Creep from Next Door (True Story)

This is a story I've shared a few other places online. I've decided to share it here, too, in the hope that the person who creeped in my house is someone who frequents this subchambers. If you're the guy I'm talking about... Let's Not Meet.<br><br>One night in June of 2016, my husband was home on business. This was the first time in three years he'd been home without me, so it was a big deal.<br><br>Our little family - my husband, myself and our two small children - live in a beautiful townhouse, which faces a forested stream and backs up to a field. It's a wonderful place to raise our little ones. It's also, however, a place prone to burglary, especially when people are away for a few days. <br><br>One night, when my husband was away, we were all fast asleep in our beds when something woke us up. I immediately knew it was an intruder and that my kids were in danger.<br><br>My husband has a security system installed in our house that we use all the time. This particular night, he had left on a setting where any sort of movement in the house would set off a loud siren. I'm pretty sure that's what woke me up initially - a siren in our house that made it feel like we were in a movie or something.<br><br>I crept to the bedroom door, hoping the bad guy wouldn't hear me and waited for him to come down. I could hear someone creeping through the livingroom, going into the kitchen and opening up cabinets. It was clear he was looking for valuables. I crept a little closer and, at this point, was right by the door of our bedroom. <br><br>He came up the stairs very slowly, opening each door along the way, but never entering a room. I knew I was outgunned (if you will) since I had just given my two little boys a bottle and pacifier before bed, so I didn't want them to be awake if the bad guy came in. So I crept back into our bedroom and waited for him, hoping my children were still asleep.<br><br>I heard him come in and he stood right in front of our door for a long time. I could tell he heard my breathing because it was quiet otherwise. I was holding my breath, so it was clear to him there was at least one other person in the house. <br><br>For a long time, he just stood at the door and I could hear him trying to open it, but he could tell it was locked. Then, he walked away and went back down the stairs. I followed him, just in case he came back, and I was relieved to see him open the backdoor and walk out. I breathed a sigh of relief and locked the backdoor, grateful he had left.<br><br>The rest of the night was sleepless for me, as I was on edge thinking that I'd just seen the man who would've killed me and my children if given the chance. The next morning, I was a wreck and told my husband all about the guy I was sure was going to haunt me for the rest of my life.<br><br>The night passed and I was able to get some rest, but when I woke up in the morning, I noticed something strange. Our neighbors on one side of the property were gone, but the house on the other side of the property was lit up. It was 9am, so I figured whoever it was had gone to work. But then I saw the man outside, just standing there looking in my window.<br><br>At first, I thought it was just a weird coincidence that this guy just happened to be looking at my house that morning. But then he started moving around my yard, like he was doing surveillance on me. At first, I didn't make the connection. I just thought it was weird. Then, he started to walk away, and I saw him go to his garage. I noticed that the door was open.<br><br>Then, I remembered the guy from the night before.<br><br>I immediately called the police and reported the burglary. But then I remembered something - my kids had given the guy a pacifier when he came in the house the night before. So I described the guy to the police, who came right over.<br><br>They looked in my kids' room and found the pacifier on the floor, as if he'd thrown it down to get out of the room quicker. Then they looked in my son's room and found a bottle, too. So, long story short, they arrested the guy who was doing surveillance on us and found out that he had done a few burglaries in our area. But he lived next door to us.<br><br>I never found out how he got into our house the night we were gone or how long he'd been watching us. But I know he was watching us and I'm so grateful to the police and to chambers that I'm able to share this story so that no one else is creeped out by this guy. If you're the guy who creeped into our house or surveilled our house, let's not meet again.<br><br>TLDR: My husband and I left town one weekend. A burglar came into our house while we were away, and we could hear him. I crept into the next room with my kids to protect them and the bad guy went away. I was a wreck and thought for sure he'd be back, but the police caught him after my kids gave him away. <br><br>**