Police: Answering Your Door May Keep You Safe

Have you ever been home during the day and got a knock on the door from a stranger?

Your instinct may be not to answer because you are busy or do not want to deal with any kind of solicitation.

But, according to police, answering the door may keep you from becoming the victim of a serious crime because knocking on the door of a home during the day is a way that some people commit identity theft and burglary.

Here’s how that scenario can lead to identity theft, as explained by Sgt. George Smith of the Radnor Township Police Department:

One scam is door-to-door magazine sales, in which salespeople, who are not local, get your name, imprint of your credit card and possibly other information.

“That could be step one of an identity theft,” Smith said, adding that your money may be used to fund terrorism around the world.

After all, with a few clicks of a mouse you can order any magazine you want securely online, Smith said.

If you answer the door and someone is selling magazines or meats out of a truck or anything, Smith recommends that you decline the sales offer and immediately call police by dialing 911.

Why? Selling something is not a crime, is it?

Well, actually, soliciting door-to-door without a permit is not allowed in Radnor Township.

Some of the businesses that seek and are granted permits include ice cream vendors and, less so now, people helping others switch their electrical providers.

“If there is someone soliciting, we need to know,” Smith said.

If you call police right away on a solicitor, you could help prevent someone else from being the victim of a crime.

Another trend in criminal door-knocking is burglary.

According to Smith, would-be burglars knock to see if anyone is home, and if no one answers they may break into the house.

If you are a person who did not answer your door, you may experience a very scary encounter with someone, which is one of the reasons police encourage you to let people know you are home.

Smith said that if you answer the door to a burglar you may get asked for someone who does not live in the home or asked for directions.

If you suspect something is shady in this type of scenario, police encourage you to call 911 immediately.

Have any of these experiences happened to you? Tell us in the comments below.