How to tell if something is abandoned?

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 1:05 am

My friends and I were scouting a house today and we couldn't decide whether anyone lived there or not. Looking at it you would think no one had lived there for years. The stairs leading down to the house we rotting and didn't look stable at all (that was the only way to get down to the house, we got down there by going around and walking over/through 2 burned houses), the porch was almost giving in and was rotting, there was a window broken and a screen popped out of another one, but the thing is, when we looked inside it was fully furnished and almost looked livable. There were tables and couches, a tv, and some sort of heater, and didn't really look trashed like it had been abandoned at all. There were also "keep out" signs on the porch and doors and some beer cans that had been bought within the past year or half year. I tried looking for an electric meter, but couldn't find it. Any suggestions of how to be sure that no one lives there? We stuck a stick in what looks like the only entrance and we're going to go back there sometime and see if it's been moved.

Post by **Xanatos** » Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:15 am

The best way to check if something's abandoned is the most obvious approach: Infiltrate, carefully. I had a similar experience a few years ago (in the 'Night Oops' thread) where I attempted to infiltrate a house I thought was abandoned but it wasn't. I didn't make it very far across the backyard when a black dog the size of a small horse growled from the shadows and sent me sprinting away like Daniel encountering a grunt in Amnesia. Just apply the basic principles of NO and tread carefully & quietly, and if you have good reason to believe the place is occupied always have an escape route ready. Perhaps it would be wise to have someone on lookout to watch for signs of activity while you're inside (lights coming on, etc).

Urgon · Post by **Urgon** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:12 am

AVE...

Just check out if there is any trash in a trashcan. Or observe the building for hour or more. If you can get close enough to check the energy meter, you can find out, if they have air conditioning or fridges running. Meters here have special disk to indicate if energy is drawn. Mine now makes approximately 60 RPM...

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Tue Feb 07, 2012 12:34 am

Urgon wrote:AVE...

Just check out if there is any trash in a trashcan. Or observe the building for hour or more. If you can get close enough to check the energy meter, you can find out, if they have air conditioning or fridges running. Meters here have special disk to indicate if energy is drawn. Mine now makes approximately 60 RPM...

Well the thing is it may be a abandoned with a hobo in it or maybe just a super low income house. We cant really tell. There are no trashcans and the mailbox is trashed. We looked for the power meter but (not sure if we can find it or if it was removed)

Post by **Ghost** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:51 am

There are a couple methods i'd use before trying to infiltrate a possibly occupied house, depending upon what state you live in that could be a good way to take a load of 00 buckshot to the face.

One of the easier methods involves a little social engineering. Take the least threatening member of your team (a small male, or female if possible, someone who does NOT look like your stereotypical criminal) and have them go up to the house and knock on the door. Ask for something simple, like directions, or if person X lives here, ect. if the door is answered.

Another option involves getting a flyer for a local pizza place and putting it a bag, then hanging it from their front doorknob. See how long it takes for it to be removed.

Lastly, you could always take a thin piece of thread or hair and tape it in a discrete location to both the door, and the doorframe in such a way that it would break if the door is opened. The other methods are a lot easier, though, simply because they require no stealth at all.

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 2:18 am

The location of this house makes it difficult to do any of that without making it seem suspicious if they were someone in there. The only way to get to the house is down some rotten steps that don't look very stable at all. It's about a 15 ft drop where the house is. It's hard to explain. We ended up getting down by walking down what used to be a stair case but only had about a foot of every step left in the middle. (I'm explaining this really bad, I need to take pictures) We left something in the door and haven't been back to check it yet. We're hopefully planning to go back Thursday.

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Wed Feb 08, 2012 7:21 pm

**update** Did some social engineering and found out that the house (maybe) belongs to a 3 strike felon with 2 counts of drugs and a murder. Interesting yes and explains why house is abandoned, but dosent explain the sleeping bag and broken locks.

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 2:14 pm

Some pictures of the place since I was really bad at describing it. Found the guy we think lives here on several sites. I've gotten mixed information from him being arrested for several drug counts to murder to rape. I can't find his sentencing anywhere though. From what I can tell the last time he was put in jail was back in July of '11, so I'm guessing he's still in there.

Post by **Xanatos** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 3:35 pm

So you weren't able to get inside? It doesn't look like it's occupied, judging from the state that it's in. However it could be some sort of hideout or stash spot. To be safe, when you do plan to infiltrate do it with a friend who can watch your back.

Nukes · Post by **Nukes** » Thu Feb 09, 2012 4:07 pm

We'd be able to get in, we haven't tried yet though because we've been trying to get more information on it and watch it to see if any activity happens during the week. So far, nothing. We plan on doing it this weekend. Like we said, they guy who we think lives there is in jail we believe and has been for the past year, which would explain why it's furnished.

Neurotic Anomaly · Post by **Neurotic Anomaly** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:07 am

My advice would be to treat this as a potential combat op. Despite what it implies, it's a term I made myself to describe an op where there is an above average chance of having to protect one's self. I've ran a couple of those before, and actually had to fight a handful of times, and they were similar to this op you're preparing to launch. It's not out looking for a fight, it's just an op where the occurrence of one is highly probable.

It is a good thing that you suspect the man to be there is more than likely incarcerated. Just make sure you infiltrate with a partner who can readily assist if necessary and make breaking contact easier. Just prepare for the worst. I've found that when dealing with these scenarios it's best to assume an engagement will take place, simply because of the parameters described above.

Anyway, have fun and stay safe on your op.

Post by **Xanatos** » Fri Feb 10, 2012 10:45 am

^ What he said. Hope for the best, plan for the worst.

We tend to call these "high risk" ops, although the risk isn't always combat specific (environment, security, potential witnesses, etc).

Night Ops

How to tell if something is abandoned?

How to tell if something is abandoned?

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