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Terrified in apartment- stalker/creeper

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larsony11@gmail

Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? NY

This is all REALLY HAPPENING TO ME and I'm terrified and STUCK!

I just moved into my first single apartment on the first floor private back porch entry (Signed a year lease, due to expire end of April 2011). Strange things have been happening since I moved in: 1) I had a towel hanging on a hook that was being moved to a rod that was uncomfortably out of reach for me) on 3 different occasions. I told the landlord I thought someone was coming in and out and asked for the locks to be changed. 2) things started disappearing from my apartment (favorite long green dress, necklace, scarf) 3) There were two separate occasions where a stand man appeared at our apartment front door "looking for someone" - immediately I called the cops after the 2nd time. 4) I live in a very upscale neighborhood so I left my car keys behind my tire for my friend to watch my cat (came back to find the keys put where my friend said he had left them) but my GPS was stolen as well as the change in my car. 5) I found a strange in my car that day that ended up being the key to the front of the apartment building. (told the landlord and he said it was me being paranoid 6) Several days later I wake up to footprints in the snow outside of my bedroom window. (call the cops) 7) show the landlord the prints and he makes up excuses (guys taking electric reads) when clearly the prints out dead center in front of my bedroom window where there are no meters. 8) I heard from my friend who use to live in the building that the girl before use to say strange/creepy things were going on, so I reached out to her via facebook. Found out, she went through the same thing I am going through - footprints in snow, jewelery boxes were stolen (but cops said there was no break and entry), and she actually saw the man one morning at her back screen. She broke the lease and lied to the landlord and said she was moving out of state (paid him 1100)- when I asked my landlord about the girl before me saying she thought there was a "creeper" he said absolutely NOTHING 9) I woke up another morning to more footprints in the snow outside of my apartment.

I wrote this all up to the landlord and told him I am leaving. I can't sleep and I really am afraid for my life. This has effected me in a lot of ways. The cops won't do anything and he won't either. He told me if I get someone to move in, he would let me go. (when I told him today I had a nice couple to move in, he said absolutely no because they may have two cars and or use up too much hot water). (To me that may be grounds for discriminating but I am no lawyer). So unless I find a single female, that I am willing to put in this same situation (I'm not) I am stuck for another 4 months. I really need help! I don't know what to do at this point.
 


BL

Senior Member
I find your user name out of the ordinary ,just like your post.

If by chance it's all true , have the hardware store change the lock cylinders to match and provide the LL with a copy of the key.

Use window locks ,etc .
 
I don't know about anyone else, but I can completely see your post as being completely valid. But then, my area of expertise isn't law, it's forensic psychology.

What you've described sounds much like you have a peeping tom (who don't usually just resign themselves to peeping, they often do escalate to breaking and entering). The fact that someone else has experienced it says that most likely, if not in your actual building but simply in your area, you have a bona-fide sexual offender (even if not by legal terms, AKA previously convicted). Missing items speak to a fetishism or collection of trophies. The rest, I think, is pretty obvious.

Change the locks. Do not leave keys where they can be accessed. Obtain a security system. Get a large dog. Protect your safety. I've personally seen too many situations where it's escalated and badly. And unfortunately, not every police agency has the experience or tools to recognize the signs. Too, their job is usually to help after the fact, when it's obvious that you've been a victim and they have a crime scene they can visibly see.

That said, having had provided risk assessments previously in similar cases, if your landlord has provided you with locks and reasonable security, he's done due diligence (though not morally, then legally). Simply because this type of crime is not the sort that more that average due diligence could prevent.

Meaning, this sort of offender is not the kind to be swayed by locks. He's willing to take risks ~ perpetrate a high-risk (in fact, that's pathologically part of the "thrill" they experience) crime on a low-risk victim (as cited by your living in a "well-to-do" area). That sort of offender is not likely to be stopped by anything short of an arrest for a more "extreme offense" or by a victim's self-defense.

I don't mean to sound shocking ~ and if I do, I apologize. But this is something to be taken seriously. And it's something that most likely, your local police department won't be equipped to assist you with.

Please do take all precautions you can. And please do document all activity. And please do be persistent with your local authorities.

*For those who might find her story too incredulous, please note that I can provide extensive case histories of activity similar to hers. It does happen. In fact, it's rather standard with "peeping toms" who escalate to rape and/or murder. Simply put, rapists and serial sexual murderers start somewhere. And peeping is typically where they start.

However, what's typically unusual is that no one believes her. While it's possible that she's emulating Tawana Brawley (famous example of a pseudo-victim), it's more likely that it's a peeping tom.

Again, I'm not trying to shock anyone or be controversial. I simply see signs in her post that speak to case histories I have consulted on.
 
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John_DFW

Member
I would get a wireless security camera system. The ones that record to an SD card can be quite small and hidden relatively well. Not a cheap option, but the video can really help the police.
 

Alex23

Member
Why can't you find a single male?
That wasn't very nice.

BTW, you need a video camera for your peeping tom window. An infra-red camera would help for getting the video at night.

They also sell inexpensive nanny-cams which you can use to monitor the inside of your house.

This would give you the evidence you need if in fact you do have an intruder.

Be careful not to set any booby traps. He'll end up suing you.
 

xylene

Senior Member
That wasn't very nice.
The poster claimed that only a single female was an acceptable replacement tenant...

That isn't right.

The whole story sounds hinky, and I am pointing out something that is not legally true.
 

larsony11@gmail

Junior Member
not made up

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your replies... this is all really happening and it is terrifying.

I have had my locks changed and I did buy a nanny camera. The thing is, I'm not sure whether or not the landlord has something to do with all of this. The fact of the matter is when I spoke to the girl before me she heard our landlord pull aside the cops and tell them "It was probably just her boyfriend". He was making up excuses for the footprints in the snow, "just getting meter reads" and he never told me prior to moving in that there was some michevious activities taking place. Also the fact that he ABSOLUTELY will not allow a couple to move in makes me CRAZY! His excuse was at first 1) the square footage was enough (which my place is over 900 square feet (its huge) 2) then he started saying the parking spot was only for one 3) then he said they would use up too much water.... its all a load. I feel like he won't approve anyone to move in... the only people who have been interested have been single girls and that one couple. And I don't want to put any other girl in this situation!!! HELP! is there anything?? I called the AG office and all he said was wear a whistle around my neck, buy pepper spray, and be careful.
 
Hello Everyone,

Thanks for your replies... this is all really happening and it is terrifying.
I don't doubt it. As I said, peeping is a common "doorway activity" to worse offenses. Studies and post-conviction interviews with the majority of serial rapists and serial sexual murderers have proven such a thing.

What does bother me is that the police said that there were no signs of B&E visible. Did they check thoroughly? Are the locks routinely changed with each new tenant?

When you used a nanny cam, were you able to get any usable footage?

Did the previous tenant report (or would be willing to vouch for you with the local authorities) any of her experiences to the police?

Do you have any stressors (other than this, one, of course) that might explain why you're being victimized? Perhaps you're showing a good deal of stress in another area of your life?
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
My gut feel tells me not to trust the landlord. Don't ask me why, but.

I would nanny camera the front door and any other possible entry way into that apartment. I would even be tempted to "move" my car as if I was leaving, but come back to the apartment on foot to see if there were any shenanigans happening.
 

TinkerBelleLuvr

Senior Member
Consider sprinkling powder of some nature (think those cleaning powders, baking soda, or baby powder in front of all the entry ways. Foot prints say much :D
 
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