couple asking for petrol (Paranoia?)

[gerry]

I just had a very well dressed young woman at my door asking where the nearest petrol station was...that she and partner had run out of petrol....when I pointed up the road, she continued to stand in the door way, while he started to walk up to the door. I said sorry to them and shut the door. Was I being paranoid? Has this happened to anyone else around the Horniman area?

[Vik]

No it hasn't happened to me and no you weren't being paranoid! You did exactly the right thing IMO, They may well have been honest petrol seekers but with the door to door scams that occur all to regularly you can't leave anything to chance!

[jimbo1964]

Sounds a bit odd. While I was on the phone to my wife last week a bloke knocked and asked if we needed any relacement windows or jobs done. She said no and he went away but it seemed a bit strange.

[seanmlow]

I don't think you are being paranoid, Gerry.

they could have forced their way in while your attention was diverted. Better safe than sorry!

[Administrator]

I don't get it, they came to your door, asked where the nearest petrol station was and you told them. What's there to be paranoid about?

I must stop doing that! - Mark

[Mark]

I don't get it, they came to your door, asked where the nearest petrol station was and you told them. What's there to be paranoid about?

[seanmlow]

The fact they were approaching the door. Why knock on her door, rather than ask a passer by?

[kford]

What tme of day was this?

[char1ie]

Sounds like a pretty lame scam to me. I can imagine the hours of planning that went into that one, and they get nothing for their trouble!

Charlie

[Mark]

seanmlow Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> The fact they were approaching the door. Why knock

> on her door, rather than ask a passer by?

Maybe there were no passers by.

If it was a scam they would have said something like "we've run out of petrol, and need to pick my children up from school and have no cash, could you lend me ?10 and I'll pay you back tomorrow when I drive past on my way to hospital to see my poor mother. I would ask my best friend, (insert made up name here), who lives 5 doors down from you but she's not in" etc etc

But they came to the door, asked where the nearest petrol station was then walked off.

[carter39]

Mark Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> seanmlow Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > The fact they were approaching the door. Why

> knock

> > on her door, rather than ask a passer by?

>

> Maybe there were no passers by.

>

> If it was a scam they would have said something

> like "we've run out of petrol, and need to pick my

> children up from school and have no cash, could

> you lend me ?10 and I'll pay you back tomorrow

> when I drive past on my way to hospital to see my

> poor mother. I would ask my best friend, (insert

> made up name here), who lives 5 doors down from

> you but she's not in" etc etc

>

> But they came to the door, asked where the nearest

> petrol station was then walked off.

You've got it wrong. The point is they didn't walk off once they had the response. The man walked up to the door while the woman remained there. The OP did exactly the right thing.

[Mark]

ahh, I see. Sorry, trying to juggle writing on the forum with work makes for hasty reading today. You obviously felt uneasy, it's your door, your house so you did the right thing. What did they look like? Please share their details so we can look out for them. And what did they do after you closed the door?

In future I will read posts properly and then respond

In future I will read posts properly and then respond

x 100

[Siduhe]

Depending the type of house the OP has, another fairly common distraction technique is to engage the householder at the front door, perhaps by asking in great detail for directions or staging an argument about the best route to take, whilst an accomplice jemmys a door or window out back and makes off with goods within reach. Laptop computers or mobile phones which can be seen through a window normally.

Chances are this was all perfectly innocent, but if you're alone in the house, why take the risk? I know I wouldn't.

[chichirara]

A few years ago a woman stopped me as I was getting into my car, asking where the nearest petrol station was, I drove round to the station where she filled up her can, then got into a waiting car which promptly drove off! Paranoid I don't think so!

[gerry]

The woman tried to engage me in conversation which I found odd, three times she asked me to explain where the petrol station was, three times, I told her, then the man appeared as if she was killing time. I was alone and just felt uneasy. They didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave. She also asked me how much the petrol can would cost her.....all odd, I thought.

[ChavWivaLawDegree]

I personally think you should always follow your instincts, and if your instincts told you this didn't feel right, you did the right thing. Better to be paranoid than beaten up and robbed.

[gerry]

Thanks Chav. I totally agree with following instincts, I made a quick judgment call and maybe I was wrong, but I was safe in the end.

[TillieTrotter]

Absolutely took the words right out of my mouth CHAV.

[Keef]

A good friend of mine, who is admittedly the biggest stoner I know, always tells me "paranoia saves lives"! :))

[Cassius]

Remember the words of Cobain "just because you're paranoid, don't mean they're not after you"

[jim_the_chin]

yes, and we should all live by the words of Kurt Cobain. They certainly didn't do him any...oh, hold on....

This is a great discussion, is we is or is we ain't at risk of crime?

I'm all for instinct too, and Gerry's first post didn't contain the info that caused the actions which seemed to be that it didn't seem right at the time, and that's all you need to maintain a bit of safety.

[PeckhamRose]

Firstly may I strongly suggest that on the inside of your front door you have the telephone number of your safer neighbourhood team. Here in Nunhead and Peckham Rye we have a number 020 8721 2443.

The other day something similar happened and as a neighbour had been bropken into only recently I rang this number and said someone weird had been seen running away when a neighbour answered the door. The phone number is transferred to a mobile number and whoever has the mobile whether it be Community Warden or Support Police answered me. They then said they would radio everyone on the SNT team. 5 mins later a police man came to my door and took information. Sometimes, just sometimes, it can work. I have no idea about what happened as a result, as that is their issue. But we have to report what we see. I shall copy this posting into a new topic entitled SAFETY IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

[gerry]

Thank you Rose. This is really helpful...I'll certainly put that in a convenient spot near my door.

[gerry]

-- moved topic --

[LuvPeckham]

Good advice Peckham Rose, however the local Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) advises that they are not a 24 by 7 service and the correct procedure to follow if you spot something suspicious is to always call 999 and if the SNT?s are on duty then they may well be tasked to come out and see what the situation is.

The SNT?s are not a response team and as such the use of 999 is the safest route to guaranteeing an answer to the call.

Also as a point of clarification, the SNT teams are not linked to the wardens and as such the number you gave out will only contact the SNT if they are on duty at the time.

Hope this helps .