rise we have adopted a "no open door" policy. We live is a rural area with a long circular drive and if we do not know someone they do not get an open door. We roll out the kitchen window which faces the front door with phone in hand and ask them what they want. My wife/children have standing orders to never open to strangers. When I am there I go with gun in hand and if in any doubt the hammer is back. I am in business and we often get people coming to check on prices for jobs/etc. I make no apologies when they see gun in hand and often folks say they are glad to see people be cautious. It is our home and one should be safe there. wc

 

[Hungry Seagull]

Losing alot of posts to the moderators lately.. but we also adopt a no open door.

nuff said.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

In college I had a magazine sales man try to push the door open and come in on me. I was 6'-3" 250+ lbs. I put both hands on his chest, pushed hard, slammed the door 1" from his face.

He really was selling magazines.....but that little maneuver really got me p'od.