A "fake" plumber

[teach]

While I was teaching at school, my roomate got a knock on our door. It was a guy who claimed to be a plumber coming to repair our plumbing.

She told him that our plumbing wasn't broken and he told her that the girl with the brown hair had called. (I have brown hair) She asked him for a name and he couldn't produce one. He had on a jumpsuit with no name tag and was in a brown car, not a work van. She was very suspicious and would not let him in. She told him she wanted to call me to verify that I had called a plumber. He got angry with her and told her that calling me wasn't necessary and he just wanted to do his job. She shut the door and tried to call me and he left.

I had not called a plumber and it was a scam for him to get in our apt. What is crazy is that he must have been watching our apt to know that I have brown hair and that I am gone during the day while she is at home by herself.

Please pray for our protection!

wendy k

[dolfan]

Whoa!

Contact the police and describe him. He may be wanted on outstanding warrants and knowing where he's hunting now could be useful. At the very least, they could use the information if someone else gets victimized. They may know who the guy is with a good description.

[Full Quiver]

PLEASE, CALL THE POLICE ASAP.

[MacUser]

Yes.. call now. AND if you or your friend spot him again near or the car... camera phone picture, digital photo.. give this to the police asap.

Invest in some protection.. if you have not already.
Yes.. I mean Pistol, gun, stun gun, etc etc.

[jessicacook]

I agree, Wendy, call the police. These days, you just don't take things like this lightly. They may be looking for him. It is creepy that he knew what u looked like and when you weren't home.

Praying for you! Love u!

[RaceRunner]

Biggest mistake she made:

Opening the door to a man who is not expected or that you don't know.

Strange men have knocked on my door while I'm home alone....and I just ignore it. If my husband is home, he can answer it. Otherwise, there are plenty of male neighbors in our neighborhood at home during the day...they can go knock on their doors.

If I were expecting a repairman, I keep the storm door locked until I know who the person is that I am speaking with identifiable vans, tags, etc. You can ask a plumber what kind of van he drives and if it is clearly marked.

He could just have easily not stood there talking. He could have just forced himself in without the scam story as soon as the door was opened.

[teach]

She did call the police and they are watching the area for him.

wendy k

[Pastor Gary]

Way back in 1972 a dear friend of ours experienced an attempted rape by a man who showed up at her door claiming to be the apartment complex electrician. She naively allowed him in, only to be forced onto her back on her bed at the point of a sharpened screwdriver.

Her pleas, prayers, or something scared him off before he completed his plan, but I will always remember that incident.

NEVER let a tradesman you did not personally call into your home.

[teach]

My roomate bought a gun

[Sherry]

My roomate bought a gun

Good call! You both need to go to a gun range and practice on how to use it if you aren't familiar with handling a gun. If you own a gun, you have to be willing to use it.

[MacUser]

My roomate bought a gun

Good call! You both need to go to a gun range and practice on how to use it if you aren't familiar with handling a gun. If you own a gun, you have to be willing to use it.

Bingo. If you pull it out.. be sure you intend on using it. Do not use it as a threat or scare only. Intend on firing if the situation isn't immediately resolved.

Also don't aim for feet, legs or arms. Shoot for the largest target.

[Mole_J]

Also don't aim for feet, legs or arms. Shoot for the largest target.

If you use it be sure there is only one story to tell the police.

[Mike Vande]

In a home invasion scenario, more people are shot with their own gun than actually shoot the invaders. If you have to have a gun, do what was suggested and get regular training and target practice with it. Never pull it unless you are going to shoot it, or point it at anything you don't intend to shoot immediately. And never shoot at anything or anyone you do not intend to kill. Policemen, who are constantly training with their weapons, do not shoot to wound. Even if you think you're a better shot than the average cop, you're more likely to miss and hurt somebody else than wound an assailant. Shoot to kill.

Oh, and I read a story once about a lady who shot an assailant five times in the chest with a 25 caliber automatic pistol. He died in the gas chamber; he was found guilty of beating her to death with her own gun. If your roommate bought some cutesy little pistol, it could actually get you killed.

If you have to have a weapon for protection, get a shotgun. They require very little marksmanship, you just point them in the general direction and pull the trigger.

Defending yourself with a firearm is not an easy thing to do. Don't go into it without knowing how.