Watch who comes to your door

[marysue]

I just thought I’d post this to let everyone know that I had an interesting experience this evening. While eating dinner two young guys came around, dressed in golf type polo shirts and dark pants wearing tags saying that they worked for a security company. Their story was that they were being sent out by the City of Calgary to arrange inspections for home furnaces to make sure that they were up to code.

This didn’t sit right with me so I sent them on their way and then phoned 311 to check the validity of their claim. I was told to call the City police non-emergency line because the City said they hadn’t ordered such a thing and have nothing to do with furnaces as it is up to the individual homeowner to arrange inspections, checks etc. and always send out a letter by mail first if homeowners will need to be doing something. I know that to be true because when I had to switch to a water meter from flat rated water, I was sent a letter from the City with instructions on whom to call and how to arrange the necessary inspection.

I called the police and they said it could be a scam to get inside to case people’s homes for future break ins. I was able to give a description of the two guys and they said that they’d be sending police through the neighbourhood to see if they could track them down to check them out. Hopefully these guys are not part of some gang. Needless to say I will be on the watch for them and if they show up again I will be calling the police back. I’m relating this story to alert others to this possible type of thing in your area. Take care and be on the lookout!!

[shelties]

Hi Marysue, that is good info to put out there. There are a lot of people, both young and old, who don’t realize the risk they take by letting people into their homes without confirming why they’re there. Nowadays, I believe companies are aware and usually arrange ahead of time for a representative to call on someone’s home. I live in a secure building, so no one gets in here unless I, or another tenant, lets them in. Even so, if someone I don’t know, comes to my door unannounced, I send them packing. One time (when I was a kid) we didn’t even have locks on our doors. As a matter of fact, on a hot night, the door was often left wide open to let in the fresh air. My how times have changed.

Thanks again.
Lorraine

[marysue]

Hi Lorraine!

I grew up in a small community near Niagara Falls. We too, on hot nights all windows and doors were left wide open to let the hopefully cooler night air in. If we were going out shopping and Mom was expecting a delivery she would leave the back door open for the delivery and the cash to pay for it in an envelope on the ledge in the back door entrance. Back then (1960’s) we had milk delivery twice a week, the baker came on Tuesdays and for a short time there was a produce guy as well. Mom would just leave an order list with the payment envelope. Even if there was more than one envelope we never had an issue with someone stealing.

The milkman would even come into the kitchen and put the milk into the fridge for her. We also sometimes had our groceries delivered. If we were in town and Mom was doing other shopping she would arrange at the grocery store for the delivery having already left the money on the kitchen table. The elderly gent that did this service did it as a way of supplementing his pension. We would come home and find the cans and packages in a neat pile on the kitchen counter and the perishables on a shelf in the fridge. You don’t get service like that nowadays.

On the same note, I could disappear for the day hiking up the Niagara escarpment or go down to the lake shore for a swim. My parents didn’t worry about me being kidnapped or anything. I didn’t dare let my kids out of sight on their own until they were about 12 or so. We have had abduction attempts in our neighbourhood. Mom on the other hand would leave me standing at age 4 watching the double wide buggy that my twin brothers were in while she went into the store. I was to call into the store if they woke up. Sometimes if she figured they’d sleep we’d leave them in the buggy out front of the store and go in to shop together. Back then the store entrances weren’t wide enough to accommodate a large buggy or stroller. As you have said, times have changed!!

[cheryl9]

Hi everyone

No kidding, times have changed. I live on an acreage and we have to lock our doors when we leave and at night. There is a group of 6 acreages here and every one of them have had break ins except us. Fall is the worst. As the RCMP put it: transient people want a warm place for the winter so they break the law and spend the winter in prison or a detention centre for the warm bed, three meals a day, etc.

Why we don’t get broken into? The “Beware of Dog” sign on our gate at the highway.

Take care

[KIOWA]

Yeah, never let anyone in. Those gys are scammers. You certainly did the right thing. The police really need to know about those things.. Sometimes these are legit, but I never let anyone in my house. And iin my town any solicieters must first get a permit from the police. And if they cannot produce one I produce my gun. Which is legal for me to do on my property. i give them two warnings to leave. After that it is trespassing and then it’s call the police time. Usually my dogs are very convincing. But no ones comes n my houe unless I called for someone and I know who they are.

Kiowa

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