NEW ALBANY, Ind. — A woman in New Albany is sounding the alarm after she says some men knocked on her door and then started stealing from her!
"I felt violated that they would come up into our driveway and just help themselves to whatever they wanted," Tina Strasser said.
Tina Strasser says she was getting ready for work when there was a knock on her door.
"By the time I got to the door there was a goldish, tannish truck with at least three men in it, could have been four, and they were backing out of the driveway” Strasser explained.
She says she flagged them down.
"They said they were looking for scrap metal. They wanted to know could they go through any that I had in my garage… I told them, no, and then they left" Starsser said.
Later that same day—Tina found at least a dozen fishing poles that her husband had been collecting—were missing.
"I was really upset. He worked all summer trying to collect fishing poles" Strasser expressed. "They're doing it in broad daylight and they're coming up to the front door as if they're knocking to see if anyone's home."
This is a technique that’s not uncommon.
"It's not unusual to see somebody come to a door. So, they can do that without it standing out" Strasser stated.
Jeremy Bates works with Advanced Risk Services in Kentucky and he's been doing security consulting for about 7 years—and says thieves will often knock on a door.
"They present themselves as if they have a legitimate purpose to be there, but they're gathering intelligence” Bates explained.
That intelligence could be scoping out the property or just seeing if someone is home.
"Nobody answers, maybe they write that down. Maybe they're going to start trying to develop a trend" Bates said.
It's important to keep your safety in mind.
"Don't give them anything you're not comfortable giving them. Say no. Control the situation. It's your home" Bates said.
Even though Strasser said no she still feels violated.
"I'm not a fan of thieves" Strasser proclaimed.
Strasser wants her neighbors to stay alert.
"When people are brave enough to pull up in broad daylight and go through your stuff and steal from you, it makes you wonder what else they could be out doing," Strasser said.
New Albany Police are asking anyone in this situation to please give them a call.
They say they won't be able to investigate unless they know about the crime.
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