I am SO freaked OUT!

OMG!! BE CAREFUL!!! I was stalked for almost a year, before I was even aware of it! NOT because I never look out my window, but because this weirdo guy worked for a company that owned a lot of different vehicles. So, it would not have sparked my attention, that I was being followed, because he was always in different vehicles! When he finally introduced himself to me, he acted like he was interested in my van(which was for sale), and wanted to know things about it. He had come up to me in the library and said he found out where I was, right then, by asking the post office lady whose van was outside her door. ( I live in a VERY small town)....so then he had my name too. I told him we were going to sell it soon, and if he had more questions, he could talk with my DH (at this time, I did NOT know he was stalking me...), and did he want more info? He replied, "Oh yeah, probably, and I will just stop over at your house and talk with your husband." I told him, "Well, you don't have my address, so how are you going to stop over?" He replied, "Oh I know where you live, I have even been in your driveway, when I turned my car around. I also know you work for Hospice and Home Health and proceeded to tell me some of the streets my patients lived on!!!! I asked him how he knew, and he brazenly told me "I've been watching you for a long time!" OMG!!! I TOTALLY freaked out!! I did make a police report. He did show up at my house, about 1 week later, and my DH thought he was a neighbor and hollared,"Come on in!" AAAKKKKKK!!!! I walk around the corner--and this weirdo is STANDING IN MY LIVING ROOM!!! When he left, I got his license # and reported him to the police, and they did do a search about him. He had no outstanding arrests (but THAT doesn't prove ANYTHING!!!) I am from a very big city, originally and felt VERY safe in this small town!! I then felt SO violated!! The police woman said something VERY wise to me, and I've NEVER forgotten! "Don't EVER feel, that just since you live in a small town, that you are 100% safe--you are NOT! There is NO town anywhere, that is... So, DON'T give yourself a false sense of security!!!" I have kept that in mind, ever since. I THINK this guy has moved--don't know for sure, but I did use to see him around town, after that--and it would TOTALLY freak me out, every time! But I haven't seen him for about 2 years now (he's probably outside in my front shrubs, as I write this!!!! EEEKKKK!!!) But just a warning to the wise!!!

Originally posted by Mom of 10 Cats
Shell, back when pepperspray was illegal here, one of my friends carried a bottle of Aquanet aerosol hair spray in her purse. Spray that in someone's eyes, and you might as well have used mace!

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Shell I agree with mom of 10 aquanet is a good way to stop an attack. Plus before you change locks on your apt. check with manager to make sure their is no problem with you doing that,some apt. managers have to have a copy of the apt.key. Take your car to shop and have the latches checked for damage if the latches are the problem then you want to fix them so the doors will not come open while driving.

Shell, I agree COMPLETELY with what has been said already. PLEASE be on your guard. I don't want anything to happen to you! I'm worried about you....

Yikes Shell, that is very FREAKY! Please be careful.

Soooo scary. Always be on your guard just in case.

Susan

Please be extra careful, as you've already said, it's probably nothing, but until you're sure keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. If your appt door is open again don't check it out yourself call the police, better to be safe.

(((((((SHELL)))))))) I'm glad your feeling more secure about the whole incident and I bet you sick of hearing this but keep your eyes peeled for awhile. You stay safe, missy!!!

To heck, with the legality - I'll be more than happy to send you a can of pepper spray. I've been carrying it for years. Unless you have to use it, who's going to know that you have it? If you ever DO need to use it, no prosecutor is going to go after a woman who was defending herself. The worst that they'll do is confiscate it.

Barring that, one of those plastic lemons, filled with ammonia works well, too. Squirt it in his eyes and run like hell!

Just in case there is somethng going on, it may be a good idea to file an incident report with the police. That way if anything else happens, you will have a report in process, and if it becomes a legal matter, you will have some evidence from day one.
I have also been stalked, and woke up first with my alarm clock stolen off my nightstand while I was sleeping, then with the guy standing over me, watching me sleep, holding my alarm clock he had stolen several nights before. There was a 2 liter iced tea drink in my fridge that I did not remember opening, it was open, I thought nothing of it, and it turned out that it had been drugged. Fortunately it all sank to the bottom because he was not smart enough to crush the pills. I was lucky he never did anything to me. He left town before he could be prosecuted. Scary stuff, and not to be taken lightly.

OMG! I would collapse if that were me!.

I always set my alarm before going upstairs to bed, but god knows what i would do if it went off!.

I always make sure i have my mobile beside me.

Susan

Check your bathroom/bedroom etc. for a hidden webcam. There have been far too many incidents of perverted landlords or house janitors breaking into womenâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s apartments and secretly filming them.

Have you recently refused to go out with someone? I refused to go out with a guy once who then (amongst other things like telephone terror) went to the police and told them Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d stolen money from his house. Iâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]d never even been there. Fortunately the police believed me and saw him for what he was. I've moved house since then too. You never know how far these weirdos will go.

Good luck and be careful!

Mace is illegal in many states, I still carried it after my attack though. Shell, call the police and report this (just the regular number) and ask for their advice. Your car can be broken into very simply. I can break into a Toyota in a couple of seconds. Many apartment doors can easily be opened with a credit card. Whoever said that if it happens again to not enter the apartment is correct. Go to a neighbor and ask them to call the police and have the police go through the apartment for you.

Now, if it is you instead of a stalker you need to go to your doctor and get checked out. This can be a sign of bad health too.

The first thing that crossed my mind when I read your post was a Poltergiest, but I'm always thinking supernatual type of stuff. I'd rather it be a Poltergiest than some person messing with you.

OMG SHELL! Be careful. I am glad that your furrbabies didn't get out since the door was cracked...keep us updated sweetie!

Shell, I think you should be extra-cautious in the immediate future, but I wouldn't rule out your having had a "PB" day. I have a long commute to work, and generally leave our house around 6:45 a.m.. There are days where I simply operate on "automatic pilot", which generally works, particularly since I'm one of those neurotic people who double-check that the the coffeemaker, etc., has been unplugged. A couple of years ago, my husband had the day off, and when he got up, he discovered that I had put the toaster and my dirty breakfast dishes in the fridge, and the butter and milk in the dishwasher. When he told my parents about it, my mom dubbed me "PB", for pigeon brain.
On the other hand, you are a young, attractive female living alone in an unfamiliar city, and thus the perfect target for a stalker. You probably should arm yourself with pepper spray, spray perfume, hairspray, etc.. Whatever works, use it, and make sure your cell phone is charged up and at hand. If you find your apartment door ajar again, don't go in - call the police from a neighbor's, or go back outside where there are plenty of people around, and use your cell phone. Nebraska seems so "corn-fed" that most people probably don't feel that they have to worry about crime, but the state has also experienced terrorist attacks against abortion clinics (Bellevue), sect crimes (Rulo) and hate crimes (Brandon Teena murder).

You be careful, you hear me?!?!?!

My first thought when I read that mace and pepperspray were illegal was Aquanet too. Or, to go with what Cindy said, take a trial size bottle of hair spray with the pump sprayer, dump the hairspray and fill it with amonia or even bleach. Something with the BIG warning on the bottle to avoid contact with eyes. Mace may be illegal but I hardly think they could possibly arrest you for carrying amonia or bleach. And they are also right - no prosecuter in the world would try to go against a woman protecting herself.

If ANYTHING unusual happens again, please report it to the police. Also, most police departments either offer or can refer you to a good self-defense class.

Wal-Marts in our city don't sell pepper spray, either - but you can buy it here at auto-parts stores, gun shops, & lots of other places.

If there aren't any classes in your area, this book is supposed to be very good. My (ex-cop) brother recommends it.

stay safe, girl!

Happy to report that nothing strange happened to me today. But I've been super anal about keeping my eyes open for anything out of the norm.

I'll be purchasing some aerosol hairspray for my purse tomorrow. I also have to stop by the apartment office tomorrow to return a key that was left behind by maintance today, so I will ask them about it while I'm there. Hopefully, they will let me change the locks or tell me if someone happened to come in yesterday. I did notice one thing about my door this morning when I was leaving. I had slammed the door (like usual) & just happened to push against it...and it opened. So, I don't know if the latch isn't holding or what, but I'll draw it to their attention.

Thanks again everyone! I'll keep ya'll updated!