Black van in my driveway

[Teta_Bonita]

I was milling about the kitchen at around 4:30 AM, when I was startled by the sound of a roaring engine and the flash of headlights down the street. At first I figured it for a passing car, but I noticed that the headlights remained fixed on my dining room window.

I shuffled over and pulled back the blinds a bit to see what was going on. Before me was a van, pitch black, parked in the middle of my driveway, headlights blaring straight at me. I instinctively dropped the blinds and ducked under the windowsill. Normally one would assume he was just using my driveway to turn around, there's nothing wrong with that. But I live on the end of a cul-de-sac... turning around is as simple as driving in a circle. I took another cautious peak through the corner of my blinds just in time to see the van pull out and drive away, only a few seconds later.

According to my dad and sister, this same van has been coming every night at around 4:00 AM for the past 3 or 4 nights. Both my dad and my sister have seen it before. My sister said she saw a man get out of the passenger seat, look around for a few seconds, and get back in. She swears she saw him holding a long metallic object.

I have no idea what these people want, but I doubt they're coming for tea and crumpets. Personally, I don't want to find out. I've been thinking of calling the cops about it (non-emergency line obviously), but I don't know if that will do much good. Setting up a security camera to catch them in the act (whatever that might be) might be more useful, but that costs money. What do you think helplife2.net?

Also, I could've sworn I heard footsteps upstairs just now. It's freaking me out. Good thing I have my trusty crowbar.

 

[Krynn72]

Seems like they're scoping your house out. They may be planning on robbing the house sometime. I'd say buy a security camera and set it up in an obvious location as a deterrent. If you dont want to spend that much on a functional camera, you could probably just make a fake one with some pvc pipe, some glass, and black and white spray paint. You should also get some outdoor lights or something, preferably the motion sensing kind so they come on when they pull up. Calling the police may help too, maybe they can send a patrol out your way at night.

 

[Baal]

Don't go outside, it's a trap!

Seriously though, that's pretty creepy. Do you have any powerful flashlights? Every time they show up, I'd shine a spot light on them. That'll get them moving. Unless they're epileptic or something and it turns them crazy. They may then kill you and yours. Good luck soldier.

 

[Teta_Bonita]

Seems like they're scoping your house out. They may be planning on robbing the house sometime. I'd say buy a security camera and set it up in an obvious location as a deterrent. If you dont want to spend that much on a functional camera, you could probably just make a fake one with some pvc pipe, some glass, and black and white spray paint. You should also get some outdoor lights or something, preferably the motion sensing kind so they come on when they pull up. Calling the police may help too, maybe they can send a patrol out your way at night.

Yeah, I was thinking they might be robbers too. But you'd think they would have figured out my family is half nocturnal by now... every time they've stopped here (as far as we know) the lights have been on and one of us have been staring at them. I guess you can't figure criminals for the intelligent type.

And good idea with the fake security camera thing, I might try that.

 

[Jintor]

It's either robbers, or the Party Van, come to getcha.

 

[sinkoman]

Wait up till 4:00 AM, and as soon as you see the van pull up, walk outside with your crowbar, and confront them.

If it was me, i'd step outside and probably yell something along the lines of "HEY! YOU TWITS DON'T THINK I'VE NOTICED? YEAH, EVERY NIGHT, 4:00 AM, YOU ****HATS PULL UP IN THAT SAME MATTE BLACK VAN, SCOPING MY PLACE OUT FOR GOD KNOWS WHAT"

"EITHER YOU ASSHOLES **** OFF, OR YOU ROB ME ALREADY. I'M GETTING SICK OF THIS BULLSHIT, NEXT TIME YOU ****HATS SHOW UP I'LL BE WAITING, WITH A GUN".

Then you borrow a gun from a friend or sommat, set up a lawnchair outside of your house, lean the gun up against your chair, and pull an all nighter.

If they show up again, you call the cops, and tell them that you're having trouble with repeat trespassing offences, and this time have managed to catch the bastards in the act. 911 now, not some pussy ass "non-emergency" line.

Note the plate and take a picture of them sitting in your driveway, turn it in to the police if they motor before the cops show up.

Win.

If anything, the whole "waiting with a gun" thing will probably scare them off. I know some guys who've erm... gotten into some "shady business", and knowing that the household is armed usually scares the bastards away.

What'd be even more awesome, is if you put a sign in your driveway saying "Either you dumbshits rob me or leave me the **** alone. You don't think I notice you morons scoping my place out?", set up a video camera in the bushes, then post the results on mytube. ****, get creative. This is a golden opportunity you've got here to **** with some rotten kids, and who doesn't love ****ing with kids?

But yeah, if they know that you're aware of their activities, it'll probably scare them off. The fun is in how you tell them that you're watching them :thumbs:

Oh, and btw, I guarantee you that the cops aren't going to do anything. At 4 in the morning, the popo is going to be busy doing what you SHOULD be doing, ****ing around with punks.

 

[Cormeh]

It's the A-Team!

 

[Naph]

Set a loud speaker and when they arrive, Rick roll them.
Have like spots lights turn on and everything.

Epic... Win.

 

[MJ12]

Get plate number, report it to police.

If I was in this situation, this would give me such an opportunity to make my creepy moaning noises in a bush or something. Then again, I wouldn't want to get shot.

 

[Jintor]

Set a loud speaker and when they arrive, Rick roll them.
Have like spots lights turn on and everything.

Epic... Win.

That would be awesome.

 

[Seppo]

punch them in the face.

 

[AiM]

That would be awesome.

They would pretty much have to surrender on the spot, there's nothing they can possibly do.

...

On a more serious note, get the license plate first and it definitely wouldn't hurt to call the cops just in case, preferably with a license number though.

Security camera seems a bit overboard but then again, I suppose it wouldn't hurt. The question is, do you think it's worth such an investment?

 

[Krynn72]

I recommend not taking Sinko's advice, unless you want to get your ass beat and/or murdered. Best thing to do is to deter them. Epic rickroll would be an amazing way to do that though. Shouldnt be hard to do either, you could get some of these for 10 bucks at Sears:

That way you have enough light for your camera to actually see them (since obviously you would need to post a video of this on the internet), and then just put up some speakers in the window, and you're Golden! Then just return the lights back to Sears, and its 100% profit!

 

[Eejit]

Did you go to a scientology protest without wearing a mask?

 

[Krynn72]

Hell no. I dont want my name on any "Fair Game" lists.



(also, i slept through it on accident)

 

[Raziaar]

It's the 4:20 squad. Bad things always happen to me around 4:20 in the morning.

To be honest, if it looks like he's scoping out your house... definitely call the cops. Although I'm not sure they could technically do anything to them at this stage.

The best thing to do would be to convey to the police that he comes around nearly every morning at 4 am(if he does indeed do so), and that they should send a squad car to intercept him on the cul-de-sac around that time.

Worst case scenario is that as the guy and the police officer exchange gunfire, the police officers bullets pierce through the walls and windows of your house and hit you.

 

[Zeus]

You should call the cops and tell them that a suspicious car has been coming at the same time every day. Have them send a car to watch the area at 4am for the van. The whole situation just seems too suspicious to be a coincidence.

 

[Bad^Hat]

Along the same lines, it's 3am and there's been a white car parked across the street from me for atleast half an hour now. There's two guys just standing next to it smoking (and talking, presumably). Beyond just being paranoid and (relatively) home alone I doubt they're up to anything, but you have to wonder what motivates one to drive out to a random spot in middle-of-nowhere street and just smoke next to a field.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm...

Edit - And they're gone. But the car's still there. D:

Eh, honestly I'm more afraid of looking like a dork if they spot me peering out the curtains anymore, so I'm just gonna forget about it.

 

[Que-Ever]

Plant some landmines. But make sure there are no soccer players nearby.

 

[Ravioli]

edit: Whoops wrong thread lol

 

[Que-Ever]

whoops lol yeah :|

I'll cut you.

 

[MFD00M]

Plant some landmines. But make sure there are no soccer players nearby.

lol'd so hard

 

[phantomdesign]

I'd inform the police and request they send a patrol tonight to check it out.

It could technically be a police stakeout of one of your neighbors, so I wouldn't do anything too rash or direct.

 

[Raziaar]

What puzzles me, is why whoever it is would leave their lights on. That draws too much suspicion, especially from the people who live in the house they're shining their lights on and through the windows.

 

[CyberPitz]

Bright lights, loud music, camera = win.

If they were scoping out your house, I'm sure even the most retarded people wouldn't pull into the peoples driveway with their headlights on and everything, as that's just screaming, "HERE WE ARE!". I figure it's some idiots pranking you...

I still like the idea of bright lights and rick roll.

 

[nurizeko]

Sit outside your house in a shadey spot, with a replica gun, AK or something (or since your a yank, a real one), and when they pull up, switch on lights that reveal you as a silhouette.

Casually pick up a beer, take a swig (while holding your rifle/gun) and say "Pleasant evening, isn't it?, what can I do for you boys?".

Then get your dad (and sister?) to come out the front door, both holding guns, and generally just stand staring at them giving off this vibe your one of those killer families in those movies set in a rural southern local.

:cheers:

 

[CyberPitz]

Sit outside your house in a shadey spot, with a replica gun, AK or something (or since your a yank, a real one), and when they pull up, switch on lights that reveal you as a silhouette.

Casually pick up a beer, take a swig (while holding your rifle/gun) and say "Pleasant evening, isn't it?, what can I do for you boys?".

Then get your dad (and sister?) to come out the front door, both holding guns, and generally just stand staring at them giving off this vibe your one of those killer families in those movies set in a rural southern local.

:cheers:

You forgot the part where the family takes the intruders and rapes/kills them.

 

[Unfocused]

Next time they appear, step out the front door and take a photo of the car. You'll have tha plates and they're bound to notice you photographing them (make sure the flash is on). Should make them think.

Standing around with a gun, be it real or not, is probably a bad idea.

 

[Xendance]

Make sure you record it with a camera next time and post it on YouTube so we can all watch.

 

[cheddarrr]

i bet its a van full of candy. you should totally go talk with them

 

[Deleted member 56031]

Phone the cops

 

[Fliko]

Yeah, definately get the cops and tell them they've been at your house everyday at 4:00am, and they sit in your drive way and sometimes come out of the van. If I was you I'd probably lie and say that you saw an object once when they came out of the van that looked like a gun. This would bring the police to an upmost urgency to go help you.

 

[sinkoman]

I recommend not taking Sinko's advice, unless you want to get your ass beat and/or murdered. Best thing to do is to deter them. Epic rickroll would be an amazing way to do that though. Shouldnt be hard to do either, you could get some of these for 10 bucks at Sears:

That way you have enough light for your camera to actually see them (since obviously you would need to post a video of this on the internet), and then just put up some speakers in the window, and you're Golden! Then just return the lights back to Sears, and its 100% profit!

They're not gonna beat your ass unless they're crazed meth addicts, and somebody who's smart enough to scope a house out before they bust in isn't going to be a crazed meth addict.

Go ahead, call the cops if you want, but the cops aren't going to do SHIT!

Next time they appear, step out the front door and take a photo of the car. You'll have tha plates and they're bound to notice you photographing them (make sure the flash is on). Should make them think.

Standing around with a gun, be it real or not, is probably a bad idea.

Now THAT'S a great way to get your ass beat.

They see you come outside, take a photo, then see you walk back inside. They're going to all jump out of the van and run into the house to beat your ass and take your camera.

If you walk outside with a crowbar and start yelling like a madman, they're all just going to shit their pants and leave.

 

[Tagaziel]

No, seriously Teta, take pics with your photo camera and post here.

 

[Raziaar]

Reality Check - Nobody who intends to rob a house scopes it out by parking in the driveway of said house.

 

[sinkoman]

Reality Check - Nobody who intends to rob a house scopes it out by parking in the driveway of said house.

Well, they're obviously scoping it out for something.

Either that, or they're scoping out the neighbors house or something, and trying to make it look like they're just turning around in your driveway.

Nobody pulls into a driveway at 4:00 in the morning in a black van with 4-5 guys inside to NOT scope something out.

 

[Acepilotf14]

Maybe you'll be on It Takes a Thief!
Such a good show.

 

[highlander]

Charge the van with a spade screaming in some other language and then proceed too run around the van screaming.

 

[Unfocused]

Now THAT'S a great way to get your ass beat.

They see you come outside, take a photo, then see you walk back inside. They're going to all jump out of the van and run into the house to beat your ass and take your camera.

If you walk outside with a crowbar and start yelling like a madman, they're all just going to shit their pants and leave.

Oh I'm sure.

You go out with a melee weapon, yell at them and they'll get scared? But if you take a photograph, they'll break into your house then and there and beat the crap out of you?

Maybe we should mix the two? Go out, take a pic, if they get out of the car, start yelling at them until they get scared and drive off. NOT SO TOUGH NOW ARE YA? ARE YA?!

 

[huntingbear]

ok two possibilities if you ask me:
1) they're cops scoping out a nearby house so they'll be kinda pisssed if you blow their cover but meh at least ur settled
2) they ARE looking to break into your house eventually and you DO need to call the cops

duh...