What to do about suspected robbers in the neighborhood?

It's not uncommon to see unfamiliar cars driving up and down the street I live on, which just so happens to be a little under 8 miles long. However, when an unfamiliar vehicle is slowly driving down the street, the alarms in my head go off. Normally residents on our street tend to drive fast, considering the length of the road. The speed limit is 35mph, but most drive 40-50mph. So, when I see someone driving 5-10 mph down our street, something doesn't seem right.

This is how the situation went...

I was leaving my house to go down to Kenner to shoot pool at Corner Pocket. As I neared the end of my driveway I noticed a blue car driving slowly towards my house. The car paused by my driveway for a few seconds then started off down the street again. Since my buddy from down the street ( a few miles ) told me about his neighbor being robbed, I had a funny feeling about this car. I turned right out of my driveway, opposite the direction of the blue car. I watched in my rear view mirror and they soon stopped and reverse lights came on. So I pulled over to watch what they were going to do. They turned into a driveway close to mine and I immediately turned around to see what was up. When I neared my home I could not see the vehicle so I passed up my house and kept driving. Then I noticed I wasn't wearing a belt and my paranoid tin foil hat side of my brain said check the house. So I checked everything out and it was all clear, got my belt and headed out. By the time I reached the end of our road and cut through another street, I noticed the same car in someone elses driveway parked with the engine running. I stopped in front the house to try and see if anything was going on, but I didn't. This sort of worries me.

TL;DR : Weird car in the neighborhood, maybe a robber?

Anyways, I was talking to my mom today and she was telling me about how she had seem a similar blue car driving down our street very slow the other morning. All I can say is that if they attempt to break into my house and I am home there may be two more criminals headed to the morgue.

I'm going to try and get the plates if I see it again. Is there anything I can do about any of this?

You can call your local SO and make them aware of the situation by your description it sounds like you live outside of the city limits. It would definelty be best if you can give them a better description of vehicle make/model/plate number so they can have more to work with, other than that just make your neighbors aware of the situation and desciption of vehicle this way you could be covered from all areas.

If the BG's come back and they see the people on the neighborhood are "looking" for them most likely they will jump into another area where they are not being expected.

Good luck.

Paranoid a little?
Maybe a sales guy? Census worker?

Always get a tag number and in case the tag is stolen get a real thorough description of the car. Also, do not approach the car by yourself, just get back a ways and keep it in site.

The better thing to do is call the SO if you see it againn and tell them it is in your neighborhood and you need backup.

I don't think it is paranoid to be aware of your surroundings. Deviations form the norm tend to raise flags.

edman87k5 said:

Paranoid a little?
Maybe a sales guy? Census worker?

Click to expand...

That was the common reaction where I live, in Folsom, LA. 30 robberies later and 3 thugs in jail, people don't say that anymore.

I can't remember what book I read on combat mindset, but it said the best tool you have is "gut feeling." (paraphrased)

Good job to the OP for staying aware of your surroundings.

I live about 5-6 miles outside of the city limits.

The reason I say the car was very unfamiliar is because I know everyone around me within a square mile. It's all family land. The neighbors to my right are the children of my neighbors to the left. Behind me are the aunts and uncles and across the street are the cousins. I live in what used to be the grandparents house. I know what vehicles they drive and we all watch each others houses when someone isn't home.

There have been a few robberies around my area in the past.

I don't think you are being paranoid at all. I know what kind of car every person on my block drives, so if someone is cruising through and up to no good i can spot them easily. I actually caught someone breaking in a neighbors truck a few weeks ago. it was 1pm on a saturday, which surprised me. neighbors and I chased him down, and with the help of his rottweiler, the guy jumped into a dumpster just in time for NOPD to put the cuffs on.

if I see something suspicious, i call it in. NOPD has never taken longer than 5 minutes to show up, but they are usually 2-3 minutes.

Its ******** to overlook something just because it might offend someone.. Stop them, or follow them until they get uncomfortable enough to leave..

Call the cops, Stay with the car until you can turn over the vigil to someone of more authority.

By all means, protect yourself and your loved ones, but I would not brag about your capabilities or what your prepared to do on the internet.. Just say something on the order you know how to handle yourself..

There is a thin line with the gubnut about bragging and flaunting it before it happened.. and then you are left to defend yourself against a savvy, slimy lawyer who sees your post about your willingness to pop a cap... or however they say it..

I wasn't trying to brag, I was just putting it bluntly that I will protect myself and my family at all costs.

themcfarland said:

Its ******** to overlook something just because it might offend someone.. Stop them, or follow them until they get uncomfortable enough to leave..

Call the cops, Stay with the car until you can turn over the vigil to someone of more authority.

By all means, protect yourself and your loved ones, but I would not brag about your capabilities or what your prepared to do on the internet.. Just say something on the order you know how to handle yourself..

There is a thin line with the gubnut about bragging and flaunting it before it happened.. and then you are left to defend yourself against a savvy, slimy lawyer who sees your post about your willingness to pop a cap... or however they say it..

Click to expand...

Well said.

We've had about seven breakins in the last 3 wks over here. Every neighbor I ask about it is clueless. Talk to your neighbors and let them be aware and check to see if they Know of any breakins, you might be surprised.

edman87k5 said:

Paranoid a little?
Maybe a sales guy? Census worker?

Click to expand...

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst

Sales person, census worker, BG - none of the above welcome on my property. Call Po-Po and have them checked out as a suspicous vehicle.

If you see a suspicious vehicle like that again, the best info to pass on to LEO is: 1) License plate 2) Make, Model & color of the vehicle 3) Anything else that differentiates that vehicle from others of it's type, ie. fancy rims, tinted windows, bumper stickers and/or body damage 4) Occupant info (if possible)

The main thing is to get whatever info you can obtain - SAFELY.

I've seen a lot of reactions like that when my wife and myself are looking for houses for sale. I can honestly say that if I had a officer stop me for it I would look even harder in that area since I knew somebody there was vigilant.

^^^^+1!

Call the cops. That's what they're there for. They may not think so, but I promise you that's what they were elected for, and why we pass tax increases. Not for them to sit on the side of the road and write speeding tickets on soccer moms. I want to know my stuff is safe when I'm not home.

You have to ask what to do about this??????

LACamper said:

^^^^+1!

Call the cops. That's what they're there for. They may not think so, but I promise you that's what they were elected for, and why we pass tax increases. Not for them to sit on the side of the road and write speeding tickets on soccer moms. I want to know my stuff is safe when I'm not home.

Click to expand...

Yes, LEOs do respond to "suspecious vehicle" calls (I used to like them - never know what will turn up) and they also ticket speeding "soccer moms" before they run down some little kid in a crosswalk because they were talking on their cell phone and going too fast to stop in time.
And I never was "elected" to serve - I chose to. And very few tax increases were passed for po-po pay increases.

in my neighborhood they used to walk up to such cars and ask them if they needed help finding someones house, who's house, etc. bad guys would always bug out, and knew that everybody on our street knew everybody"s business, for better or worse lol.

Next time I see the car I will definately try to get the plates and everything then call the SO.