My neighbor... the sexual offender

[ramanth]

Great house... great deal... quiet neighborhood... friendly neighbor.... who just happens to be on the Sexual Offender List. *sigh*

And has quite a record...
http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis...cNumber=288182


To back up... when my dad and I were looking at the house back in June, Mike was out working in the garden. Dad called over and said hi, and Mike responded in kind, but made no move to come to the fence. Dad asked him how he liked the area and Mike said it was nice and quiet and he had had no problems.

Last Friday, I was outside with my aunt, when Mike walked up to the fence and said hi. He reintroduced himself, but made no move to shake my hand or anything. He asked if I had anyone caring for my lawn and I replied that I would be mowing it eventually but didn't have a mower yet. He told me he mowed the other neighbors lawn for $20 and if that was reasonable. I agreed that it was and he said he'd mow it on Saturday.

Saturday came and after the carpet cleaners left, I hear the mower and Mike was tending the lawn. Afterwards he tapped on the door and then backed away about 6 feet. I gave him $20 and thanked him. He stepped back again and said it was no problem and asked if I would be interested in any vegetables from their garden. He explained that they had way too much for them to eat and said it'd be no charge. I said sure and a short while later he brought over a bag, tapped on the door and left.

An hour after that, the dogs started barking and an elderly gentleman was at my door with a baking dish. He told me, 'Welcome to the neighborhood', and walked off before I could ask his name. (He lives in the same house as Mike.)

It was Sunday when I was on the Family Watchdog site and found my neighbor listed.

I haven't had a chance to work on the house since, but today when I stopped by to check the mail, there was a bag of cherry tomatoes hanging on my porch handrail.

I'm not going to be paranoid or live in fear but I am going to be cautious and on guard.

If it were you, would you say something to the guy right off the bat or not bring it up unless he tried to get overly friendly?

[RICHARD]

Keep your distance and never let your guard down.

--------------

MY gf had moved into an apartment building and we ran into the landlord dude.

She introduced me and the guy never made eye contact and gave me the wimpiest handshake on the planet.

Later on I told her that I didn't trust him at all and there was something strange about him. She poo-poohed me and a few months later she told me that she was stopped by two detectives in the parking lot asking about him-
turns out he was sleeping with a teen that lived one of the units. Sometimes you intuition is way better than you think.

So, be careful and never leave anything to chance.

[Karen]

I would not say anything, but just be cautious, and be polite but not too friendly. If there are neighbors with kids that you get to know, you should make sure they know about his status.

[Puckstop31]

http://michigan.gov/msp/1,1607,7-123...0926--,00.html

Get one. Do not let anyone know you have it. Learn to use it. Use it if you must. If you decide you MUST use it. Use it to kill. Pray/hope/vibe/whatever that you never NEED it.

---

What you describe is my worst fear as a father of a girl.

[caseysmom]

We had one in our neighborhood, I have two teenage daughters...the neighbors put so much pressure on the family they had him move, it was an adult kid.

If your not comfortable with a gun (which I have no problem with, I had one once and learned how to use it) but if your not comfortable you can get pepper spray.

[ramanth]

I'm comfortable around guns. Grandpa was a police officer and hunter, my parents hunted. I've fired rifles and pistols at ranges.

I'm just not sure if I'd have the wits to take another life and I have the fear the gun could be taken from me by force and used against me.

Ever since I started house hunting, I knew I'd be living alone and so I've been reading several self defense books. Someone tries to start something with me, I'm not going down without a fight.

[Catherinedana]

I suggest that you take any precautions that you would take NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVED as any sensible person would. I, personally, would not mention it. Just don't get too close and even though he has made friendly overtures, you can be friendly back without encouraging his constant attention. He may actually be trying to do the right thing but your vigilance in taking care of yourself will not allow something bad to happen with this man or anyone else. It looks to me like he may have a substance issue that governs his actions. I would imagine that his sexual offense is sex with a minor from what the record says. He's on parol so if you see anything that worries you or if he's walking around drunk or high, report it. . .they'll put him away again.

Just be careful. . .but then again ALWAYS be careful
Cathy

[pomtzu]

Just be on guard, and don't let him get too friendly. I wouldn't let him know that you know his background unless he is anything toward you, other than neighborly. It appears he is already keeping his distance tho if he didn't offer a handshake and backed away from you too. One good thing - he hasn't had any "known" offenses in 3 years, so maybe there is hope for him in spite of his rather lengthy record.

[Catty1]

pomtzu - I agree that he is clearly keeping his distance; backing away, not shaking hands, dropping off veggies and knocking on the door and leaving.

The older man may be his dad - and maybe was a way of letting you know that he is not there alone.

By all means take precautions, as you would anywhere...but also remember that he is fighting the hardest fight of his life, a life that no one should envy.

[Freedom]

When you were looking at the house, the Realtor was SUPPOSED to do a search and advise you of this! Consider what to say (I'm not sure at this moment) and then give that Realtor a call!!! This definitely had an impact on the house price.

As the others said, keep your distance. Be polite, not too friendly. Pepper spray sounds like a good idea.

Look around -- does he REALLY mow for other neighbors, or was that just a line he gave you? Something to consider.

[Husky_mom]

I would repeat what everyone has said already.. so.. I´ll just add.. better than pepper spray.. wasp spray.. I read on FB it´s better as it sprays further.. I think I even copied it to my own.. if not it´s on Alicia´s (buttercup) FB..

hold on I´ll retrieve it and copy it here

[Husky_mom]

found it!!.. kinda lenghty but worth reading.. (intended for burglars but works just as well)

THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.

2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste... and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it..

5. If it snows while you're out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don't let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it's set. That makes it too easy.

7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom - and your jewelry. It's not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there
too.

8. It's raining, you're fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door - understandable. But understand this: I don't take a day off because of bad weather.

9. I always knock first. If you answer, I'll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don't take me up on it.)

10. Do you really think I won't look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

11. Here's a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids' rooms.

12. You're right: I won't have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it's not bolted down, I'll take
it with me.

13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system . If you're reluctant to leave your TV on while you're out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the
flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at
;;; http://www.faketv.com/)


8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON'T TELL YOU:

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook..

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I'll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he'll stop what he's doing and wait to hear it again.. If he doesn't hear it again, he'll just go back to what he was doing. It's human nature.

4. I'm not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?

5. I love looking in your windows. I'm looking for signs that you're home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I'd like. I'll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page.. It's easier than you think to look up your address.

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it's an invitation.

8. If you don't answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.

Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina , Oregon , California , and Kentucky ; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs

;;; http://www.crimedoctor.com// and
Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of
Missouri-St. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars
on the Job

Protection for you and your home:


If you don't have a gun, here's a more humane way to wreck someone's
evil plans for you. (I guess I can get rid of the baseball bat.):

WASP SPRAY


A friend who is a receptionist in a church in a high risk area was
concerned about someone coming into the office on Monday to rob them
when they were counting the collection. She asked the local police
department about using pepper spray and they recommended to her that
she get a can of wasp spray instead.

The wasp spray, they told her, can shoot up to twenty feet away and is
a lot more accurate, while with the pepper spray, they have to get too
close to you and could overpower you. The wasp spray temporarily
blinds an attacker until they get to the hospital for an antidote. She
keeps a can on her desk in the office and it doesn't attract attention
from people like a can of pepper spray would.. She also keeps one
nearby at home for home protection. Thought this was interesting and
might be of use.

FROM ANOTHER SOURCE

On the heels of a break in and beating that left an elderly woman in
Toledo dead, self defense experts have a tip that could save your
life..

Val Glinka teaches self-defense to students at Sylvania Southview High
School. For decades, he's suggested putting a can of wasp and hornet
spray near your door or bed.

Glinka says, "This is better than anything I can teach them."

Glinka considers it inexpensive, easy to find, and more effective than
mace or pepper spray. The cans typically shoot 20 to 30 feet; so if
someone tries to break into your home, Glinka says, "spray the culprit
in the eyes". It's a tip he's given to students for decades. It's also
one he wants everyone to hear. If you're looking for protection,
Glinka says look to the spray.

"That's going to give you a chance to call the police; maybe get out."

Maybe even save a life.

Put your car keys beside your bed at night

Tell your spouse, your children, your neighbors, your parents, your
Dr's office, the check-out girl at the market, everyone you run
across. Put your car keys beside your bed at night.

If you hear a noise outside your home or someone trying to get in your
house, just press the panic button for your car. The alarm will be
set off, and the horn will continue to sound until either you turn it
off or the car battery dies. This tip came from a neighborhood watch
coordinator. Next time you come home for the night and you start to
put your keys away, think of this: It's a security alarm system that
you probably already have and requires no installation. Test it. It
will go off from most everywhere inside your house and will keep
honking until your battery runs down or until you reset it with the
button on the key fob chain. It works if you park in your driveway or
garage. If your car alarm goes off when someone is trying to break
into your house, odds are the burglar/rapist won't stick around.
After a few seconds all the neighbors will be looking out their
windows to see who is out there and sure enough the criminal won't
want
that. And remember to carry your keys while walking to your car in a
parking lot. The alarm can work the same way there. This is
something that should really be shared with everyone. Maybe it could
save a life or a sexual abuse crime.

P.S. I am sending this to everyone I know because I think it is
fantastic. Would also be useful for any emergency, such as a heart
attack, where you can't reach a phone.

Please pass this on even IF you've read it before. It's a reminder

Please share this with all the people in your life.

[Lady's Human]

The wasp spray sounded like a red herring, and it is.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.asp

Some things to consider: Pepper spray is a defensive weapon, and can be classified as nothing else. It's legal, vetted, and reliable.

Wasp Spray is a chemical spray formulated to interfere with the nervous systems of insects. Guess what? What it does for one species, it will do for other species. Basically it's nerve agent for bugs.

The range makes it into something a decent attorney could play hell with, it's not defensive, it's offensive.

The chemical makeup would be another thing you'd be liable for.

Don't play footsy, if you have serious concerns about this individual, get training, get a permit, get a gun, and practice with it. If you're not going to train with the weapon to become proficient, don't bother, though. Stick with the pepper spray.

[Husky_mom]

thanks for clearing that up Lady´s... I never looked into that.. guess I got sold by the "shoots further" part

[RICHARD]

The wasp spray sounded like a red herring, and it is.

http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/waspspray.asp

Some things to consider: Pepper spray is a defensive weapon, and can be classified as nothing else. It's legal, vetted, and reliable.

Wasp Spray is a chemical spray formulated to interfere with the nervous systems of insects. Guess what? What it does for one species, it will do for other species. Basically it's nerve agent for bugs.

Would a burglar 'bug' you?

IT was the first thing I got my hands on.

I feared for my life.