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uk Personal safety & immediate danger someone lingering at my door • person loitering outside my door • doorbell camera shows someone • security alert at front door • suspicious person at the door • unknown person at my doorstep • stranger outside my home • someone waiting outside my house • repeated doorbell alerts • unexpected visitor won’t leave • late night door activity • someone checking my door • doorstep loitering • video doorbell suspicious activity • feel unsafe answering the door • home alone door alert • apartment door suspicious person • delivery scam at the door

What to do if…
you notice your doorbell camera or security alert shows someone lingering at your door

Short answer

Do not open the door. Stay behind a locked door, check what’s happening from a safe position, and call the police if you feel threatened or the person is trying your door.

Do not do these things

  • Do not open the door to “see what they want”, even a crack.
  • Do not confront them outside or argue through the letterbox.
  • Do not tell them you are alone, vulnerable, or that you’re “about to come to the door”.
  • Do not treat a door chain as “safe enough” if you feel unsafe; it is not a guarantee of safety.
  • Do not assume it’s “probably nothing” if they are testing handles, looking through windows, or refusing to leave.

What to do now

  1. Make a safer pause. Lock your front door (and any internal door between you and the front door). Move yourself (and children/pets) away from the doorway and front windows.
  2. Check the live view without exposing yourself. Use the doorbell camera feed or a nearby window from a position where you can’t be seen. If possible, turn on outside lights.
  3. Make the property look “observed” without taking risks. Turn on exterior lights. If you have an alarm/siren option, only consider using it if you can do so safely and you believe it won’t put you at more risk.
  4. Communicate without opening the door (optional). If you choose to speak, do it through the video doorbell/intercom or through the closed door. Keep it short: “I can’t open the door. Please leave.” Then stop engaging.
  5. Call the police based on risk.
    • Call 999 if you feel in immediate danger, the person is trying the door, you see a weapon, you’re being threatened, or you believe a crime is in progress.
    • Call 101 if it’s suspicious but not an immediate threat (for example, the person has left but you want to report what happened, or you want advice and a record created).
  6. If you can’t safely speak on the phone. You can still call 999; follow the operator’s prompts for “silent” calling so they can assess and help.
  7. If you’re in a block of flats or shared building, use the building’s safety layer. Call building security/concierge (if you have one) or a trusted neighbour/housemate to check shared areas, rather than you going to the door.
  8. Preserve details while you’re waiting. Save the clip(s) in your doorbell app, note the time, what they did (e.g., “pulled handle”, “looked into window”), and which way they went. If police attend, this helps you give a clear report.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether it was “a scam” or “casing” or to identify the person.
  • You do not need to post footage publicly or confront anyone to “prove” what happened.
  • You do not need to change locks, buy new equipment, or make big security decisions in the moment.

Important reassurance

It’s reasonable to feel shaken by a doorstep alert. Taking a few minutes to stay behind a locked door, reduce exposure, and involve the police when needed is a normal, sensible response.

Scope note

This is first-steps-only guidance for the next minutes to hour. If this keeps happening, or you feel targeted, you may want follow-up support from your local police team and practical home security advice later.

Important note

This is general information, not personal safety, legal, or policing advice. If you think anyone is in immediate danger or a crime is happening, call 999.

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