Preparedness arouses suspicion

Ah, nevermind. It was just some Canadians.

-Blast

I "did something suspicious with flashlights" a while ago (roving the neighborhood looking for a lost pet). Reported by neighbors, I got a good chance to review proper procedures when dealing with The Law - be calm, courteous, keep your hands in view, no sudden moves. The officer and his backup were professional, thorough, and likewise courteous. A good experience.

I've often wondered what would happen if a neighbor looked in the window and noticed me snooping around my own house at 3am with my flashlight. I don't like to turn on the lights when I go for a drink of water, as it kills my night vision much more than just using a small handheld light to navigate the stairs.

I probably look just like a burglar would look if he was trying not to wake up the family sleeping upstairs. That's because I'm trying not to wake up the family sleeping upstairs.

Note: There have been an alarming number of burglaries in the area lately, some that have resulted in confrontations with homeowners (one that resulted in shots fired by a homeowner who the badguys didn't realize was home, and one I would classify as a real "home invasion" with the badguys dressed as utility workers and forcing their way in once the door was opened. Nobody was hurt, but scary nonetheless). If I saw someone waking in my neighbors house at 3am with a flashlight right now, I'd likely call it into the police.

"...not suspicious, but merely Canadians."


LOL.

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking my dog for her evening constitutional when squad cars suddenly were zooming every which way around the neighborhood. One officer slammed on the brakes to ask if I'd seen a guy running that fit a certain description.

Then a helicopter trained it's spotlight on us.

So I removed my hat and told my pup to do her business fast.

In the wrong place at the wrong time, anyone's suspicious.

I do and have wondered the same thing!

Ironically, if I saw someone using a flashie late at night at my neighbors I probably would call the cops!

Mostly because I know they aren't gadget-inclined and would only do so in a blackout.

Being a flashaholic, I use my toys all the time, even when I don't really need them. The cops around here would be real busy if my neighbors reported me for suspicious flashlight activity with every light blink!

Use a flashlight, go to prison. I like it.

Seriously, despite the comic writeup, what else is law enforcement to do if not check into things that are out of the ordinary?

I customarily use a red lens on all my lights to avoid impairing my night vision or spooking animals [most of whom are apparently red color blind]. Several times folks have called out asking if something was on fire, but not LEO interest as yet.

"Not suspicious, merely Canadian" -- I love it. That's my new logo.

Sorry, but there's nothing aboot us that really sticks out, eh? Aside from our large flashlights, how would you know?

2 points: I do the exact same thing with my light, every day. Usually b/c my girlfriend and I work odd hours, so this month I'm up 2 hours before her (I HATE 4am)

the other thing? A home invasion, shots fired, no one hurt? He just broke half the rules on gun control, the big one being, don't shoot at something you don't intend to hit.

Two separate incidents. In the first, shots were fired. The second, thieves dressed as utility workers forced their way into a home, tied up the residents, and ransacked the place, taking whatever they wanted. That's the one where nobody was hurt in the end.

There was another one a few months back where the homeowner confronted theives in his home. He was armed with an AK47 of some sort and fired at them, but missed (at across the livingroom distances). It was generally assumed that he wanted to get his point across without the legal hassle that comes with dead badguys in the livingroom here in the northeast.

Sorry for the thread hijack!

I keep an eye on my neighbors and get used to their habits, and they may be doing likewise. If something looks weird, I would thank them for calling LEOs.

I was sitting in my car at 4pm one day, waiting for a feral cat to go into the trap (she was just sitting in front of the trap, looking at the food, deciding).

I was across from a bank. A bank that was robbed while I was sitting there. The perp was wearing a blue t-shirt and a white baseball cat. I was wearing a blue shirt and a white baseball cap.

Let me tell you, the approach of those two officers from behind me was very, very cautious!

Sue

I suppose the Este Lauder gym bag in the back and red nail polish on the fingers hugging the steering wheel were helpful in their initial walk up. Otherwise I'd guess the ponytail helped.

haha.

I had the occassion to drive up to my house and see a large man with a flashlight near my garden level bedroom window. Both the wife and I met him with our pistols drawn. When asked who and what he thought he was doing at midnight at our house, he responded that he was the neighbor diagonal from us and that our dogs were barking. I responded back that they were taught to react that way when a person approaches our house at midnight with a flashlight looking around. I then explained as we were holstering our weapons that he was A: never to come onto this property again - ever. and B: Smart people do not do what he did as some people in WY dont like home invaders, rapist, burglers and other bad people - it was a good way to come down with a terminal case of rapid lead poisoning.

The wife and I both were law enforcement officers and that is the most personal it ever got. Dont ever want to do that again.

Last spring we discovered that a person had been snooping around our yard while we were out, wearing an orange vest that said safety on it. Our neighbor confronted them and they refused to identify themselves. Had either me or the wife been home, the suspect would've been speaking into the end of the barrel pretty quick, or he'd have sprouted some lumps and been waiting face down and hog tied for the cops to come get him, assuming he didn't resist.

God watches over fools.

I saw the movie "Gran Torino" this weekend. Good movie. The end was a bit predictable.

But not so predictable for the teens aged target audience - that's for sure.

I used to do this also, but decided that I didn't want the hassle of a police visit by a well meaning neighbor. Walmart has some nice LED nightlights with a photocell that turns them off during the day. I've installed enough of them that, with good night vision, I can easily move about the house, check on kids, go to the bathroom, etc., without turning on a light.

I keep a few areas in the house pretty dark for tactical reasons, anyone coming towards me down the hallway will be lit up fairly well, compared to my dark corner at least.

I can certainly understand that.

But I'd hate to be his neighbor when those rounds start popping through my drywall!

Had you been wearing a white baseball cat, I bet the officers would have been even more cautious.....

Sorry, I could not let that one go.