Does this sound worrying to you?

[mog35]

Apologies in advance for length but I just wondered what people thought of this.

I live in a shared block of flats. Currently there are a couple of empty flats in the block, one of which is above me. The previous tenants were all elderly people in their 70s. To get in you have to be buzzed in if you're not a resident and don't have a key.

Last night about 9ish I was sitting in my living room listening to music and browsing the web. There's a bay window consisting of six panes. The top one nearest the front door was open. Suddenly I heard a tapping at the window, so I went out to the front door of the block to see who it was. Not expecting anyone, I thought it might be a friend turning up unexpectedly.

However, I was met with a young man, probably no more than about 20, possibly of Eastern European Roma origin, asking for someone called David. I explained there's no-one with that name living here and off he goes. I didn't think anything of it at the time - people occasionally turn up looking for old tenants who've been long gone.

This evening, after being in London all day, I got home about 7ish. One of the first things I did was open the same window to get some fresh air into the flat, and then I went into the bedroom to do some tidying up. Not long after this I heard a faint knocking sound, but thinking it was for the flat next to mine, ignored it and carried on. The knocking happened a bit more, then it became louder so clearly it was on my door.

I answered and was faced with a different young man of similar appearance, this time asking for someone called Emily. Again, no-one here by this name to my knowledge, which I explained. Without thinking, I suggested he go upstairs and try knocking on the other flats - probably not the best idea in hindsight, but he was already in communal hallway. Not sure how he got in to be honest - perhaps someone let him in as they were leaving, or maybe someone had left the hallway door on the latch and forgotten about it.

A few minutes later I had a look on the upper landings but he'd gone. However, I noticed the shared back door to the block which leads to the shared garden was propped open. It's always closed and bolted from the inside. Maybe this is how he'd got in?

Does this all smell a bit fishy to anyone else? Maybe it's nothing but I've had two strangers, who look like they might well be from a similar background, turn up in the space of two days asking for people who don't live here. God knows how the second one got in, and lo and behold the back door's wide open after he's gone.

I've reported it to the local police but of course as no crime has taken place there's no grounds to do anything. I just wanted some opinions really. The area I live in is slightly dodgy (but not too bad) and burglary rates are higher than normal round here, so maybe I'm being paranoid. What do you think?

 

[Arch]

No harm in being paranoid. You've probably done all you can, short of contacting all the other residents, and warning them to be extra careful about locking their own doors and communal ones.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I think you are right, it does sound fishy. As Arch said let the other tenants know what is going on and keep eyes and ears open. If the same people keep coming around maybe a PCSO could be assigned to visit your area on a regular basis.

 

[LosingFocus]

If it's not squatters I'll eat my BSO.

 

[mog35]

I'm going to have a word with the other residents tomorrow to let them know and ask them if they've seen anything dodgy or had any calls like this.

What I'm worried about at the moment is the fact that my job means I have to go to London a couple of times a week. This means I'm out from about 7am until 7pm. Other days I'll only be working nearby for a few hours in the morning, so that's not really a problem.

 

[Archie_tect]

Ensure the communal doors are kept locked and the rear one bolted. Contact the person in control of the public communal areas and advise them that there have been unauthorised entry into the communal area, and suggest if the situation continues that it may be necessary to change/ upgrade the lpcks. Are you able to upgrade your own security, check if the door locks are 5 lever mortise locks with weldedsteel keeps... and add key operated window locks if there aren't any now, keeping the keys out of sight!


Keep a record of any strangers hanging around and certainly keep in touch with your neighbours and compare their recent experiences with yours.

 

[mog35]

Archie - many thanks for your suggestions. I'm going to go and speak to the letting agency tomorrow afternoon after work. My front door (ie the one going directly into my flat) doesn't have a mortice lock, just an ordinary Yale lock, so I'm going to ask if they can put one in, or failing that, if I could pay a locksmith myself to put one in.

The windows are key operated already.

This is what I think might be going on: some people see the window open in the evening and are knocking on the door to see if anyone's at home before chancing climbing through. A tenant in one of the upper flats is moving out, so perhaps they're thinking of using that as cover - no-one's going to pay too much attention to furniture and other stuff being carried out.

Maybe my imagination's working overtime, but an acquaintance who used to live in another block a few doors down was robbed twice a couple of years ago, plus another friend of mine who lives in Ramsgate was burgled last year.

 

[Judderz]

If you're working till late and are worried, buy a plug timer for the tv...set it to come on at a certain time, people hear the tv and assume someone is home

 

[mog35]

If you're working till late and are worried, buy a plug timer for the tv...set it to come on at a certain time, people hear the tv and assume someone is home

Thanks Judderz for the advice

Quick update:

Yesterday afternoon about 3ish I heard a noise coming from outside the flat. I didn't go and look, but waited by the front bay window to see who'd come out. Lo and behold, it's one of these people - possibly the same one who turned up on friday - who then wandered down the road, looking to his right at each building as he went. I called the police to let them know and give them a description of the man (well the back of him, which was all I saw).

Today, I got in from work about quarter past one. I went straight over to the letting agents across the road to let them know and articulate my concerns. When I got back in about quarter to two, instead of going straight into my flat, I quickly had a look at the upper landings and the back door to check all was ok.

As I was walking to my flat, I could see round the corner that the main front door to the building was half open and there's one of these people standing half in the doorway looking out. He couldn't see me so I lurked for a moment to listen. I heard a tapping sound, as if a window was being tapped with a coin. It might have been my window or it might have been the window to the other ground floor flat. I could hear two voices saying 'hello, hello'. After about a minute I appeared and stood behind the inner front door (the one you need a key to go through). They turned round, saw me and asked for 'John'.

Again, no-one called John living here. I did get a good look at them though, so phoned the police again. I'm pretty sure one of them was the same guy from friday and possibly sunday.

I this dodgy or what? By now alarm bells are ringing.