Overnight Visitor

Dtank wrote:
Well - you've listed all the reasons NOT to report it.

Here's a few leaning the other way:

1. The PD may have other similar "overnighter" complaints with different outcomes. It may help to know where they occur.

2. Who knows if the "nice" visitor would react differently had you walked in on him (or her). Do you know if he/she was armed?
Were there other instances? - Did those have different outcomes?

3. Sometimes an insignificant report can be tied to one with more serious implications (the "more important" things you believe the PD is involved with).

Recently a nice guy allowed a homeless person to stay in his RV overnight. She wouldn't leave in the morning. Turned into a standoff with the LA (CA) PD live on local news - she finally came out after *she* torched the RV (total loss).

Sometimes nice guys finish last!

And - Good news travels fast (among the homeless):
"There's an unlocked RV parked over on River Street - even has food inside! It had all kinds of neat stuff inside which I left alone!" (which he describes).

So now - the word is out!
Your *NEXT* visitor may be hocking the items the first didn't take - even if he has to break in to get them - since he knows they are/were there!


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1. I have checked the police calls and there have been no break-ins, thefts, etc., in the area.

2. I didn't walk in on them. I don't even know how many days had passed since he had been in the RV. The only instances in the neighborhood have been a neighborhood kid taking loose change from unlocked cars, an adult son burglarizing his mother's house, a fight that was likely over drugs, and some kids breaking into an empty house. There have been no problems with homeless other than panhandling.

3. As I have said, I routinely check the police log, I am subscribed to the police alert system, and I am aware of neighborhood goings on. There is nothing that has involved homeless, the are no murderers on the loose, there are no kids or old folks missing, etc. I'm not just ignoring a potential problem, I am just aware that this is not a sign of worse things.

This person did not "overstay his welcome". I am not in the habit of inviting people to stay in my RV. This was a fluke incident where someone happened by and my door was unlocked. He was long gone by the time I realized he had been there. I'm not going to be afraid of what might have happened when it didn't happen. This incident isn't going to convince me to turn my RV into a homeless shelter. Yes, it could have been a lot worse - I was very lucky. I know that. But that doesn't make me afraid.

I have made sure it is locked up. I have removed items of value. I do a walk around and check doors, windows, etc., every couple days to make sure everything is OK. If someone is inside, I will call the police and not confront the person.

I get all the arguments for reporting it, but it's not going to do anything more than have an officer spend time writing up a report that goes nowhere. I have done my due diligence in making sure this wasn't a sign of a bigger problem.