My sister just called me and is freaking out - **small update**

[Jenvenza]

She's lucky to have a caring, concerned sister like you looking out for her.

Thanks. She is my best friend.

 

[ryanshana]

THat is sooo scary...I hope you keep us informed...your family is in my prayers!!

 

[Jenvenza]

Does your sister live near you so that she could come stay for a couple of nights? I hope that the police can get to the bottom of it.

I am close enough. I told her to come over. We have a sleeper sofa we can offer her. Not the best, I know - but I hope she takes me up on it.

When your sister left the house for the 3 hours today, was that a normal Tuesday morning activity? Is there something she does regularly at that time that the ex would know about and knew she wouldn't be home? Or was it a fluke that she was gone for that amount of time?

She is normally gone longer than that on Tuesdays. Oohhhh - this is making more sense. Maybe she came back early and whoever it was freaked and dropped the phone!

I wish she would call me back!!!!

 

[ryanshana]

When your sister left the house for the 3 hours today, was that a normal Tuesday morning activity? Is there something she does regularly at that time that the ex would know about and knew she wouldn't be home? Or was it a fluke that she was gone for that amount of time?

VERY good point!

 

[tink_n_pooh]

I will def be keeping your family in my thoughts and prayers

Please keep us posted

 

[irishbosoxfan]

OP the situation is very scary and I can attest to it with first hand knowledge!

One night I was in my breakfast room on the computer,it was about 11:30pm when all of a sudden I heard a cell phone ring upstairs. At the time I didn't have a cell phone and DH was deployed.My girls were sleeping on the couches as it was Friday night and they stayed up late watching tv and I had just gone in the living room a few minutes earlier and put a blanket on them and shut off the tv.

I sat at my computer for a good minute thinking "What the hell?" then the terror set in. I stood up walked into the tv room picked up my youngest,the whole time never taking my eyes off the hallway that leads to the staircase. I grabbed my oldest by her upper arm and practically dragged her into a standing position and led her thru the kitchen and right out the back door walking backwards the whole time so whoever was upstairs couldn't sneak up on me.

I went to the next house and rang the doorbell and deposited my kids on the neighbors couch while she called 911.I went back outside and kept watch on my house till the cops arrived. They told me to stay outside while they checked it out and came out saying that noone was in there and I made them come back in with me while I checked it out.

Having kids I know all the best hiding spots and sure enough under the master bathroom sink I found a cell phone.

As the cop was looking at it (and me thinking I was crazy and that it was mine) the dang thing rang.

Turns out that it belonged to the exterminator who had come in to spray earlier that day and it had dropped out of his pocket when he got under the sink to see if he could find a trail. Turns out he had been calling it all evening trying to figure out where it was and I didn't hear it until the kids settled down and the tv was turned off.

The experience scared the crap out of me! I'm hoping that your sisters situation is similar and she can breathe a sigh of relief before the day is done.

 

[TheZue]

I am close enough. I told her to come over. We have a sleeper sofa we can offer her. Not the best, I know - but I hope she takes me up on it.



She is normally gone longer than that on Tuesdays. Oohhhh - this is making more sense. Maybe she came back early and whoever it was freaked and dropped the phone!

I wish she would call me back!!!!

Gah that is sooo scary. I'm betting when she ran over to her neighbors is when they left...probably forgot to turn off the phone...it started ringing and they dropped it and hid until she left. I also agree with the PP that mentioned somebody may have tried to put cameras or some weird things in the house and they should try to sweep the house for it. There is no way I'd be sleeping in that house until it had an alarm system, they figured out who it was, and it was checked for monitoring equipment. Hopefully she stays at your house.

 

[nikkistevej]

Very scary- I hope all will turn up OK.

 

[Jenvenza]

OP the situation is very scary and I can attest to it with first hand knowledge!

One night I was in my breakfast room on the computer,it was about 11:30pm when all of a sudden I heard a cell phone ring upstairs. At the time I didn't have a cell phone and DH was deployed.My girls were sleeping on the couches as it was Friday night and they stayed up late watching tv and I had just gone in the living room a few minutes earlier and put a blanket on them and shut off the tv.

I sat at my computer for a good minute thinking "What the hell?" then the terror set in. I stood up walked into the tv room picked up my youngest,the whole time never taking my eyes off the hallway that leads to the staircase. I grabbed my oldest by her upper arm and practically dragged her into a standing position and led her thru the kitchen and right out the back door walking backwards the whole time so whoever was upstairs couldn't sneak up on me.

I went to the next house and rang the doorbell and deposited my kids on the neighbors couch while she called 911.I went back outside and kept watch on my house till the cops arrived. They told me to stay outside while they checked it out and came out saying that noone was in there and I made them come back in with me while I checked it out.

Having kids I know all the best hiding spots and sure enough under the master bathroom sink I found a cell phone.

As the cop was looking at it (and me thinking I was crazy and that it was mine) the dang thing rang.

Turns out that it belonged to the exterminator who had come in to spray earlier that day and it had dropped out of his pocket when he got under the sink to see if he could find a trail. Turns out he had been calling it all evening trying to figure out where it was and I didn't hear it until the kids settled down and the tv was turned off.

The experience scared the crap out of me! I'm hoping that your sisters situation is similar and she can breathe a sigh of relief before the day is done.

That is freaky!! What a good mama you are!! I am glad it was nothing though in the end.

 

[Brit17]

I know this may sound crazy ... but did your sister happen to notice if her dogs were agitated or acting any differently than normal when she returned home today? (i.e., as if alerting her that a stranger or someone had been in the house) ... I know even if I have a repairman, neighbor, etc., in my house while I am at home, my dogs will sniff through the house wherever that person was for hours after he/she leaves ... they don't do this with people they are used to or visit often though (as probably would be the case if your sister's ex was there) ...

I hope everything turns out ok for your sister ...

 

[cheerful chickadee]

omg this is so scary, I hope she takes you up on the offer to stay at your place. I can't imagine going back tinto that house with my baby without knowing who was in my house, will they come back? what did they do in there? Oh so many questions, I'd be too freaked out.

and on the dog tip...if it was almost ex-dh then the dogs would be familiar with him, right? maybe that's an explanation of why they weren't freaked

 

[kaseyC]

I know sometimes I can be very suspicious, but I wouldn't allow my neighbor to change my locks. I would go with a locksmith, someone I know for sure had no contact with the ex.

 

[Jenvenza]

I know this may sound crazy ... but did your sister happen to notice if her dogs were agitated or acting any differently than normal when she returned home today? (i.e., as if alerting her that a stranger or someone had been in the house) ... I know even if I have a repairman, neighbor, etc., in my house while I am at home, my dogs will sniff through the house wherever that person was for hours after he/she leaves ... they don't do this with people they are used to or visit often though (as probably would be the case if your sister's ex was there) ...

I hope everything turns out ok for your sister ...

She just called me back and we just talked about this. She told me she didnt think anything about it at the time, but when she got home today, she said the dogs ran to her and then ran to the front door and looked back at her. I think someone ran out when pulled in the garage.

 

[dchi]

I'm sure there are a set of fingerprints on the cell.

 

[Imzadi]

OP the situation is very scary and I can attest to it with first hand knowledge!

One night I was in my breakfast room on the computer,it was about 11:30pm when all of a sudden I heard a cell phone ring upstairs. At the time I didn't have a cell phone and DH was deployed.My girls were sleeping on the couches as it was Friday night and they stayed up late watching tv and I had just gone in the living room a few minutes earlier and put a blanket on them and shut off the tv.

I sat at my computer for a good minute thinking "What the hell?" then the terror set in. I stood up walked into the tv room picked up my youngest,the whole time never taking my eyes off the hallway that leads to the staircase. I grabbed my oldest by her upper arm and practically dragged her into a standing position and led her thru the kitchen and right out the back door walking backwards the whole time so whoever was upstairs couldn't sneak up on me.

I went to the next house and rang the doorbell and deposited my kids on the neighbors couch while she called 911.I went back outside and kept watch on my house till the cops arrived. They told me to stay outside while they checked it out and came out saying that noone was in there and I made them come back in with me while I checked it out.

Having kids I know all the best hiding spots and sure enough under the master bathroom sink I found a cell phone.

As the cop was looking at it (and me thinking I was crazy and that it was mine) the dang thing rang.

Turns out that it belonged to the exterminator who had come in to spray earlier that day and it had dropped out of his pocket when he got under the sink to see if he could find a trail. Turns out he had been calling it all evening trying to figure out where it was and I didn't hear it until the kids settled down and the tv was turned off.

The experience scared the crap out of me! I'm hoping that your sisters situation is similar and she can breathe a sigh of relief before the day is done.

Hmmm, OP, is your sis renting the house? Maybe the landlord needed to get in to check on an emergency situation. He let himself in while she was out and dropped the phone.

There still is the possibility that her DS picked up the phone at daycare, loosely stuffed it in his jacket pocket or the diaper bag. When Sis & DS were heading down the stairs on the way to daycare, the cell phone fell out of the pocket or bag, unnoticed by either one.

 

[Jenvenza]

Okay, so a little update. The police came and looked all through the house and it showed no signs of forced entry - which leads them to believe it was her soon-to-be ex husband or someone he knows. They took all his info and she filled out a restraining order. She said from the way they talked, he could be charged it it turns out to be him. They took the phone and siad they would know today or tomorrow who it belonged to and that they would come back to her house and let her know. The one poilce officer gave her his personal cell and said to put it on speed-dial on her cell and call him if she thought anything weird was going on. He also told her when child suport in involved, some people get crazy. And she told me he was emailing her all day yesterday saying he couldnt pay it and it needed to be changed.

I will keep you all updated as soon as I find out whose phone it is or any other info.

 

[Camicar]

She is normally gone longer than that on Tuesdays. Oohhhh - this is making more sense. Maybe she came back early and whoever it was freaked and dropped the phone!

It may be just your garden-variety burglar (which is scary enough, I know.) But it may also have been her ex or someone hired by her ex to plant surveillance equipment, to trash the place or steal something. Given that this is a nasty divorce, I hope she has already taken the precaution of removing ALL her valuables from the house from important documents to photos to prized possessions.

 

[N&B'smom]

Your sister needs to get out of that house asap. I hope she takes you up on your offer and stays with you. That is just REALLY scary!! Please keep us updated.

 

[Jenvenza]

I'm sure there are a set of fingerprints on the cell.

I am thinking the same thing.

Hmmm, OP, is your sis renting the house? Maybe the landlord needed to get in to check on an emergency situation. He let himself in while she was out and dropped the phone.

There still is the possibility that her DS picked up the phone at daycare, loosely stuffed it in his jacket pocket or the diaper bag. When Sis & DS were heading down the stairs on the way to daycare, the cell phone fell out of the pocket or bag, unnoticed by either one.

About her DS - they never go upsairs. It is a large house and since her husband moved out, she and her son stay downstairs. She goes up every once in a while to get something, but I don't think her son had anything to do with this.

And about her renting - I thought the same thing about her landlords, since she does rent the house. So she called them and they are on vacation in Mexico!

 

[Imzadi]

I know sometimes I can be very suspicious, but I wouldn't allow my neighbor to change my locks. I would go with a locksmith, someone I know for sure had no contact with the ex.

That was a scene from the movie Crash. From what I fuzzily remember, Sandra Bullock was robbed by a black man. She wanted the locks changed and the locksmith turned out to be a black man. She was freaking out as he changed the locks, even though he handed her the only two existing sets of keys when he was done.

At some point, you have to realized, some paranoia is over the top. Unless the OP's sister has some reason to suspect the neighbor, he's doing her a favor.