I’m sat in my car while my toddler daughter sleeps in the back.

20 minutes ago a gentleman knocked on the car window and introduced himself as the local neighbour hood watch. He told me that at 2000-2015 hrs last night a car of Asian women pulled up outside my house and started taking photos (he decided to tell me they were of Pakistani origin), to me this info is relevant as it would indicate that they are from another town and have travelled to our village ‘on a mission’.

Our house is tucked away with no passing traffic, even some people on our estate don’t know we’re here.

Firstly, the man who told this information gave me reason to believe he was telling me the truth.

Assumimg it is true;

Why were they taking photos? I’m obviously concerned.

The guy said there have been a few garden sheds broken into and car tyres slashed and cars keyed recently. He also mentioned expensive bikes being stolen.

We have a garage rather than a shed and Im obviously a cyclist.

He gave me the make, model and reg of the car that was here and told me the reg matches the car, he’s already checked that out.

WTF do I do with this information? Other than insuring my bikes (new one needs covering) and being vigilant locking the house up etc, which is all normal anyway.

I’d rather not know this TBH! I don’t think I’ll be telling my o/h, she doesn’t need to know.

We were out at a wedding last night. It’s a nice area we’re in. The people taking the photos can only have been doing it for bad reasons, surely?

Maybe they are twitchers and you had some rare species of bird on your roof/in your garden? Bats (too early maybe)?

Doesn’t feel like the handiwork of a criminal mastermind..

Family member used to live there – photo to show how it’s changed to email?

Maybe you’re about to be forced into an arranged marriage* against your will?

* Racial stereotyping used for comic effect but, to be fair, the OP started it.

Not a family member, only one previous owner and we know who they are.

Birds/bats, I think unlikely, our house is tucked away, it feels like they came to our house on purpose, or were looking for something while trawling our estate.

while trawling our estate.

Ahh, Estate Asians.

I think we need to see some photos of your house so we can comment on it’s photogenity. It would be hard for me to make it but could I send someone round this evening – say around 20:15?

You’ve only got this “gentlemans” word for it.

Was it this guy?

Ahh, Estate Asians.

Oooh, well played 😀

It’s a distraction tactic, it was in fact him scoping out your house for a go himself.

He’s just making it out that he’s a witness rather than the crim.

If your house is so “tucked away”, what was he doing there?

Innocent theory…

The sun would be setting at ~2015, does it set behind your house, when looking from the road?

I only mentioned their ethnicity because it was mentioned to me.

Like I say, I have reason to believe the guy was telling the truth and I have means of checking he is who he says he is, which I will do shortly.

He was there to tell me what happened last night, as per neighbourhood watch.

Or perhaps your house has some feature or something in the garden they are looking for in a new home (or DIY project) but can’t describe so took a photo.

Are you famous in the area for having lots of things that people would want to steal?

Crusty Jugglers?

We do have nice views and it does make for a nice sunset, but you can’t see it from the front of the house.

Possibly the garden if they were into that, although he did specify that they were taking photos of the house which is quite boring and featureless.

We don’t really have anything fancy, cars are old ish and not too special.

Are you, or have you ever been, a Bollywood film star?

Are you the local paedo and they just wanted a photo of the house to tell their kids where to avoid?

This happened to us.

Silver saab was hanging about in a gate end on the farm at ours.

Approached it to ask what he was looking for- folk often lost at our house.

He sped off at high speed as i got close

2 days later he appeared again- this time i just phoned the cops with the reg and description.

He aint been back.

….a car of Asian women pulled up outside my house and started taking photos

The guy said there have been a few garden sheds broken into and car tyres slashed and cars keyed recently.

Ah yes, another example of Asian mothers who drive around looking for potential targets for their delinquent sons to senselessly vandalize.

Whatever else you say about the Pakistani community they certainly make committed parents.

I’m obviously concerned.

Why not contact the police if you are concerned, instead of seeking advice on a cycling forum? It sounds like the Watchman provided all the info you need.

Ah yes, another example of Asian mothers who drive around looking for potential targets for their delhinquent sons to senselessly vandalize.

FTFY

Don’t be surprised if you go to the police and they’ve had a report from four Asian women of some creepy guy hanging around in the bushes in your garden acting suspiciously. They were so concerned that the stopped the car and challenged him. When they disbelieved his “Neighbourhood Watch” bullshit they took photos of him.

Iirc mcmoonter(?)(apols if I am misremembering) may have had similar previously and there was a lengthy thread.

I’d suggest you report to the local police and ask the neighbour hood watch guy to give you the details in writing. If it’s one of a number of similar reports tied to that vehicle then I guess they might just pay the reg keeper a visit. Or they may be known to them already.

If the house is off the beaten track / away from the main road and not on the market then it does seem a little odd.

It could be entirely innocent of course (and someone with an agenda could be winding you up) but it’s perfectly reasonable to be cautious if you think your being scoped for something nefarious.

If the house is off the beaten track / away from the main road and not on the market then it does seem a little odd.

Indeed. A car load of Pakistani women taking photos of houses in any other situation sounds quite normal.

Ahh, Estate Asians.

I nearly spat my muesli out. Bravo sir, bravo.

Btw do your curtains look like this ?

He did give me the information in writing.

He is the local neighbourhood watch, I’ve just tracked him down and been talking to him on his doorstep.

Tell the police and all your neighbours and get a massive killer dog for the front garden.

Booby trap your house, Home Alone style.

Ernie not sure if you’re trolling.

I don’t think their race or gender is relevant. I guess what I was getting at was its even more odd when the house isn’t in plain view and not up for sale.

I don’t think their race or gender is relevant.

The OP begs to differ :

(he decided to tell me they were of Pakistani origin), to me this info is relevant as it would indicate that they are from another town and have travelled to our village ‘on a mission’.

So there you have it. They are quite possibly on a mission from another town.

So there you have it. They are quite possibly on a mission from another town

Asian Blues Brothers Sisters.

Post a photo of your house and we’ll try to advise what it was that caught their attention.

Asian Blues Brothers Sisters.

Perhaps they were wearing this tee shirt ?

Almost certainly IS. I’d move asap if I were you but it’s probably too late if they already have photos.

Give the police a call with the reg number on the non-urgent number.

I don’t care about their race or gender, only it implies they’re not from here, that’s all. So they must have travelled here, why? So why would they be in this dead end road taking photos of my boring looking house?

I’ve just spoken to the neighbourhood watch guy again, he’s checked out the car and the reg matches the make + model, and is registered about 20 miles away from here.

It’s a legit car with no explanation for why there were here of what they were doing.

For those who seem to be mocking my inclusion of the race / gender. Do one, I’d be equally concerned if they were white! It’s the only information I have so I included it and would have done so no matter what the race or gender.

To those who question me posting on a cycling forum, STW is awesome for a quick response to any situation. It seems like I probably have nothing to worry about.

But I am worried and I will be informing the police on the non-emergency number.

STW is awesome for a quick response to any situation. It seems like I probably have nothing to worry about.

I suspect that the STW consensus probably agrees with your reading of the situation, ie, ‘probably nothing to worry about’.