I'm being a nosey neighbor

[kwelch10377]

So I didn't have off today, but ended up having to work from home because I had a flat tire and they weren't going to be able to get the new one to fix it til this afternoon.

Well my roommate had off and says I don't mean to be one of those nosey neighbors, but something is totally going on next door. I have only seen the woman next door a few times in the 5 years that I have lived here, I just know that she is an older woman (maybe 80s) and her husband may or may not still be alive, but if he is he isn't able to leave the home.

Anyway, my roommate tells me that there are 2 cop cars outside her house and the cops were at the front door and then walked around back and were looking in the windows. Then a 3rd cop car drives up and joins to other two guys. They come back around front and are just standing on the sidewalk talking to each other. It doesn't appear that they ever spoke to anyone in the house, even though I think she may be there since her car is (of course someone could have picked her up). Well all 3 cops just left.

I am so curious to see why there were there. I so wanted to go out to the cops and ask "So what seems to be the problem out here officers", but I would never do that.

It is just weird that they were looking around and then just left.

I of course could be making a bigger deal out of this than need be as a way to distract myself from doing work.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I'm thinking someone reported not seeing the lady and the police are making sure she hasn't passed. A lot of times when older people live alone or with their husband/wife and they are both up there in age or sick, this is the only way they are discovered to have passed.

 

[bigbabyblues]

It could be that someone has called them and asked for a well-being check. DH is a dispatcher, and they occasionally get calls to check on people, usually elderly, that haven't been seen or heard from to make sure they haven't fallen inside the house and can't get to the phone or something.

 

[AKL_Megs]

Probably a welfare check. You (and the officers alike) would know if she or he was dead, if you catch my drift. I'm sure they looked for anything amiss inside, saw nothing, and left.

 

[kwelch10377]

That is what my roommate and I were thinking, but no one ever answered the door and they didn't speak to her in person to see if she was ok.

Would they just leave without talking to her or entering the house?

I know for a fact that they didn't speak to her in person because we were looking out the window the whole time (our houses are really close together so I would be able to see if they did speak to her).

 

[Hannathy]

I'm curious why you didn't just go speak to the officers? If I saw 3 police walking around my neighbors and they didn't seem to be on alert/in the middle of a conflict I certainly would have asked what the problem was. Maybe it is something I could help with or should know. As long as you don't interfere with them if they are in the middle of a crisis there is nothing wrong with being alert to things in your neighborhood and asking questions.

 

[kwelch10377]

I'm curious why you didn't just go speak to the officers? If I saw 3 police walking around my neighbors and they didn't seem to be on alert/in the middle of a conflict I certainly would have asked what the problem was. Maybe it is something I could help with or should know. As long as you don't interfere with them if they are in the middle of a crisis there is nothing wrong with being alert to things in your neighborhood and asking questions.

I thought about it, but I felt weird going out an asking them, not to mention it is about 10 degrees out, with over a foot of snow on the ground and I was in my PJs.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I agree that it was probably a welfare check. I also agree that it's fine to talk to the officers when something like that happens. Just approach them politely and say, "I live right over there. I there anything I should be concerned about?" Unless it's something they need to keep confidential, they'll be happy to talk to you. They may not give any specific info and just say everything is fine, but at least you'd know there's no threat to you.

 

[AuroraSheasMom]

Sounds like a well check. Looked in the windows and probably saw that they were either their or evidence that they were OK. TV on, dishes in the sink, no obvious odor, maybe spied on of them inside the house moving around.

But I don't think it would be too nosy to ask.