SOS NEED ADVICE! Home being stalked by previous owner.

[Sara Marler]

My partner and I purchased a pre foreclosure investment property which we flipped and turned into our primary residence. We purchased this home over a year ago but have been having complications with getting the previous owner, Brandon to leave us alone. Brandon is a meth addict who continues to message us asking for his mail (even though we have expressed multiple times to him that we no longer get his mail because we took his name off the residence list). We have explicitly expressed to him that we do not want to have any further contact with him and to stop messaging us but he does not listen, we have stopped reply at this point. Recently we have noticed Brandon driving slowly past our house as if he was scooping out the place. Most alarming though is that two days ago I was alone in the home when I noticed someone walking up to our back door in the backyard. I did not think much of it because we ask for our packages to be delivered to the back door. But once I saw the male figure walking away I opened the door and there was no package there. I ran to the front yard and saw a man walking quickly away down the street.

We have contacted the police and they said they would make sure a patrol car would drive by the night it happened but there wasn't much they could do. I am starting to feel a little spooked because I am a 22 year old female who works from home and is alone here often as my partner works outside of the house during the day. We also have a lot of valuables in our home that we don't want stolen. This is our first investment property and we have never encountered something like this. Does anyone have any advice for us, it is much appreciated. Thank you!

[Karl B.]

I would: 

1. Get an alarm system 

2. Get a surveillance system (they don't have to be expensive - though I get professional systems installed on the homes I live in)

3. Get a big dog who enjoys barking at noises and strangers

4. If you see him, safely film him at a distance using your phone and if he still hangs around you and your partner should speak with a lawyer about the option of filing a restraining order against him.