My Neighbor May Be Selling Drugs

[dg harlow]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

I moved into my current home about three years ago..it is located in a nice, quiet, small subdivision on a dead end street. I have noticed over the last three years a constant flow of traffic to and from my neighbors home. Cars and trucks come at all times of day and night (as I type this a car that just drove up left after being threre for three minutes, yes, I clocked it) and has been getting more steady over the last couple of months. The neighbor is a nice guy, he lives three houses down at the end of the dead end street, and I don't want to cause him problems. He works a regular job, we leave and return home around the same time, but something is amiss at his home. I have, and my wife also, awoke at night to tend to the kids or the dog and see cars coming and leaving his house. Last week I was doing yard work and five cars came and went, two of them making multiple trips. I don't want to cause the guy problems by calling the police but I am concerned - I have two young children along with other kids in my neighborhood who ride bikes and run around here. I don't want an exploding meth lab or something of that level to happen here. I have no evidence outside of my suspicion due to the amount of traffic and would hate to falsley accuse the guy if he is clean. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.

 

[dave33]

How about going and talking to the guy? Knock on his door and explain what concerns you have. Have you tried looking up his criminal record? There are just to many unknowns,and don't want to make any enemy for life. That's not to say anything in the thread would indicate he is a threat. I will probably be the minority here, but would only involve the state as a last resort.

 

[HighwayMan]

Great advice, Dave. Approach a suspected drug dealer and tell him you know what's going on with his dealing.

OP: if he's such a nice guy then forget about it. If you are truly concerned about the activity and its impact on you and your family then speak to your local police. Alot of people seem like they're nice but are neck deep in serious criminal activity.

If he is up to no good then he deserves what he gets. If he isn't then nothing will happen to him. What's the dilemma?

 

[dave33]

I was just thinking more along the lines of treating his neighbor with respect. I tend to try and treat people the way I want to be treated.Also, a lot of people who seem nice, actually are nice. What's wrong with giving you're neighbor of a few years whom seems nice, never caused you any problems the benefit of the doubt. Not everybody who has frequent visitors is a suspected drug dealer. If he feels uncomfortable going alone,perhaps another neighbor with similar concerns would accompany him. Maybe, sometime down the road when his kids get older and have more frequent visitors, the cops will come knockin'.

 

[dg harlow]

That is the problem..I don't want to accuse my neighbor of doing something wrong..it is just that it seems very odd that multiple cars come at all hours and only stay for minutes..he seems to be a nice guy, we have talked a few times in the past and he always waves when he drives by..he's a friendly person. If I am wrong about by suspicions I would be afraid it could cause problems. As for calling the police, this is a small town and I would be afraid that the word would get back to him. So far there have been no problems and maybe I am crazy. Maybe my imagination is running wild. I don't want to bring problems on an innocent person but I also don't want a drug dealer living three houses down from me. I just can't think of a legit reason why cars come and go, staying only for minutes, on a daily (and nightly) basis. I've thought of talking to neighbors about it but once again I would hate to stir up something about nothing and wind up with a problem in my neighborhood. I guess I am in a holding pattern because I honestly don't know what to do..

 

[Antigone*]

That is the problem..I don't want to accuse my neighbor of doing something wrong..it is just that it seems very odd that multiple cars come at all hours and only stay for minutes..he seems to be a nice guy, we have talked a few times in the past and he always waves when he drives by..he's a friendly person. If I am wrong about by suspicions I would be afraid it could cause problems. As for calling the police, this is a small town and I would be afraid that the word would get back to him. So far there have been no problems and maybe I am crazy. Maybe my imagination is running wild. I don't want to bring problems on an innocent person but I also don't want a drug dealer living three houses down from me. I just can't think of a legit reason why cars come and go, staying only for minutes, on a daily (and nightly) basis. I've thought of talking to neighbors about it but once again I would hate to stir up something about nothing and wind up with a problem in my neighborhood. I guess I am in a holding pattern because I honestly don't know what to do..

Dg, I could swear you are talking about my neighborhood, except our situation was handled almost a year ago.

We called the sheriff and spoke to a detective in a special investigations unit. They took our information and said thank you. At first I didn't think they took me seriously, but a couple of months later they raided the house.

You don't have to be identified - we never were. Apparently the sheriff's office took our info, and then made their own observations and probably even made a buy - I don't know. The nice thing is that our quiet culdesac is now quiet again.

 

[dg harlow]

Wirelessany1,

It's crazy, I half feel like I'm being paranoid and should mind my own business but in the last fifteen minutes two cars have come and gone..and it is like this all the time. I checked my local sheriff department website and they have an anonymous feature for sending in tips..I am thinking maybe I'll go someplace with a wi-fi service and send in a tip...I hope I'm wrong about it but I really don't want drugs being sold on my street..I saved for along time to buy a house in a nice neighborhhod and I want it to stay that way...it is hard though because this guy seems decent..but something isn't right..

 

[Antigone*]

Wirelessany1,

It's crazy, I half feel like I'm being paranoid and should mind my own business but in the last fifteen minutes two cars have come and gone..and it is like this all the time. I checked my local sheriff department website and they have an anonymous feature for sending in tips..I am thinking maybe I'll go someplace with a wi-fi service and send in a tip...I hope I'm wrong about it but I really don't want drugs being sold on my street..I saved for along time to buy a house in a nice neighborhhod and I want it to stay that way...it is hard though because this guy seems decent..but something isn't right..

Look dg, if you don't call the police you'll have to live with what is going on. If you do involve the authorities, they will investigate. If you are wrong, no big deal. If you are right, then you've helped to take care of the problem in your neighborhood.

My husband and I used to count the cars in an hour. I remember counting over 25 one Friday night. Now we have a total of 25 cars in a couple of days.

 

[Joshuaace2]

dg, I like my neighbors, up and down the street. However, if I thought they could be bringing a criminal element into my neighborhood, potentially endangering my family, or property value for that matter; I would not hesitate to make an anonymous call to the local police.

If you confront them in person about your concerns, and then anyone calls the police on them, they will believe it WAS YOU, even if it wasn't. I obviously think this is the wrong aproach.

Good luck.

 

[HighwayMan]

Do you think the police will just go arrest your neighbor based on your saying his activities are suspicious?

No, of course not. Your complaint will be investigated and independently corroborated. If it was me and I was your neighbor and I found out about it, I would have a good laugh if I was doing nothing wrong. And I would appreciate your caring about the neighborhood.

If your neighbor is really dealing then he is a bad dude and needs to be taken out of there, for your families sake and the sake of everyone on the block.

And dave, I was not talking about the OP being in immediate danger. You don't let a dangerous criminal know you know what he's doing. I'm sure the OP doesn't want to have to fear for his safety and that of his family day and night after talking to his neighbor.

 

[dave33]

I would agree. If there was an indication of danger than that is another story. This comment is not directed towards anyone. Since for now there is no other indication of suspicious activity except for excessive guests. This is how I am thinking. Let's just say that this is where the family grew up. So he has roots and friends. His immediate family has friends. He works locally,perhaps does some legitimate business from his home.Because there is no other obvious signs or any other signs that these and some other reasons is the basis behind the frequent visits. But, the neighbor does not know so he calls and talks to the police. As a result of the phone call there is an investigation. To start the police pull people over leaving the house and ask questions and do an occasional search. It's a small town, and word gets around.Now, it is knwn that the police are watching him. Maybe one of his friends or childrens friends has pot or a n infraction. So now innocent people are being affected. Maybe, because of something un-related to the house a possession charge, or any number of things a life gets changed. Maybe there is simply a bad experience with a pull over and search. Perhaps now people do not want their kids going over there because now they are suspicious because of an obvious investigation. Everything considered, right now he is an innocent man. There is also alot that could go wrong. A lot of negative attention could be brought esp. in a small town. I admit to a lot of "if's", but also think there are just as many if not more from the other end of the spectrum. If the op suggests to the p.d. he is nervous about a lab and explosion,I think maybe some over aggressive techniques could apply. So, if it was my kid that was innocently harassed I do not think thaqt a point would come that I would laugh about it. It is only fair to put yourself in the other persons shoes. I am not claiming to know the answer and guarantee safety.I just do not think the state and government needs involvment in excessive guests. I realize I am a minority and am only stateing my opinion. We all know all people make mistakes, police included. Is it necessary to involve them at this point? Maybe it is unlikely, but say more harm than good comes out of reporting this. Maybe something, anything else other than visitors would require further inquiry. At this point, I just do not think so. I hope nothing but success , safety and happiness for the op. goodluck. Dave

 

[HighwayMan]

I don't think random cars would be pulled over and searched after leaving this house. There are other ways to investigate.

Drug dealing is by nature associated with violent activity. That would be the only indication of danger I would need to file a police report/complaint.

I think you are taking the negative impact of this on a possibly innocent person and blowing it way out of proportion. Just my opinion.

It can't hurt to have to situation looked into. The starting point is speaking to the police. For the police, it could be as simple as running a criminal history on the neighbor and taking it from there. That might tell them everything they need to know in regards to widening the investigation.