Watch out for the door knocker

February 28th, 2013 · 18 Comments

We got this tip from an MV reader:

There is a guy around late 20s early 30s wearing an orange coat knocking on doors claiming “he is scanning the neighborhood letting people know that there have been car break ins in the area and to make sure I lock my doors”! Seems kinda shady to me and is giving obvious advice, not sure if that is his true intent or if he is seeing who is home when and planning other things. He is on 30 th ave w heading north towards raye at 530pm on the 26th of feb! Just beware!

Has anyone else seen him or had any strange experiences?

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CMcDowall

He was here on 29th between Smith and Raye around 5:45 pm last night. Our neighbor saw him knock on our door, and our video surveillance cameras picked him up. If anyone had a break-in yesterday, contact me and I can get you a copy of our video.

Abzolut

He was a nicely-dressed, young black man… Cardigan sweater, tie. It only struck me as suspicious because he stepped back from the door and appeared to take a picture of the entryway on his cell phone. Documenting homes where nobody was home?

guest

Exactly! Young black man in a tie, steps back from the door and halfway up the walkway, takes a picture. Odd. SPD says its 100% legal and doesn’t seem too concerned. Hard to make sense of it.

Guest

Well, if there are two of them, it certainly seems like active steps in a conspiracy to commit burglary… Disturbing that the police don’t think taking a picture of the doors/addresses of vacant homes to be alarming.

guest

That’s who was at my house the other night at 8:30. What’s going on here??

guest

Someone knocked on my door last night about 8:30pm. I didn’t open it (assumed he was selling magazines) was clean cut, 20′s. It took me a while to get to the door, and my dog was going crazy. Strange that someone is out at dark, in the rain etc…
guest

Concur, about 4:45 on 29th b/w Raye & Armour we had the same experience, which I would characterize as bizarre. Ours was a younger African-American gentleman, accompanied by a younger African-American female. A quite animated pair.

jess

I saw these two (I think) today. They asked me if I could settle a dispute (while I walked to my car by Uptown Espresso). Of course I paused and he asked me if I needed permission from my husband to make a donation? Then he whipped out a pad and began his speech on helping inner city kids. I have not seen the fellow in his 20′s but 8pm is way too late. I don’t like that.

mrobvious

Take their picture and you wont see them ever again!
MG

Someone just knocked at my door (it’s 7:55pm!!). We’re on Montavista near 38th. I didn’t answer and they knocked again – loudly and insistently. We have a “No Solicitors” sign that is clearly posted at our door. I asked who it was without opening the door (because I saw this post) and a male voice gave two male names. I said “Sorry, no solicitors” and they answered “Sorry to bother you” and then (I assume), left. I’m not liking whatever is going on. 8pm is not an appropriate time to be knocking on doors.
guest

Last evening about 8:00pm, someone rattled the screen on our kitchen door while we were eating dinner. My husband opened the door and called out to the young man, who was walking away, asking what he wanted and that he couldn’t see him. The man answered, “you can’t see me because I’m black.” My husband told him we weren’t interested in anything he had to sell. We think he responded, “I’m not a Mormon,” and left. My husband described him as neatly dressed in a shirt and tie. Last week in the early evening, two young, enthusiastic african-americans (male and female) came to the door. I thought they were selling magazines, so I said I wasn’t interested and closed the door. We are on Montavista.
Murphy

Same man with tie and brown sweater/ jacket just knocked on our door on Magnolia Way West. When I said we were not interested in sales he protested but left. It is dark now on our street. Should we call the police?
Guest

I had the same experience and frankly next time I seer them I’m going to be very hostile until I get all there info since the punk police pigs won’t do anything!
Guest

I had the same experience and frankly next time I seer them I’m going to be very hostile until I get all there info since the punk police pigs won’t do anything!
Uma

He came to our door around 4pm last evening (3/5/13). As soon as we waved him off (through the glass window in our door) — he ran off — and was nowhere to be seen within seconds (we went outside to look where he was headed off too….). We then called the police to report it.

guest

How close are you to 28th thoroughfare? What time?

magnolia_mtb

these people read the community websites like this one. read the comments and hit the neighborhoods where residents complain about police never being around. if there is no police presence (except for them eating at (teryaki bowl) then its easy prey for our neighborhood.
http://www.facebook.com/rowan.argh Rowan Ree Athens

Nothing like that on Thorndyke that I’ve seen (though we did have some Jehovah’s Witnesses about two weeks ago). With this happening so often, you’d think the police would want to be keeping an eye out…