We Asked The Officers…
WHEN STRANGERS ARE KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?
If you are not expecting anyone at your front door, the ring of the doorbell or knock at the door is a little surprising. Fight the urge to blindly open the door to see who it is or what it is they want. Don’t automatically open the door.
There are several different types of criminals that might knock at the door first to see if you are home.
The home burglar who is casing the residence. If they think no one is at home, they may go ahead and try to break in. Generally, burglars don’t want a confrontation with anyone inside. They also don’t want witnesses. They want to get in and out undetected and move on. If they perceive your house to be a tough mark (i.e., someone home, alarm system, video surveillance, dog at home, etc.), then they will probably move on to an easier home to get into.
The “con artist”, who wants you to answer the door so they can give you a sob story and try to scam you out of a few dollars. It could be a “harmless looking person” who seems to be in a panic and tells a story like, “I live a few streets from here and my mom was just in a car accident. Can I have a few dollars so I can get a cab?”
They will give you an address that is a few streets over and maybe even give a name to gain your trust. It’s not that hard to pick a house, look in the mailbox to get a name, and then go a few streets over to start the scam.
If you have a house full of people or you are at home by yourself, here are some recommendations:
Don’t open the door first. If you have a peephole, use it.
If no peephole, look out the window to try to get a visual on whom it is.
Talk to them THROUGH the door! Ask them, “Who are you, what do you want?” If it is a potential burglar, this will deter them from breaking in. If you ignore the knock and try to pretend no one is home, this is what they are looking for and might try to break in.
If they claim to need help or assistance, tell them that you are calling police and do so. It’s the job of first responders they can help someone if they truly are in need of assistance. DO NOT GIVE THEM MONEY OR LET THEM INSIDE YOUR HOUSE FOR ANY REASON!
Most importantly, if you are ever unsure or uncomfortable with the situation, call the police. If someone is pounding on your door and you feel unsafe and have a security system, do not hesitate to hit the panic button. For emergencies call 911. Dispatch may have you on the phone to get as many details as possible. Once dispatch has concluded their questions, please call NOCUPP. If a NOCUPP officer is on duty, the office will be monitoring the call sheet for call in the area.