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uk Personal safety & immediate danger

What to do if…
someone appears to be lurking or moving suspiciously outside your home

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy UK guide

Short answer

Stay inside, move away from exposed doors and windows, and do not confront or follow the person. Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or a crime is happening; otherwise contact the police on 101 or through your local police force’s online service.

Do not do these things

  • Do not go outside to investigate or challenge the person.
  • Do not open the door to someone you cannot safely identify.
  • Do not place yourself at a window to obtain a closer look.
  • Do not follow the person if they leave.
  • Do not ask a neighbour or anyone else to confront them.
  • Do not post live details of your location or movements publicly.
  • Do not assume you need proof of a crime before sharing a genuine concern with the police.

What to do now

  1. Move to a safer part of the home, away from exposed doors and ground-floor windows. Keep your phone with you and quietly alert anyone else inside.

  2. Lock accessible external doors and windows if you can do so without moving closer to the person or making yourself clearly visible. Do not delay an emergency call to check every entrance.

  3. Call 999 and ask for the police if the person is attempting to force entry, trying door or window handles, threatening anyone, displaying a weapon, damaging property, or creating an immediate danger. Tell the call handler where you are, describe what is happening, and follow their instructions.

  4. If there is no immediate danger or crime in progress, call 101 or use your local police force’s online contact or reporting service. Report what you can actually see or hear rather than guessing at the person’s intentions.

  5. From a safe position, note details you can observe without approaching, such as the time, clothing, behaviour, direction of travel, and any vehicle description or registration number.

  6. If the person knocks, you can choose not to answer. If you decide to respond, use a closed door, intercom or doorbell camera and do not open the door unless you feel safe and can verify who they are.

  7. If the person leaves, remain inside and do not follow them. Tell the police which way they went if you are already reporting the incident, and save any relevant doorbell or security-camera footage without posting it publicly.

What can wait

You do not need to identify the person, decide whether they intended a crime, search outside, contact them, share footage online, or make long-term home-security changes now. Focus on staying safely inside, securing nearby entry points and contacting the police when appropriate.

Important reassurance

Behaviour that looks suspicious can have an innocent explanation, but you do not need certainty before taking proportionate safety precautions. Staying inside and reporting clear observations is a reasonable response.

Scope note

This guide covers the first safe actions while someone appears to be outside your home. Repeated incidents, stalking or harassment concerns, follow-up after a crime, and longer-term security decisions may require help from the police or another specialist service.

Important note

This is general personal-safety and reporting information, not legal or professional security advice. Use your judgement about immediate danger and follow instructions from the emergency services.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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