False Alarm? No... Wrong Address.

[RoyGBiv]

Wife and I were home and I didn't pay much attention to the dog growling. I'm upstairs, wife is downstairs. A few seconds later, dog is barking, and I hear a man's voice in the house. We weren't expecting anyone. I'm already moving towards the stairs.

Next thing I hear is "__________ Police".
By this time I'm at the top of the stairs.

Wife: The Police are here
Me: A uniformed officer??
Wife: Yes
At which point I look out the upstairs window and see a squad two houses down the block.

Officer tells us that our alarm company reported an alarm at our address. We told him it must be an error, because we didn't push any buttons and the lights are all green. After chatting for a few minutes (officer never asked us for any ID, must have been apparent that we were the owners... I suppose sweatpants is not common attire for a burglar?) officer departs.

5 minutes later he's back at our door, apologizing that our house number matched the call, but he had the wrong street. The call was around the corner and everything there was ok. I had just hung up the phone with our alarm company who confirmed they did not issue any alarms for our house.

Lessons:
1. I won't have to remind the wife again to lock, Lock, LOCK THE DOOR!!!! when she lets the dog in from the yard. Could have been a burglar just as easily as a LEO coming through our door.
2. When seconds count, sometimes the COPS go to the wrong house. That's why it's called SELF defense.
3. Was a good opportunity to talk with wife about "what would you have done if it was a burglar?".... Answer... "If you know I'm upstairs, get out, or move towards me and stay out of my line of fire".
4. Be sure you know what you're shooting at... It could be a LEO at the wrong house.
5. When the dog is making "that sound", STOP what you're doing and go look. Not later, NOW.



**ETA: Just to be clear, LEO did not enter. He spoke to us through the unlocked back door.

[The Annoyed Man]

[NavyVet1959]

My philosophy is that if I'm home in a hostile situation, I want my wife to be laying prone on the ground (preferably in a safe location) so that I know that I can shoot anyone who is standing without having to worry about target identification. As such, her side of the bed is next to a windowless brick wall and in a home intruder situation, I want her to be laying on the floor right there. Sure, she has a gun in her nightstand, but I don't expect her to be helping me investigate / clear the house in that sort of situation. She can lay on the floor and stay on the line with 911 while telling them that the old bald headed white guy in his underwear is the GOOD guy and not to shoot him.

[WildBill]

You are shocked? It may surprise you, but I have a back door too. My is locked.

A simple mistake, like a wrong street or address could have been a disaster.

I am glad that it turned out okay for RoyGBiv and wife.

[RoyGBiv]

You spend time here and read about all the wacky stuff that happens to other people.
One chance in a thousand (less, probably) that LE shows up to the wrong address to investigate a possible BIP.
You never think it's gonna be YOUR house. Until it is.

Thankfully I live in a low-crime neighborhood with a great PD.
The vast majority of alarm calls are wind, pets and forgetful kids.
But it really hits home to think about what may have happened had our PD been the kind to make tactical entries for such things.
Reported burglary in progress, yard door unlocked. Hopefully no PD has that in their SOP for an alarm call.

The chances are near zero, until it's happening.

Thought it was worth sharing the non-event.

[PBratton]

You spend time here and read about all the wacky stuff that happens to other people.
One chance in a thousand (less, probably) that LE shows up to the wrong address to investigate a possible BIP.
You never think it's gonna be YOUR house. Until it is.

Thankfully I live in a low-crime neighborhood with a great PD.
The vast majority of alarm calls are wind, pets and forgetful kids.
But it really hits home to think about what may have happened had our PD been the kind to make tactical entries for such things.
Reported burglary in progress, yard door unlocked. Hopefully no PD has that in their SOP for an alarm call.

The chances are near zero, until it's happening.

Thought it was worth sharing the non-event.

Can't tell you how many witness reports on the news start out with, 'That just doesn't happen in my neighborhood...'

Be prepared.

[RoyGBiv]

Be prepared.

I definitely was.

Still makes you think about how it could have gone sideways, when you've got "good guys" on both sides, one with bad information. /shiver

[NavyVet1959]

Still makes you think about how it could have gone sideways, when you've got "good guys" on both sides, one with bad information. /shiver

As a pilot, I am very well aware that bad information can kill you. Or, bad navigation.

[Javier730]

Did you have your weapon drawn as you headed up the stairs?

[anygunanywhere]

You just never know what scenario will occur that brings you and your local PD/SO together.

One day Mrs. Anygun and I had just returned from a trip to the Hill Country. When I went in the house the alarm went off. I entered the code and it did not shut off. I reentered the code and it shut off. Little did I realize that the code the alarm actually took was the duress code. Mrs. Anygun picked the codes out so she could remember them. Picture this. The garage door is up, suburban back tailgate up with luggage in the back. Fence gate open. Duress code on alarm system. Alarm company called League City PD.

I am standing in the breakfast nook by the back door checking the mail. I had taken my cover garment off and had my Kimber 1911 at 5:00 oclock. Mrs. ANygun is beside me looking at the mail too. I look out the window and see a LCPD officer creeping up the driveway next to the house, weapon at ready observing the garage. I look out the back door and see a LCPD officer come over the back fence. He quickly draws and readies as he approaches the house. I told Mrs. Anygun to freeze, don't move, and do as you are told. They came through the back door, ordered us to the ground. I told them we were the owners. They disarmed me and quickly cleared the house. Several more officers had showed up by then as well.

Once the house was cleared and they verified our identity things calmed down a bit. They told me about the duress code. I called the alarm company and fiddled with the keypad and quickly realized that two keys had failed and that the duress code I entered was the combination of the two remaining keys that worked. I promised to get the keypad replaced.

They also gave me some flack about not having the required alarm permit.

I appreciate the LCPD professionalism and response. It did make me feel confident that we were well protected because I traveled a lot back then. From the time I entered the code until the time I saw the first officer was not three minutes. I walked it through.

You also need to make certain your codes are not close.

Glad it turned out good for Roy.

Anygunanywhere

[RoyGBiv]

Did you have your weapon drawn as you headed up the stairs?

Let's call it "readily accessible"

From the time I first heard a "foreign" voice to the time I heard "police" was maybe 3 seconds.
Looking back, I don't think I would change my actions over those 3 seconds.
Not heeding the dog was a mistake I'll try hard not to make again.

[RoyGBiv]

Little did I realize that the code the alarm actually took was the duress code.

Yikes!

That could have been very bad news.

[Diesel42]

RoyGBiv I'm appalled, you are in Fort Worth right? After the death of Jerry Waller, I would expect the Fort Worth Police Department to implement better procedures to assure officers know where they are. I am glad you and your wife survived.

For everyone else on this forum, I support competent law enforcement. But, I have no confidence in the Fort Worth Police.

[RPBrown]

When we first bought our house, we were going to remodel some before we moved in. We had about a month to get everything completed and moved. Late one afternoon, around dusk, we were about to wrap up for the day when I noticed IPD officers in the back yard, guns at ready. My wife yells that there are police in the front yard also. Fortunately I had my weapon in with my jacket and not on me so there was no confusion there. Anyway, when they came to the back door, (it was open) they asked us to get on our knees with fingers interlocked behind our heads. After they saw we were not armed and actually working in the house, they allowed me to show them our closing papers which we had left in the house.

Come to find out, the gut that lived there before was a big time drug dealer. They showed us his picture and guess I didn't fit his description of long black hair, long black beard (duck dynasty type) skinny and face all tattoo'd up. Her I am tall fat man with short gray hair and no beard (at the time). Over the course of the next year, we had several visits from Dallas County Sheriffs, Constables and IPD looking for this guy. They all said not much we could do as it was his last know address but over time, they either got to know us or they caught the guy because after the first year, no more visits.

After they left, we decided to completely tear out all of the sheet rock (I had wanted to do this anyway to insulate the walls) and we found several stashes of his drugs in nice little hiding spots. Called IPD a couple of times to retrieve them. Funny, the guy left his drugs but took his money

[RoyGBiv]

RoyGBiv I'm appalled, you are in Fort Worth right? After the death of Jerry Waller, I would expect the Fort Worth Police Department to implement better procedures to assure officers know where they are. I am glad you and your wife survived.

For everyone else on this forum, I support competent law enforcement. But, I have no confidence in the Fort Worth Police.

I'm in the 'burbs. In an area not served by FWPD. I'll leave it at that.
The officer was quite apologetic. Knew it was more serious than just a faux pas.

An honest mistake, certainly. Not without potential consequences, he recognized.
I still see it as a "learn from your mistakes" experience for all involved.
Nothing to get wound up about, but definitely worth considering for its learning value.