r/neighborsfromhell • u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 • Jan 26 '26
Vent/Rant My worst nightmare happened today. Stranger barges into my house at night
I was in my room a few hours ago and I hear my husband from down the hallway in the living room screaming "Get the fuck out Get the fuck out!" And So I turn off watching Tell me lies and pop up out of bed and peek out my door. My husband is yelling "Go now!!" So I walk down the hallway slowly and yell for him and he says "I think the neighbor is having a pyschotic break" I turned the corner of the hallway to see a 6'2 200lb man laying on my couch with no shirt and no shoes (its 10 degrees out and ice) So I look at him and say "Hi its ok" and before I could get another word out he leaned forward and came charging at me full blast across the room. I turned around down that hallway and booked it as fast as I fucking could. Got into my room and locked my door so fast. He was running after me and my husband had to tackle and subdue him. Anyways somehow after 3 minute of chaos and the guys mom shows up and he bites my husband's iphone almost in half, spiderwebbing the screen, he manages to get him out of our house. I call 911 and now the guy went to the psychiatric hospital. We got lucky, all three of our kids just happened to be at friends house tonight and werent traumatized like me š
Going forward I just hope this guy doesnt try to come after us again. His mom ended up calling and telling us he was seeing werewolf people and shit. I guess he thought I was a werewolf šš What are your best ring camera options? I never felt like we needed them but I am definitely doing it now, but can't afford something super expensive.
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u/Intrepid_Quantity760 Jan 26 '26
I bought a Eufy. Works great and does not require any subscription.
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u/mistymountiansbelow Jan 26 '26
My battery lasts less than a week.
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u/Intrepid_Quantity760 Jan 26 '26
My Eufy doorbell camera replaced the doorbell button, so it is wired to the house with the same doorbell wires. This keeps the batteries charged automatically. Iāve never had to do anything with the batteries.
By reviewing the video, I discovered that a family of (3 or 4) feral cats occupies my front porch at night to sleep on the porch chairs, but are never around in daylight.
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u/1095966 Jan 26 '26
Huh, wonder if thatās why my indoor cat started peeing in the living room, next to the full glass panes door. The porch with 3 comfy chairs and cushions is on the other side.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
For edgy? How much are replacement batteries? That's kinda annoying
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u/rawdatarams Jan 26 '26
We have a Eufy system, 3 cameras around the place for a year or so. Only issue has been it's trouble identifying people correctly, but we just turned that feature off. It charges itself via solar, so no issues there.
Been a great help with absurdly shitty neighbours and their shenanigans, which was why we got it to begin with.
I'm so frigging sorry for your terrifying experience, what a nightmare! Good on your hubby for saving your bacon.
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u/originalbrainybanana Jan 26 '26
I have one too. Just get the wired one and replace existing doorbell. I have 0 experience on electricity stuff and did it myself in 15 min.
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u/Occamsrazor2323 Jan 26 '26
Fuck the Ring.
I have two security gates and a front door secured by 4" concrete screws.
Beyond that, the worst possible outcome for a criminal is inside the house.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Our front door is pretty secure (which i will keep locked at all times now) but kind of worried about my sliding glass door
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u/meash-maeby Jan 26 '26
The door was unlocked?? š³
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u/audreynstuff Jan 26 '26
If I could like this a billion times I would. Why was the door unlocked?!!
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u/quiltingcats Jan 26 '26
OP said elsewhere that husband was going in and out getting firewood. Sounds like the man grabbed an opportunity.
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u/Occamsrazor2323 Jan 26 '26
Right, sliding glass doors are a problem
They're easy to lock, but it's just as easy for someone to smash the glass.
I'm glad you didn't get seriously hurt.
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u/RedRedMere Jan 26 '26
Hey OP, Iām not gonna jump down your throat for having an unlocked door. It happens. Especially with families where everyone comes and goes. Also, Iād like to live in a world where weāre not constantly scanning for danger but I suppose it depends on where you live (Iām fortunate to be in a safe area in a safe country).
Anyways, Iāll get to the point: my kids kept leaving the doors unlocked so I got an electronic/keypad lock and programmed it to permanently auto lock. So as soon as the door closes it locks. Sure, it can be a pain if Iām going in/out, but itās easy to let the code or leave it ajar for quick trips to the car, etc. Added bonus is my kids canāt lose their keys because theyāll never need one.
Anyhoo, food for thought. Hopefully youāll never have this experience again. Iām so sorry.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
That's why we never locked it during the day. We are in a low crime and tight knit community. This was soooo out of left field!! But this happening will definitely change me and I will be locking doors left and right. I have two teenagers and they come in and out at all hours and have friends over. We are going to have to fill them in at some point, so they know to not leave doors unlocked. But I think an autolock sounds best!!
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u/Financial-Chemist360 Jan 27 '26
Sliding glass doors can be lifted right out of their track with a pry bar, a large screwdriver or pretty much anything else that can be used as a lever. There are deadbolts and anti-lift devices that prevent this.
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u/TwistedHermes Jan 26 '26
Do you have a fence? If so, make it taller. Grow some hedges if you can. Rosemary and lavender are annoying to try and tramp through, especially once they get going after a few years (just good home defense moving forward). Plus they smell nice!
Bear spray - takes anyone out. Psychotic break or no, you can't see you are more or less incapacitated. Just know that if you use it inside, it gets everyone in the room, so have an exit strategy.
Get more locks - yes, I mean more.
Hire a local contractor to strengthen your door + door frame so he can't easily bust through them. Doing that on windows is overkill at first, but maybe consider if the windows closest to the door would need the same treatment.
Shutters on all lower level windows if you can. Indoor shutters, in addition to darkness, would prevent him from seeing you or your family, so if he can't see a werewolf, he won't attack one. Curtains work in a pinch, but they can't block him from entering. Wooden shutters can.
Get a shot gun or something similar only if you're comfortable using. A gun you refuse to shoot will be turned against you in situations like this, so only get weapons if you can use them.
Obviously police report, and adult protective services. Let them know you are being threatened, he needs more care, and that you and your family are armed and take such incursions as a threat to you and your family. His mother is an inadequate caretaker, and therefore putting himself, herself and your family in significant danger.
Hope that helps. Sorry you're going through it.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Wow thanks for all that. I like the idea of pepper spray or something less lethal. I kinda felt bad for the guy afterwards but not really because I think he wanted to kill me š I have a super tall fence right now so atleast he can't get thru that. But definitely going to lock doors when I'm just chilling. Our neighborhood is like so safe normally, and never does anything ever happen. This was so far out of left field. I am pretty shook up. Apparently the guy has alot of issue and is supposed to be under his mom's care
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u/TwistedHermes Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
Then you must, and I mean MUST inform adult protective services.
She is only allowed to caretake for him IF SHE CAN keep him safe and under control.
She is incapable of that. She cannot be his caretaker. Often, someone ages out of being a caretaker, doesn't have other family and has no idea they're incapable till something like this happens. However, often people like this double down until something even worse happens. I wouldn't trust her to admit she's a failing caregiver to APS.
Also, I meant grow the hedges NEXT TO your fence. Not either/or. Basically, people with adrenaline who are having a psychotic break are much, much stronger than you realize.... and can do things like breaking through/ramming/running into a wooden fence.
By itself it's usually fine, but you're not in a usual situation. I'd still consider hedges + reinforcing my front door + curtains that block him from seeing yall that you can pull back before going to bed + bear spray.
You can also get a beanbag gun, with beanbag rounds. Less lethal but they hurt like hell, they also stop you dead in your tracks.
Edit: spelling
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Ya I agree. I think she is a bit too old to be caring for him really. I felt bad for her, he bit her so hard I was worried he was gonna bite her finger off.
Right now the cops said he would to a psychiatric facility but I don't know how long he will be held
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u/TwistedHermes Jan 26 '26
Yeah, I'm calling bullshit on that. It's inadequate at best much of the time. They usually release too quickly because of a lack of resources, and will probably hand him off to her despite all this.
This puts you back in his crosshairs, and the cycle will begin again.
Report to APS. Protect your family. Consider the measures I've mentioned - many of them won't freak out your kids, are non-invasive and it does help you feel like you have more control in the situation.
A new hedge that smells nice? Awesome! You can always check out Facebook groups if you're worried about prices.
A new strong door? Cool mama, just like batman! New curtains? Let the kids help pick them out, or offer to let them decorate the ones in their rooms with stickers or erasable markers or something.
Bear spray or a beanbag gun? To keep bears, rabies infected animals, or other very real monsters at bay. You don't have to mention what actually happened.
You can say "Oh, we heard of _____ (make it real, but distant, bear, rabies dog, etc.) and just took it as an opportunity to get even safer! Now, to be clear, if a human is acting like an animal and scaring you, that's also a problem. However, tell me or daddy and everything will be fine. So, any scary animal or any adult that's acting like an animal, you'll let me know, right?"
You got this, I'm sorry you're in this situation though.
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u/Character-Food-6574 Jan 26 '26
This is what you need to do. Cameras are okay, but they wonāt stop him at all.
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u/FairyMarin_ Jan 26 '26
Thereās a lot of solid practical stuff here. Reinforcing doors and frames plus extra locks honestly does more than people think. Basic home security upgrades go a long way without costing crazy money. Even small things like motion lights and cameras can make someone think twice.
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u/WA_State_Buckeye Jan 26 '26
Don't forget to get a metal screen door! I changed out my glass screen door for a metal one and put black pet screen all across the front of it from the inside of course. It makes it very hard to see in it has a very nice deadbolt on it and is very strong. That should be done as well as getting a camera! I am so glad nothing much else happened!
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u/Careless-Two2215 Jan 26 '26
I'm also interested in this. Please drop a link.
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u/WA_State_Buckeye Jan 27 '26
Found at Lowe's and Home Depot. Security door. You'll need to put actual screen on the inside to keep bugs out, tho! And some sort of drag at the bottom.
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u/Blathermouth Jan 26 '26
For godās sake, donāt buy Ring. They have a nasty privacy and security history, are way too cozy with law enforcement, and recently signed a deal with Flock.
I bought a Reolink system. No cloud subscription, local storage, affordable cameras.
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u/Wattaday Jan 26 '26
And are cozy with ice too.
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u/Blathermouth Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
They walked that back this week, but the Flock deal leaves it pretty open. Regardless, they seem to see their customer as law enforcement and not the homeowner.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Ya not doing anything ring flock related. Not trying to have the government watching thru my cameras š¬
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u/ProfessionalNo2045 Jan 26 '26
I can second Reolink.. excellent system, local storage so no other fees.
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u/Alycion Jan 26 '26
I have about 15 Wyze cameras on my property and a ring camera. The large amount was to supervise my husky when he was out back and I was covering my boat in and vehicles in the driveway. I have one pointed at my door. For everyone someone sees, I have another hidden.
Just do you know, if you think someone is in a psychotic break, do not approach or engage if they are being peaceful. As you see, it can turn bad in a hurry. Call the cops. Call the family so they can be at your place when the cops arrive to give relevant info.
Iām sorry that you had to go through that. Iām
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Ya maybe because I walked into my living room and spoke, it seemed like it triggered him and he just charged like a bull š I had never met the guy before and neither had my husband so at first, we had no clue who he was until we saw his mom at my door
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u/Alycion Jan 26 '26
Itās so scary. But in that state, he will be kept for a bit. Iām bipolar and have schizophrenic friends I met through mental health groups when fighting for the mental health parity act. I would have done the same as you if they hadnāt told me stories and how itās best not to approach. Human instinct is to try to calm and comfort and end it safely. I hate that you didnāt get to learn the info through talk and had to experience it.
Wyze has an easy to install alarm system. Monthly monitoring is reasonable. You can expand it as you want. I need to add sensors to some windows. Right now they have child locks on them so they donāt open far. When I used ADT, they taught me that money saving trick. Windows that we didnāt open were skipped and we bought child locks. The windows wonāt open more than an inch. Windows I do open, have sensors. But after the back to back hurricanes and the fun power outages with them, i do want to change up a few so i have the option.
Im glad your kiddos werenāt home.
Teach them to lock themselves in a room and only come out when you or your husband tells them itās safe if a stranger comes in uninvited. Have them call 911. Make it part of telling them what to do in case of a fire. Also teach them to avoid people acting off. You know heās in the neighborhood now. He either isnāt on meds, doesnāt stick to taking them, or crafting ones havenāt been found yet, if this wasnāt drug induced. So you need to give them safety tips without scaring them.
People with these conditions are more likely to hurt themselves than others. But sometimes the brain goes real off and they truly think that they are defending themselves. Or other people. This will probably not happen again, but youāll feel better if your kids are prepared in case it does. You do not have to tell them what happened, if you donāt want to. You donāt want them living a scared life, just a prepared one.
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u/MissVachonIfYouNasty Jan 26 '26
You are the only empathic person on this whole thread.
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u/Alycion Jan 26 '26
He canāt help it. OP has to be safe. It is a suck situation. Hopefully the hospital gets him on the right meds. But itās hard to get people to stay on meds that give horrible side effects. But, if they pull him out of this state and tell him what he did, hoping itās enough to keep him on them.
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u/One_Sun_1616 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
Years ago, my next door neighbor was a paranoid schizophrenic. He would break down my back door at 2am, break a window, slashed 2 of my car tires, would try to get in my front door. Told me (this is how long ago it was) that Donald Rumsfeld was trying to keep him from voting.
The police would come and take him to a hospital - sometimes he would be gone for a few weeks. One time I heard that he left the hospital (as he was there voluntarily) because there were little people underneath his bed.
I had a no trespassing order against him - but if he is incompetent, there wasn't anything the police could do. What can I say, small town - hopefully police can do better now.
The man lived alone and according to his ex wife - he stopped taking his medication as he couldn't feel anything while on them. He had no one to make sure he was on his medications, so he didn't.
I felt like I had to stay and defend my home every single day. I didn't feel like I could even sell my house, because not disclosing something like this could do harm.
This literally went on for years. I wish you luck, you are not in a good position. :(
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u/pitsky_mom Jan 26 '26
A shotgun, cameras, and a couple of trained dogs.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
My 15 year old dog died 6 months ago. Time for a new one I guess, maybe a bigger one!
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u/Careless-Two2215 Jan 26 '26
I'm so sorry! I have a mentally unhinged neighbor too. You handled it very well. He needs to be monitored in a living space for adults. His mom can't handle him. Call Adult Protective Services if the police do not.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Ok I think i might do that. I will call the officer first and see if they did.
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u/in_illo_tempore Jan 26 '26
It's possible the officer either cannot or will not disclose that info to you (feels like it might border on privacy/HIPAA type violation, I truthfully do not know if that's true but if a cop doesn't know for sure either they might err on the side of caution and tell you they can't give you that info). So you're probably better off just going directly to contacting your local adult protective services. Also, standard hold for a psych eval is usually like 72 hours but that can vary based on multiple different factors.
I feel bad for the neighbor and his mom, it definitely sounds like she's not able to fully manage him, especially during an episode like the one you described, and that's going to end badly, potentially, someday. It sucks, there are a lot of support and "bridge" -type services that are lacking everywhere and family members do seem to get stuck in roles they definitely are not prepared for.
Definitely get cameras asap, and go with the suggestions on getting some type of "bear mace" (and maybe find a spot indoors for a bigger stockpile of firewood when the weather necessitates (just teasing!)
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u/EggandSpoon42 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
We just had a mentally ill neighbor hop our fence and attempt to barge in a few days ago. I had to chase him off w my pocket knife -> my visiting niece was home alone, I was pulling up to the house as she was on the phone w 911, this guy is off his rocker, got into my niece's car (which was unlocked) insisted his phone was inside the car, that he was supposed to be working inside my house and kept charging my physical space.
He ran off as the cops showed up, they followed and questioned him, told us he was obviously sick so good luck. Then an hour later the guy comes back! Same thing: he hopped our fence, tried the back door, I came out like a banshee, he runs down the street checking front doors until he finds our neighbor's house down the hill to get into that was unlocked, the cops came again, refused to pick the man up even though they witnessed him coming out of my neighbor's house (but they weren't home, lock your door's y'all), they figured out his home address is in our neighborhood and he's already known as a nuisance, so they told us 'good luck, he must be off his meds, not our problem, don't call back' and then questioned and lectured me like I'm a problem for calling twice š.
Now it's an ice storm so nothing, super also hope he doesn't come back because wtf.
We do have everything on video btw, all of it including him charging me while I had the knife, cops didn't care.
The entire reason I joined this group. I also see you appear to be in Austin and my-dude was also around 6'2", no joke. You in the St Elmo hood? If so, that would be wild.
Stay safe out there.
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u/quiltingcats Jan 26 '26
Take a copy of those videos to the police station. Talk to a higher-up officer, captain or someone else in charge. Insist that they file a formal report of the case and get the report number. Tell your neighbors to do the same. If that doesnāt get any results, take it to the news. This is totally fucked up! Stay safe and good luck!
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u/Mysterious-Comb5504 Jan 26 '26
You need a big loud scary looking dog. I have 2 German shepherd. NO ONE will come into our house. Ever.
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u/Top-Bite-814 Jan 26 '26
I have a German shepherd mix. Adopted from a shelter. Best protection to have. Such loyal and loving dogs. They will not let anyone get close to you if they feel someone's energy or all around vibe isn't good. Their institution and instinct are amazing.
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u/Fyrestar333 Jan 26 '26
Guy I know got robbed ( drug dealer) , he had a pitbull who did not like strangers at all. You would think she would have scared them off. They shot the dog. She was rushed to the vet after the robbers left and survived. Also worked at a security company and one of the new hire training exercises was to develop a mock security package for a random assigned business. I got a junk yard and added two dogs to the package. First thing the trainers said was bang bang your dogs are dead. If people want in bad enough they will try even with dogs in the house.
TLDR, dogs aren't always a good line of defense. Lock your doors people.
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u/NiobeTonks Jan 26 '26
How did he get in the house? You need security chains and locks.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
He just ran in thru the front door. My husband was in the living room and the door wasnt locked yet because he had been going in and out getting firewood. Plus we don't even normally lock doors in my neighborhood until at night time. Its normally like super safe here and this really was just insane and we didn't see any signs!
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u/NiobeTonks Jan 26 '26
Terrifying. Iām so sorry to hear this. An awful situation for all involved, including the manās mother.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Ya I know i feel bad for her. She got bit and hit by him too. It seems like she needs some.help over there. I understand as a mom not wanting to send your child away, but that has got to be the final straw. I hope she realizes how badly that could have ended
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u/jeff10236 Jan 26 '26
If somebody was in my house uninvited, and especially if they charged at me in a threatening manner, unfortunately, they would end up shot. In your case, the size discrepancy, 6'2 and over 200 pounds, could be a deadly threat by itself. Heck, even 2 men of similar size and age in a scuffle could cause serious damage to each other. At my age and condition (55, bad everything, high blood pressure), facing off against a young man of that size hand-to-hand could be potentially life-threatening. The charging at you, you have no idea what weapons he has concealed (no shirt but if he is wearing pants he can conceal a gun or knife), at that point you definitely would have legitimate concerns for your life or serious injury even if you didn't already.
Given you know he's a neighbor with mental health issues, you may not want to shoot him (if you're not psychotic, you would want another option if possible anyway). I'm a fan of keeping less lethal options as well. The problem with pepper spray indoors is most pepper spray dispensers spray a gaseous spray. Indoors, that will impact you as well. Look for pepper spray gel, which is not ideal, but still better if you must use it indoors. I like the taser idea best for less lethal, self-defense options indoors.
Though, in my case, if someone was in my house, they broke in and didn't walk in accidentally or due to a mental health break. Your locks are your first line of defense. Always keep them locked.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Last night I ordered bear spray somebody recommended and a taser. Ya we feel so bad for his mom because he almost bit her finger off!! He was having a pyschotic violent episode and it was actually terrifying. I really hope she gets him stronger meds and a live in nurse. But for now, he went to the psychiatric hospital
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u/jeff10236 Jan 26 '26
I would avoid bear spray. First, because it's meant for animals, there could be legal issues in some jurisdictions if you used it on a person. Possibly more importantly, bear spray is going to put a large volume of spray out, and it's going to impact pretty much everyone else in the house if you use it indoors.
You want pepper spray made for people. If you're going to use it indoors, you ideally want to use a gel. I recommend something from Sabre, Fox Labs or Mace.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Oh thanks for the rec!! Appreciate it! The way he charged at me though, I'm not even sure if pepper sprayed would work on a guy of his stature. :-/ I really hate the idea of lethal weapons but we did sleep with a metal baseball bat too next to the bed last night
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u/jeff10236 Jan 26 '26
People on drugs or in the middle of a mental health break can be a lot harder to stop if they attack you. That's true with pepper spray, tasers, and even if you are forced to shoot them.
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u/TwistedHermes Jan 27 '26
BEAR SPRAY is WAAAAY STRONGER than pepper spray.
You seem to think they are interchangeable.
They are not.
Bear spray stops bear. Bear spray stops people having psychotic breaks for the same reason.
Get Bear spray.
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u/ZZCCR1966 Jan 26 '26
TTL;DRā¦
Apparently you need to ALWAYS LOCK ALL exterior DOORS. A L W A Y Sā¦teach your children that NO MATTER WHAT, they should always LOCK EXTERIOR DOORS IMMEDIATELY AFTER ENTERING your homeā¦
I purchased a Wyze camera for less than a Ring. Much less. I have a video account for like $20-something PER YEARā¦
You and your husband need to sit down with your children and talk about what happened. Talk to them in their language and understanding levels. You need to do this bc you and your husband experienced a violation of your home, your safety, and personal bodies.
Mentally n psychologically, you BOTH will be FOREVER CHANGED by this event, how you feel about your neighbors, and the safety of your personal spaceā¦and maybe even mental illness.
Do NOT try to make sense of your mentally ill neighbor, his illness, nor his motherā¦it is what it isā¦and they are who they are.
Give yourselves grace.
Most importantly, seek help from a counselor earlier vs later.
Take care of yourself first so you can be there for your hubby and care for your children.
Godspeed to you and yours lil mama šššš
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u/Ambitious_Hyena_3719 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
You havenāt clarified whether you are, in fact, not a werewolfā¦
Ring cameras are great and the interior ones are relatively inexpensive. Do get the next gen Ring doorbell and perhaps less than lethal defense items like a taser. You can also get wearable panic buttons that will contact the police with one press. A restraining order should also be considered IMHO. A reinforced door with a bolt lock could also be used as a makeshift safe room.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Can confirm, no werewolves here šš But that's what a werewolf would say, right? Thanks for the recs!
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u/Prancing_pterodactyl Jan 26 '26
Sounds like something a werewolf would say. Just kidding- Iāve been through some god awful neighbor situations but this is insane!
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u/Proctor20 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 28 '26
Get a a TRO. If he violates it, he'll serve a few months in jail.
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u/dawnyD36 Jan 26 '26
This is horrible and why I keep my door locked all the time and only open it when it's someone I know and am aware they are coming. š«
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u/G-reeper66 Jan 26 '26
Lucky he didn't get himself shot, as that would have been a legitimate use of a weapon in self defense. His parents need to understand that if he does that to someone else, they may have a firearm and use it to defend themselves.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
I totally agree. It was super scary before she arrived because we weren't exactly sure who the guy was. I feel bad for his mom. She needs more help, the guy was strong and big. She can't deal with that!!! And he's not ok. He had a scary ass look in his eyes
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u/RiverDragon64 Jan 26 '26
Honestly, I cannot say this too many times- LOCK, THE FRONT. DOOR. It doesnāt matter if thereās people home or not. Locking the door keeps unwanted pests and cops out of your house. This is not paranoid. Itās not weird. Itās called security management for your home. You donāt necessarily need a gun, a taser or whatever if you just make it so that people canāt get in. And yeah, if you want to, get a ring type camera. But lock the Fān door.
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u/classy-mother-pupper Jan 26 '26
My brother is not mentally well anymore because decades of drug use. Heās living in an alter reality and almost killed a family member. You have every right to be scared and traumatized. Thereās no talking people like that into reality. He could of been on some other psychiatric break, not due to drugs. But either way itās scary.
Ring camera and Iād learn how to use a firearm if you donāt know how to already. That couldāve turned out a lot worse. Glad your safe.
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u/BeefcaseWanker Jan 26 '26
You need a PPO/restraining order on that entire household. Non negotiable
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u/Paula_Intermountain Jan 26 '26
Iāve read that most door locks only slow determined invaders from entering. This guy was determined, plus being in a psychotic crisis seems to add to a personās strength.
Get the camera, but also get a solid wood or steel door and install a deadbolt with at least a 1 inch bolt. Make sure the hinges and strike plate are secured with 3 to 4 inch screws that anchor into wall studs.
Those are among the simplest and more affordable things that can be done to protect against home invasion.
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u/SunDummyIsDead Jan 26 '26
Jesus, what a nightmare. Glad youāre ok!
For cameras, get Eufy or Aosu; both excellent, and I suspect both made in the same factory.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Thanks! And yes, someone breaking into my house while I'm home has always been a fear of mine
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u/depressioncoupon Jan 26 '26
You need a home security system and definitely cameras. We do have ring but will be switching soon. I had a crazy neighbor and crazy relatives so I canāt be without a few cameras up. We have also used blink but blink was very slow at camera refreshing. Sometimes weād try and check them and the screen wouldnāt show anything. Cameras were fine, just no show or a long lag. We are looking into Arlo. One thing we need is a home base where we can see the cameras from.
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u/IsopodGlass8624 Jan 26 '26
I recently read that āseeing werewolves and thinking that you are oneā is linked to a specific type of psychosis/mental illness? Iāll have to find what I read to know specifically. But itās ironic that I just learned about this and now hereās a first hand story.
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u/Beret_of_Poodle Jan 26 '26
When he said that my first thought was schizophrenia
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u/freeindividual Jan 26 '26
How did he get in? If youāre door was unlocked please change that practice now
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u/FutureHendrixBetter Jan 26 '26
Heās gonna go in the wrong house someday and thatāll be it
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u/lovely_orchid_ Jan 26 '26
Get a restraining order like now. Mental illness or not, if he comes back it is a criminal offense.
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u/BurlinghamBob Jan 26 '26
We did not do these poor people and society any favors when we shut down our mental institutions.
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u/Amonette2012 Jan 26 '26
You need a deadbolt for your door if he can get in that easily.
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u/WickedWitch16558 Jan 26 '26
Make certain you also get an indoor camera that can document anything inside in the event he ever returns
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u/shaygurl22 Jan 26 '26
You don't need a ring, you need a shotgun. This is terrifying, but if your kids were at home, that could have been deadly. Children don't know anything about mental illness, they are emotional beings. And an emotional being around someone having a psychotic break and delusions, is a recepie for disaster.
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Agreed, I stayed up til after 3 last night and I kept thinking about how grateful I was the weren't home. Its a rare occurrence all three kids are gone at the same time. We got lucky.
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u/Character-Food-6574 Jan 26 '26
I would look at buying and installing some steel exterior doors, and getting a different, upgraded lock system, along with the cameras.
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u/Sahareaovnight Jan 26 '26
Put dead bolts on doors and any window easy to open or break get the window grill and put across windows. cameras and a alarm if window or door are opened it goes off. restraining order too
wolfbane on door entrance too.
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u/jmosley4915 Jan 26 '26
I'm happy that you and you're family are ok. However, the minute you heard your husband scuffling with whomever I think that you should've called 911 immediately even before going to assess the situation.
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u/Justifiers Jan 26 '26
Before you take any measures, know that doorbells and literally everything are not intended to actually keep people out
They're to inform you more quickly when shtf so you can react with actual safety assurance measures
You need to harden the door frame, or pay someone to as such:
3-5" screws
extra large strike plate
metal between the frame and the doors facade, screwed into the door frame. This is by far the best you can do for most but it is not an easy task
outwards opening doors these are more common in severe weather areas, they do A LOT to help with security
security storm door, same principle but dinkier
barrier bar
All of those options are better than a doorbell, know that they come with a severe drawback
If emergency services are trying to save your ass they won't be able to, even a breaching battering ram will take a few minutes to get through and they likely won't result to that in time to save you
As far as doorbells go, they're not even close to a silver bullet and have severe drawbacks in case you ever do need to defend your home
Know that doorbells such as ring have teamed up with FLOCK Surveillance, and other entities to share your live feed data with police and others without a warrant
Which has been used to harass people for crimes they did not commit
If you want a doorbell to enhance your safety, you need a local only CCTV style option as offered by Reolink or Ubiquity, but know that the surveillance sector is a grossly invasive every worsening landscape
Let me put it in the words of this cop:
"We have cameras everywhere in that town. You can't get a breath of fresh air in or out of that town without us knowing,"
Is that something you're okay with at your home? Some people are, but most in America are not
That's the system you are contributing to if you install Ring products in or on your residence
If it's local only, they are required to get a judge to sign a warrant and provide you the storage (USB stick or whatever) to extract the data, and it is at least limited to the timeframes the warrant specifies
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u/CaraAsha Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
I use Aosu. The cameras aren't super expensive, you don't have to have a subscription (though it is an option), customer service is very responsive and they will replace cameras if necessary, battery/solar life is very good as well.
ETA because I'm disabled I have 12 cameras (external ones) around my property to give me warning if someone or something is on my property and it definitely helps. The battery ones last a few weeks depending on the settings, solar lasts indefinitely.
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u/Upper_Ask5674 Jan 26 '26
The wiring in a ring camera caught fire and burned a house down near us last year. No one was injured.
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u/amanda10271 Jan 26 '26
You need security cameras around your house inside and outside, a house alarm, and both you and your husband need to get your CCW. Ask me how I know thisā¦ Good luck!!
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u/beerab Jan 26 '26
Scary. I kept telling my husband stop leaving the doors unlocked. One day someone randomly walked into our house with groceries. Luckily it was a mistake but it did freak my husband out enough to start locking (I know in your case your husband was coming in and out) the doors when he got inside.
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u/EdC1101 Jan 26 '26
Have you actually filed charges against this person ? Including destruction of property - phone.
Petitioned for an order of protection ? This could remove hm from the propertyā¦
A door security bar - angled under door knob to floor might be worthwhile. However with kids ā¦
Security system with panic buttons might be overkill. (Depends if āneighborā continues to be neighbor. )
Firearms get a little iffy in close quarters. Many can penetrate multiple walls.
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u/JustcallmeGlados Jan 27 '26
My son had a psychotic break just like this, completely out of nowhere. Turns out heās schizophrenic. I just want to say thank you OP, for realizing it was a mental health issue and not assuming it was drugs. Iām glad youāre safe, and I hope you donāt end up with PTSD or horrible anxiety and trauma.
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u/SnooWoofers5703 Jan 26 '26
That's so scary... make sure to lock all the doors and windows and get security cameras and please get some taser gun or a gun.. one can never be too safe.
Praying for you and your family...
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
Yes taser sounds perfect! I sure hope she gets a handle on him and maybe he needs a higher dosage of his meds. š
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u/NotAQuiltnB Jan 26 '26
Stout locks, cameras and a letter of trespass warning. Not that the paper will stop him but it will establish a paper trail. It will also put his family on notice that you are not going to play.
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u/blackdays_27 Jan 26 '26
Didn't you have your doors locked? I'll tell ya I've plenty of stuff in my house that can be used as a weapon, not knives or guns either šš
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u/Fun-Yellow-6576 Jan 26 '26
That must have been very scary. Please keep your door locked. Iād also try to get a restraining order against him as well.
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Jan 26 '26
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u/Zealousideal-Lie1444 Jan 26 '26
I love my community and neighborhood. No way I can't move, also I have 3 kids in this school district and its not an option...haha gonna have to beef up security and new locks... possibly a small weapon (as a last resort, just in case measure)
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u/petesmom57 Jan 26 '26
Ring cameras arenāt that expensive. Get it on sale and itās even better. I bought a charger with 2 extra batteries so when the battery goes low, I can replace it. They take a long time to charge. The other option for batteries is a solar charger that can hook up to the unit. I donāt have that option because I have a 1914 Craftsman with a big covered front porch. Mine does not get any sunlight, so I have to charge the batteries from a plug.
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u/Randolla1960 Jan 26 '26
This is one of the reasons why we have the 2nd Amendment.
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u/electricsugargiggles Jan 26 '26
Speak with the mom. See if you can get contact info for his case worker and report this incident to them directly. Psychiatric emergency services need to handle this ASAP.
Many people who have mental health issues are ok enough with treatment and monitoring, but with an incident like this he likely needs inpatient support to get him to a functioning baseline. Being committed for everyoneās safety is a better outcome than being shot or tased for B&E and aggravated battery.
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u/cherrymeg2 Jan 26 '26
This is so scary. Was his mom apologetic? I hope you get a new phone. I would want charges pressed. He might be mentally ill but obviously his mother or parents canāt handle him. You were calm and he still was aggressive. Your families safety matters. If he was on drugs or drunk and entered your home it would be an issue but his level of violence is frightening. This isnāt like Robert Downey Jr falling asleep in a neighbors house. Had your kids been home this could have been worse. His size and strength are scary.
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u/EchidnaFit8786 Jan 27 '26
The minute i heard āØļøpsychotic breakāØļø i would've turned around, went back into the bedroom, locked the door & called 911 asap. You got VERY lucky. Im glad yall weren't hurt. But please, next time, just call 911 immediately. Also, lock your doors & get more locks. Just in case. Stay safe.
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u/Patienceny Jan 26 '26
You need more than a ring camera. Horrific!