Stranger Knocked on Door Begging for Money

[Anonymous]

It depends where you are located and who knocks on your door, who asks for what. I have seen plenty of people in some areas (like three times per month) knock on doors and ask to do odd jobs. I have seen plenty of people in other areas ask for "magazine" (or whatever) donations that are really just handouts. And a way of collecting your information, on top of that. They often have something that looks like a petition. But some people just aren't aware enough to protect themselves.

Everyone knows there are TONS of homeless people in the suburban woods around here. It is so sad and so obvious. I wonder why more is not done about it.
Come to think of it, why doesn't the guy who gives handouts on his front porch invite them in for tea, maybe have them move in? Freak. You really should mind your family more.

[Anonymous]

I live in NW DC and a few yrs ago, when I was more idealistic i guess, I'd have people who knocked on the door do various jobs ( clear brush, paint the front stoop, shovel etc). Then a guy who had done a few jobs kicked my kitchen chair when I paid him what we agreed and he asked fir more. Luckily dh was working inthe basement and came up and escorted him out. I later read on listserve that he was jailed for assault. He has come back to
Our hood but we have a dog and alarm now. After reading about Eluzabeth Smart, and the couple on Belt Road, I would never own the door for strangers and have trained my kids not too. It does not feel charitable but it feels safe.

[Anonymous]

Own---> open

[Anonymous]

OP, where do you live? I haven't had sex in ten years and if I leave my door open and lay on the floor naked, I can't get a plumber to come in even if I have an appointment. I leave all my windows open in my bedroom at night and I even put a red bulb in a lamp and the only thing that happens is the rain stops. What am I doing wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, where do you live? I haven't had sex in ten years and if I leave my door open and lay on the floor naked, I can't get a plumber to come in even if I have an appointment. I leave all my windows open in my bedroom at night and I even put a red bulb in a lamp and the only thing that happens is the rain stops. What am I doing wrong?

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand /thread.

[Anonymous]

This happened to my elderly mother in Old Town Alexandria: Random woman knocks on her door begging. Mom politely says no. Woman KEYED HER FRONT DOOR, and Mom had to have it repainted!

[Anonymous]

Just ask what the money is needed for. You already opened the door, so I do not think it is a question about should we open the door or not. If it is a so called potential robber, opening the door or not does not matter as he/she will find a way to get in regardless of you opening the door. From dating a cop, the police will not do much unless an actual crime was reported. They do not care much about who knocks on your door when there are actual people getting murdered in the world.

[Anonymous]

Before being married my apt was broken into and various things stolen. I called police and was told, "If someone comes up to us and confesses then we can do something. Otherwise, the possibility of finding this person is highly unlikely." Knocking on someone's door, whether dressed in designer clothes or in dirty rags, is not a crime. Someone trying t break into your house is a crime. There is a huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I NEVER answer the door if I'm not expecting someone. I agree with the PPs - you never know if someon's casing out your place.

Seriously, THIS. Call the police because they will step up police presence in your neighborhood if you call them. Believe me a cruiser trawling the neighborhood with the blue lights on will be a deterrent for most of this type of crime. A true sociopath won't care--but please, please--don't open your door at night EVER basically. I live in an upscale neighborhood but realize what easy targets we are here at night.

Don't let day lull you into false sense of security either- apparently that is when even more of this happens.

I recently heard on the news of two women, in separate and unrelated incidents, being assaulted in the middle of the day after being initially approached in their yard!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before being married my apt was broken into and various things stolen. I called police and was told, "If someone comes up to us and confesses then we can do something. Otherwise, the possibility of finding this person is highly unlikely." Knocking on someone's door, whether dressed in designer clothes or in dirty rags, is not a crime. Someone trying t break into your house is a crime. There is a huge difference.

Loitering and unwelcome solicitation is against the law in certain areas actually.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Before being married my apt was broken into and various things stolen. I called police and was told, "If someone comes up to us and confesses then we can do something. Otherwise, the possibility of finding this person is highly unlikely." Knocking on someone's door, whether dressed in designer clothes or in dirty rags, is not a crime. Someone trying t break into your house is a crime. There is a huge difference.

Let me guess -- DC Police? Their standard line to victims of burglary, mugging, robbery is "If someone confesses, we can catch them. Otherwise, we don't have much to go on." They even told me this when I had the name of the suspect and a license plate number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Before being married my apt was broken into and various things stolen. I called police and was told, "If someone comes up to us and confesses then we can do something. Otherwise, the possibility of finding this person is highly unlikely." Knocking on someone's door, whether dressed in designer clothes or in dirty rags, is not a crime. Someone trying t break into your house is a crime. There is a huge difference.

Let me guess -- DC Police? Their standard line to victims of burglary, mugging, robbery is "If someone confesses, we can catch them. Otherwise, we don't have much to go on." They even told me this when I had the name of the suspect and a license plate number.

Nope, Fairfax county. Same line everywhere, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Using common sense does not make a person uncharitable. I contribute to lots of charities and give blood whenever I can. I do not open my door to strangers. It's not a perfect world people.

[Anonymous]

15:41 - Exactly. Plenty of people can be charitable and still not open their door to strangers. I'm guessing the guy who opens the door to strangers is mentally about age ten.

[Anonymous]

19:20, you give yourself away. If you didn't feel guilty about being uncharitable you wouldn't feel the need to insult someone who is. Think about it.