Pet problems, stalking problems and alarms?

[Guest Sceptical]

Hi,

We moved to a safe house with an alarm but we have a doberman who

I believe will set off the alarm because he lives in the house with us

because we have a stalker. So I dont set the alarm.

I believe the stalker may have found the safe house and I cant afford

to move again. I believe he came to the door in disguise (big hat pulled

over his hair and dark glasses) when my daughter was home alone.

This has had another trauma impact on her health.

Have you any suggestions? I have told her not to answer the door

when I am out. My bedroom is next to hers and the doberman sleeps

either with me or her and my door is open so the dog can respond

if necessary.

I could try and set up a black and white camera linked to video near

the front door to try and catch this guy on camera. As with all stalkers,

we don't know how the story is going to end (will there be a fatality).

Any ideas much appreciated. The police are not much help and apparently

digital evidence (digital cameras) are not acceptable as evidence so

any evidence has to be caught on old fashioned cameras/videos.

I have also thought of manual alarms to go on doors? EG a door opened

during the night sets off an alarm? Maybe I can try and install sensor

lights (but am a little short of money right now).

Any advice much appreciated.

Melanie

[Guest simmo]

Melanie,

As regards to your stalker problem you can do as rjbsec says, or utilise door contacts which will give some protection.

However this is only part answer to your problem.

You state the Police are not much help, I presume because you have moved to a 'safe' house your problem has become quite serious.

Why are the Police not taking this seriously is there a reason? have they fobbed you off? The harassment act covers this type of problem, and whilst difficult to compile evidence at present it is one of the only ways to deal with people like this.

I am presuming you are compiling a log which details everything that happens to you ie unwanted visitors, phone calls etc. Are you calling the Police to advise them of this. At the very least this will provide a record of each event. Most control rooms create a serial of the incident even if no Police action is taken.

It pains me to say this but as an ex police officer these cases are hard to prove and very time consuming but people can be prosecuted. If the Police are not taking you seriously ask to see the station/shift inspector and present your case failing that make a complaint everybody else does!!

Most cameras people install on their property offer very poor pictures from a Police point of view.

Digital cameras as long as they are date and time stamped to my knowledge can be used in evidence, providing the flash card or appropriate media is placed in a sealed bag and given to the relevant investigation team asap.

Obviously this is a security forum, there is a link to a website on the top 50 that may be more relevant to your problem it is Neighbours From Hell in Britain they will probably be more up to speed on the relevant case law, as I'm a bit rusty.

Think the dog is probably the best investment you have got though!

Hope this helps

Simmo B)

[Guest Guest]

Hi Simmo,

Thanks for the advice. Yes, the doberman was the best investment

we made and I got him from a rescue group. He is part of the family

now and we could not have survived without him (even his antics

have provided light relief in times of trauma).

I have kept in touch with the police and I tried twice to get a restraining

order without luck because the perpetrator did a lot of things at night.

He also has constructed himself as a "pillar of the community" despite

targetting my poor daughter for so long that she now had medical

problems. He is also a great liar and makes the most amazing lies up

to cover what he does and most time people believe him. One starts

to lose heart after seeing years of this sort of behaviour being got away

with. I have had property damage you wouldnt believe yet the police

put it down to unsolvable crime and this stuff only happened after he

got involved in our lives.

The police say stalking is one of the hardest things to prove yet I am

sure if this guy does turn up at the safe house and I get him on

camera, it will help prove how much of a danger he is.

Even so, it depends on which police officer you get as you how supportive

or knowledgable they are about stalking. One officer told me everyone

has the right to go up to someones door and knock on the door. He said

just tell them to go away. However, with stalking, the idea of the stalker

is to make you feel unsafe in your own home. That is what happened to us

so we moved. It was really scary, the things he got away with.

I thought about one use for the alarm that we dont use. There is a panic button

in one room I have never tried. Maybe it sets off the alarm. If I had panic

buttons in every bedroom, this could be a good use of the alarm, if thats

how it works of course.

I do keep a record of the most serious events. But in the end, the stalker

has all the power to determine the ending to the story. There should be more

support for victims of stalking. It is a horrible thing to go through.

Also, by the way, the police were adamant that digital evidence is not yet

allowed in court since it can be manipulated. They prefer the old type of

videos although apparently the use of digital media as evidence is under

review.

Sceptic

[Guest Guest]

Hi again,

I posted as Sceptic but I am Melanie. I forgot to mention,

I got some good brand personal

alarms cheap at the supermarket (these are really loud, I tested one)

so they are good to have. I am also going to get some pepper spray

to keep in the house. One old gent I know takes an early morning walk

every day and he carries pepper spray in his pocket since hearing

of bag snatchers/bad types hanging around in the parklands where

he walks. Any other ideas for personal protection would be

much appreciated. I thought about these ideas, always carry a camera,

a mobile phone, a personal alarm and pepper spray. The mobile phone

has been the most useful of all so far. In one incident I used it to make

the perpetrator leave when he wouldnt by dialling the police in front of

him.

Melanie

[Guest simmo]

Melanie,

Try looking at this link Digital Evidence gives recent rulings on digital evidence. Its a bit heavy but could be relevant to your case.

Simmo B)

[Guest Guest]

Hi Simmo,

Thanks for the Link, I have read it with interest.

I am not in the UK so these regulations don't yet apply here (yet).

A US friend of mine suggested getting a camcorder (I suppose

he means a digital one because they mostly sell those nowdays)

and then if the stalker comes to the door or approaches in the street

to talk as well as record and the voices of both the filmer and

the filmed would be caught. He also suggested making sure the

camcorder had the correct date stamped on it (I think you can set these).

I believe he has a point here because if you get voice recordings

with video, how on earth could the courts say anyone could manufacture

a dialogue between two or more people recorded as the tape is made?

Melanie

[Guest simmo]

Hi Melanie,

Didn't realise you were outside of the UK

But yep it's good advice to get everything time and date stamped if possible, obviously depends on your justice system though!!

Good Luck

Simmo B)