Suspicious Car in Front of My House (This Made Them Leave!)

Noticing a suspicious car in front of your house can definitely make you nervous. All the possibilities of why it’s there start spinning around in your head. Would it be silly to call the cops? Would that be overreacting? 

Call the police immediately if you notice a suspicious car in front of your house. Waiting for the situation to escalate is a dangerous idea and may not give the police enough time to respond before things get worse. Make sure to stay in your home and keep your doors and windows locked.

We have broken down exactly what you need to do and when in order to keep you and your neighborhood protected from a suspicious car, as there are many things to consider. 

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What Do You Do If You See a Suspicious Car?

If you see a suspicious car, call the police right away. Waiting for the situation to escalate is a dangerous idea and it may be too late to call the police if something happens. 

The police will ask you to describe the car and the suspicious activity and then will dispatch officers to check out the scene. Do not leave your house until the cops arrive. Stay in your house once they arrive, as well. You don’t want the person knowing it was you who called the cops on them.

Person Is Sitting in a Car Outside of My House at Night

Call the police immediately. It’s possible that the person inside your car is planning a burglary or something worse. Do not wait for the person to do something or to leave and do not assume that someone else will call. 

Protecting yourself from this person is your main priority at this point. Dial 9-1-1 as this is an emergency. Be prepared to give the police your exact address and a description of the car. Whatever you do, do not approach the car or leave your house for any matter until the police arrive. 

To keep yourself safe in the future, consider installing night vision security cameras like these from Fistrend or these outdoor motion-detecting lights to scare off the possible intruder. 

Suspicious Car on My Street

Call the police immediately if you notice a suspicious car on your street. Be prepared to give them a detailed description of the car, including the license plate, if you can see it, but don’t approach the car just to get the license plate number. 

Most importantly, stay calm. If you can’t see much of the car, don’t worry. Call the police and be prepared to give them your address. They will send an officer to come and check out the car and try to figure out what is going on. 

Suspicious Car Parked in Front of My House

Call the police immediately if there is a suspicious car parked in front of your house. Be prepared to give the police a detailed description of the car and your address. 

Remember to remain calm and never approach the car yourself. It’s possible that the person in the car is dangerous. Call the police and wait for them to come and check out what is going on. The police may visit you after to explain the situation. 

Who Do You Call about a Suspicious Car?

Call the police immediately if you notice a suspicious car in your neighborhood. They will ask you to describe the car and the suspicious activity and then will check out the scene as soon as they can. 

Police take suspicious activity seriously, as it is typically a strong indication that a crime is about to happen. Remain inside your home until the police arrive and try to keep an eye on the car without being seen. 

Can I Call the Police on a Suspicious Car?

You can absolutely call the police on a suspicious vehicle, especially if it’s late at night. But, regardless of the time of day, if a car is making you feel uneasy, call the police immediately. 

The police will ask you your address and any description of the car and person inside including how long they have been sitting there. The police will respond to the activity as quickly as they can.

Wait until they arrive before you leave your house. 

You might also enjoy our post on How to Deal With Trespassing Neighbors for Good

Can You Call the Cops for Suspicious Activity?

You can and should call the cops for suspicious activity. Suspicious activity can put you and your neighbors in danger especially without assistance from the police. Call 9-1-1 as soon as you notice the suspicious activity. 

Do not assume that someone else has called as it’s possible that everyone is assuming that. The cops will respond to your call as soon as possible. Until they arrive, do not leave your house. 

How to Report a Suspicious Car in My Neighborhood

Call the police to report a suspicious car in your neighborhood. If there is a person in the car, call 9-1-1. If the car is abandoned, call the number of your local police station to report it. 

A suspicious car with someone inside may indicate that a crime is about to happen and this is an emergency, so call 9-1-1. If the car is abandoned, don’t call 9-1-1 but instead the number of your local police station.

It’s possible that the car was stolen but nobody is in immediate danger so it’s not an emergency. 

How Do I Report Suspicious Activity in My Neighborhood Anonymously?

The best way to do this is to go to your city’s website and search for “anonymous crime tips”. Here you will be given a few different options to anonymously contact the police. 

For example, the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts has this page that tells you ways to submit tips anonymously online via text message, email, or through a hotline. 

Report a Suspicious Vehicle Online

To report a suspicious vehicle online, locate your city’s website or your police station’s website and find their email address. Send an email regarding the description of the car and the suspicious activity it is doing. 

Try to include as many details as you can about the car, including the license plate if possible. Also, include your street address where the suspicious activity has been happening.

If you want to remain anonymous, just put your street down and not your exact address. 

What Happens When You Report Suspicious Activity?

When you report suspicious activity, the police will ask you to describe the car you find suspicious, to describe anyone in it, and to describe exactly what you think is suspicious. They will then respond to your call as soon as possible to figure out what is going on. 

Wait inside until the cops arrive. The cops will talk to the person in the car, check their records, and ask them what their purpose is. If all is well, the cops may ask the person to park somewhere else and the cops will explain to you the situation. 

You might also enjoy our post on How to Keep Neighbors From Parking in Front of My House

What Happens When You Report Suspicious Activity?

If your neighbor sits in their car for hours, this may not be a cause for concern or it could be. If the situation is making you really uncomfortable, say if the neighbor can see into your house, then you can call the police and get them to deal with it. 

Your neighbor sitting in their car for hours being able to see into your house is definitely not an ideal situation. If you are really uncomfortable with it, call the police.

However, it’s possible that your neighbor has no intentions other than some peace and quiet. If they are just scrolling on their phone or smoking, let it go.

But, if you noticed them taking pictures, or looking around too often, then call the police. Better safe than sorry.

How Long Can a Car Sit in Front of Your House?

If a car sitting outside of your house is making you feel threatened, call the police immediately, regardless of how long the car has been sitting there. 

If the car looks very suspicious, run down with a rough-looking person inside, don’t wait longer than five minutes to call the police.

While you don’t want to discriminate against anyone, a car shouldn’t be parked in front of your house regardless of how nice the car or person looks. You also never know how long the police will take to respond. 

Additionally, it’s dangerous to wait a certain amount of time before calling the police because you never know this person’s intentions and it’s best to protect yourself and your neighborhood. Trust your gut. 

Can I Park Outside Someone’s House?

Depending on where you live, there are certain rules that apply to where you can park and for how long. Check with your city’s website to learn the specific rules that apply to you. 

You can generally park outside someone’s house for a short period of time. Typically the maximum time is 72 hours. Always check the parking signs when deciding where to park. 

What Is Considered a Suspicious Vehicle?

A suspicious vehicle may be any car that you don’t recognize or one that doesn’t necessarily fit in with your neighborhood. Specific suspicious cars to look out for are vans with dark or covered windows, working vans with company logos you don’t recognize, and any car that is extremely uncared for – rusted or poorly painted. 

Other than the appearance of the vehicle, a suspicious vehicle is also considered a vehicle that is loitering outside of your house, a vehicle that moves from house to house slowly, a vehicle that constantly drives up and down your road, or a vehicle that has been abandoned. 

You might also enjoy our post on Neighbor Keeps Calling Police on You For No Reason?

What Counts as Suspicious Activity?

Suspicious activity is anything that makes you feel threatened or uneasy. Suspicious activity can be when a car is sitting in front of your house and the driver doesn’t seem to be getting out. It could also be when a car keeps driving up and down your street constantly.

Usually, when someone parks their car, they leave it to go wherever they drove to. So someone who just sits in their car might be up to no good.

Another example of suspicious activity may be when a car keeps changing its parking spot or drives by very slowly.

Usually, burglars will sit in a car to scout out a house to break into as they wait for someone to leave.  Or, the person is not a burglar and has other crimes on their mind. 

Why Would Someone Sit In Their Car for Hours?

There are several reasons why someone would sit in their car for hours, innocent and non-innocent.

Here are some of the most common ones:

• The person just wants some peace and quiet away from their family to possibly unwind after a long day.
• They lost track of time while scrolling on their phone
• They’re want some alone time before coming into the house.
• super into the podcast they were listening to. 

On the other hand, a person may have bad intentions:

• Some people sit in their car to observe and take notes when houses are usually empty in order to break in.
• They could be stalking someone or planning something even worse. 

Related Questions

Why Is There a Police Car in My Neighborhood?

A police car may be in your neighborhood answering a call about suspicious activity in your area. Usually, this isn’t a sign of concern and the police are just trying to put someone’s nerves at ease. 

However, they could be looking into something serious but don’t stress until you know the facts. Worrying will only make things worse. 

You might also enjoy our post on What to Do When Your House Gets Egged

What to Do If You See an Abandoned Car?

If you see an abandoned car, call your local police station, but not 9-1-1 as this is not an emergency. The police will ask you to describe the car and where it is currently located. 

It is wise to report an abandoned car because it may be stolen or may have been used during a crime. If the police locate this car, it may help them solve a certain case. 

Is it illegal to sit in your car in a neighborhood?

Depending on where you live, this may be illegal but generally, it is not. However, if you start to disturb your neighbors, then they might call the police on you which could be uncomfortable. 

If you find someone sitting in your car and it is making you uncomfortable, you have every right to call the police. On the other hand, if you are wondering if you personally can sit in your car, first think about how it may affect your neighbors.

Are your lights shining into your house? Do your car windows face directly into someone’s house? If so, it may be best to find another quiet place to sit. 

Final Thoughts

Remember to always trust your gut first if you think something is suspicious. If you have a feeling, it’s likely right. It’s better to be safe than sorry. Also, don’t worry about disturbing the police, this is their job.