Person creeping around my place at 3am

[SrMachoSolo]

I hear footsteps outside on my front porch, slow and quiet. At first I thought it was a random animal, but I go to the window to investigate. I hear footsteps retreating in the gravel and see someone carrying a flashlight.

They're far enough away at this point so I crack open the door, the man turns around and we stare at each other. I'm watching his hands, to see what he is holding. He doesn't know what I'm holding, low and ready behind the door.

After a few moments, he breaks the silence, "I'm looking for Justin." I ask him, "Who are you, do you have identification?" He replies, "It's in the truck." I forcefully say, "You need to leave right now." He starts walking and says, "Tell him to call. I left a note."

His truck is parked around the corner. I watch him walk away and scope the area after he leaves. The note on the door is printed with a phone number and hours to call, with a handwritten "case number". I figure he's a parole officer or something, but the number is for a damn shady bubblegum tow company. The reviews on the internet definitely have a theme of how crooked and greedy this company and employees are.

After a few minutes I take a quick spin around the neighborhood to ensure he really left. I didn't see anyone, nor a truck. Now I'm questioning, Who the bubblegum sends an employee to go creeping around at this time of night to leave a note? Have any of you heard of this before, or is it some kind of casing a house and checking to see vulnerabilities or stuff to steal?

-Robert

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[JohnnyMac]

Post the number so we can all crank call them....

 

[Jory45acp]

Sending someone in the middle of the night to "look around" is just asking for trouble. Right or wrong people tend to get jumpy in those situations and accidents can end in loss of life. I'd be careful dealing with strangers in the dark and a legal mind might advise not pursuing or venturing out after. Call the police, let them do the work.

 

[Stomper]

Post the number so we can all crank call them....

Yes, hello? My car is broke down on the logging roads up above Timber, OR and I need a tow truck right away!


My name? Yes it's, Dick Goesinya

 

[WillametteWill]

Repo man.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

The crank call idea is too funny....don't do it...but funny nevertheless.

I would call the towing company and let them know what you think of their employee and his actions...as well as giving the best description of him and his truck to them.
Andy

 

[ATCclears]

...or, he is smarter thief with a well-crafted story in advance.

We put up No Trespassing signs a long time ago. It hasn't been perfect but it has helped, and I'll take the minor legal advantage if things ever went sideways.

 

[DirectDrive]

Repo man.

Sounds like this ^^^

 

[308]

Post the number so we can all crank call them....

Hello Sir, is Lesco home?
Lesco, Lesco who?
Lesco Brandon…

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I hear footsteps outside on my front porch, slow and quiet. At first I thought it was a random animal, but I go to the window to investigate. I hear footsteps retreating in the gravel and see someone carrying a flashlight.

They're far enough away at this point so I crack open the door, the man turns around and we stare at each other. I'm watching his hands, to see what he is holding. He doesn't know what I'm holding, low and ready behind the door.

After a few moments, he breaks the silence, "I'm looking for Justin." I ask him, "Who are you, do you have identification?" He replies, "It's in the truck." I forcefully say, "You need to leave right now." He starts walking and says, "Tell him to call. I left a note."

His truck is parked around the corner. I watch him walk away and scope the area after he leaves. The note on the door is printed with a phone number and hours to call, with a handwritten "case number". I figure he's a parole officer or something, but the number is for a damn shady bubblegum tow company. The reviews on the internet definitely have a theme of how crooked and greedy this company and employees are.

After a few minutes I take a quick spin around the neighborhood to ensure he really left. I didn't see anyone, nor a truck. Now I'm questioning, Who the bubblegum sends an employee to go creeping around at this time of night to leave a note? Have any of you heard of this before, or is it some kind of casing a house and checking to see vulnerabilities or stuff to steal?

-Robert

I can't speak to Hilsboro but in PDX these claimed tow services are just a hub for drugs and tweakers. They steal what they can whether it be a vehicle or cat or breakin into your house. In Portland there are some well known ones like at 88th and Sandy. So if you see someone who doesn't look right and they claim to be with auto related place imo it's 99.9% chance they are looking to steal vehicle or cat and/or other stuff.

If it doesn't look and feel right it isn't right imo. Seen so many of these and they always have a practiced excuse ready.

Most likely the note he left is for him to return to see if the note is gone. If note is gone that means someone is home. If note stays then they target for breakin or whatever.

Also if they r active in ur area it's very likely they will be back. I see reports daily on next door about cat being stolen from same car up to 3 times with owner having to pay as much as $2000 for repair each time. If there is a passive or welcoming environment they will keep returning for more. If it's a scary enviro for them such as if there is a vigilant and scary (if they think homeowner is crazy that's even better) homeowner who might shoot them or whatever they will tell their group to avoid that place.

 

[Member 34319]

Repo man.

100% this. My parents "housed" my brothers motorcycle when he couldn't. Turned out he stopped paying for it.

For many months or even a year, my parents had random folks coming looking for that motorcycle. Peaking over fences, all hours of the night and day.

Wasn't my parents first rodeo either. Same brother moved back in with my parents and had his new Nissan Titan in the driveway. My dad, being an early bird, heard the tow truck come at the crack of down and load it onto the flatbed. Only once it was secured to the tow truck did the guy come knocking on the door to "politely" let whoever cared to have access to the truck to collect any personal property inside.

Repo folks don't mess around.

 

[PiratePast40]

Repo after dark would be the last resort. I know a few recovery companies will only recover during daylight hours and after repeated attempts to contact the debtor to attempt a somewhat civil pickup.

 

[rdb8847]

Maybe he was looking for a ride to the train station.

 

[SrMachoSolo]

I recently moved, if this guy really was a repo man, his info is severely outdated or plain incorrect.

If there is a passive or welcoming environment they will keep returning for more. If it's a scary enviro for them such as if there is a vigilant and scary (if they think homeowner is crazy that's even better) homeowner who might shoot them or whatever they will tell their group to avoid that place.

These are my thoughts too, and it's exactly why I confronted him.

I was less crazy than this legend:

-Robert

 

[JuglansRegia]

I would have said Justin is waiting for you, he is just digging a hole out back, come on lets go see him!

 

[The Heretic]

I would have said Justin is waiting for you, he is just digging a hole out back, come on lets go see him!

Did you bring the shovel? Garbage bags? Bone saw? Axe?

 

[BBQ Guy]

I wouldnt have been as nice...

 

[bionic knees]

do you know Justin? ask him wtf.

 

[Dozer99]

Repo Man or a Skip Tracer.

Either way the guy was not very good at either if you spotted him.

 

[gmerkt]

Tow companies and bail bondsmen can have a common theme. While they are legitimate enterprises, sometimes they work right on the edge of the law. Some, not all. The tow company might do some repossession recovery work on the side.

That's a hard living, skulking around strange homes in the middle of the night. Foolish courage, I'd call it.