The old saying that tall fences make for good neighbors has a ring of truth to it when you prioritize privacy. Yet when you live in a cooperative community neighborhood, or everyone is trying to pool resources during a disaster, finding out what your neighbor is hiding can become a life-or-death reality.
In a disaster, some neighbors started hoarding supplies that everyone agreed to share. Some bad neighbors might even be hiding skeletons in their closets or have less-than-friendly intentions in mind.
Yet there are signs to watch out for in normal times that could become very problematic when SHTF.
Lights on at Abnormal Times or in Abnormal Places
If your neighbor seems to be up at odd hours but keeps a regular 9 to 5 job, it could be a sign of something fishy going on.
Especially if they have lights on in odd rooms like the attic or the basement, and they don’t have teenagers living in the house.
What They Might Be Hiding
Other than a secret DIY home improvement project, this kind of behavior could be a sign of drug activity or trying to cover up a domestic incident. If SHTF, having someone like this in your community group could quickly create a toxic sense of mistrust.
People who practice keeping ugly secrets and skeletons in the closet during normal times are only going to do it more when a disaster strikes.
Adding Excessive Surveillance and Security
A modest level of surveillance equipment and beefed-up security around your neighbor’s property on its own isn’t necessarily a sign of trouble.
While it might make good sense to have digital eyes on your property.
It’s when they suddenly add a ton of new security right before or after other suspicious behavior starts that you need to worry about what your neighbor is up to.
What They Might Be Hiding
The concern with all this suddenly added surveillance is that they’re clearly signaling they have something to hide. Maybe their stockpiling resources and taking security up five notches might signal an unwillingness to share, or barter should a future disaster strike.
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This type of behavior can also be a red flag for a potential future problem. How will this person react when resources start to dwindle? If they have an “I’ve got mine Jack!” sort of attitude now, it could turn into something much uglier later when times get tight.
Nosiness and Attempting to Spy
Ironically, one of the suspicious behaviors that signals your neighbor might be hiding something nefarious, is them keeping an eye on you.
Especially if times are normal and there isn’t any sort of disaster scenario affecting your neighborhood’s social landscape.
There’s a point where it’s more than just peaking over your fence or looking out the front window every time you take out the garbage. The glint of light off a small telescope lens, or they always seem to be watching when you leave the house every morning could mean a little something more.
What They Might Be Hiding
If it’s a casual case of voyeurism, you have to worry about your neighbor’s respect level. If they’re going to disrespect your privacy in normal times, you can imagine how much of a nuisance they’ll be in a prolonged disaster.
There’s also an increasing concern that this behavior is causing your property to see what might be worth stealing. As Hannibal Lector warned us “People covet what they see every day.” When the world goes sideways they become increasingly likely to try to get their hands on what it is of yours that they want.
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This can lead to a lot of trust issues that you don’t need while holding down what’s precious to you and yours.
Property Neglect
A lack of pride in ownership by failing to maintain their property is a sign that your neighbor might be hiding a mental health issue. Often times people with substance abuse problems, chronic depression, bipolar disorder, or similar mental health problems will withdraw from the world.
This has the net effect of causing them to be lax about properly maintaining their property.
The lawn is always long, weeds grow up around the foundation, and their bushes look out of control. Damage to the house like broken windows, bad siding, or chipping paint that could be easily fixed is also a red flag that something more is going on here.
What They Might Be Hiding
An unkempt home is often a sign of a mental health problem or a substance abuse issue. It also speaks to their inherent sense of work ethic. None of these things suggest that they’d be a good addition to a disaster support community.
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Someone going through withdrawal from substance abuse or who can’t pull their own weight is just going to drag down your survival efforts. Not to mention being a constant drain on finite resources.
Domestic Disturbances
If your neighbor is constantly getting in loud arguments with their spouse and/or you’re hearing things get broken, it should be taken as a red flag. This is definitely a time to keep your eyes and ears open in case domestic violence erupts in their household.
What They Might Be Hiding
A neighbor who’s having frequent arguments with their loved ones will likely be prone to being argumentative with you if you allow them into your survival group. At the same time, a lot of people who have recurring domestic arguments also have “Control Problems.”
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They anoint themselves to be in control or constantly manipulate others to give them control. Someone who needs their sense of aggrandizement fed, or who tries to assert dominance will quickly become a major problem when SHTF.
Strange Visitors
If your neighbor has a lot of visitors at random times and odd hours it could be a sign that they’re dealing drugs, or poorly hiding the manufacturing of drugs. This is even more concerning if young adult males are showing up unannounced at seemingly random times. Especially if there are no teenagers in the family.
Frequent visitors coming at all hours of the day and night can mean that your neighbor is poorly hiding some sort of illegal drug enterprise. Especially if you see people walking into the house without a bag and walking out with one or vice versa.
What They Might Be Hiding
This is a two-fold problem. First, you have the concern about adding someone to your survival community with substance abuse issues. The coming withdrawal and emotional problems will make it hard for them to pull their own weight.
You also have the concern that their less-than-reputable network of people will start seeking them out. Suddenly you have people who are desperate for a fix seeking out their former dealer. You don’t need an element like that showing up on your community’s doorstep when SHTF.
Burning Things at Night
Your neighbor having a little fire in a portable firepit on his deck might not mean they’re outright hiding things.
It’s when you start getting strange smells off it from burning things like paper, plastic, or packaging that you might want to worry.
What They Might Be Hiding
Burning something other than wood in a deck firepit or backyard campfire is usually a sign of someone hiding evidence. A person with these skeletons in their closet can be a liability to your survival group in a prolonged disaster.
Not only do you have to deal with the lingering drama of them having something to hide. They also have a sort of practiced willingness to hide things. In a disaster, this can turn into them hiding stolen supplies or disguising other actions that go against the group effort.
Final Thoughts
Figuring out what your neighbor is hiding usually requires connecting the dots. A single incident or recurring problem on its own usually isn’t enough to confirm what happened and whether or not that person is trustworthy.
For instance, if you notice your neighbor’s garbage is out of control, and they have random visitors at all hours of the day, the two signs combined could reveal that they’re making or selling drugs.
If you hear a lot of arguing and things breaking, then their house goes silent, and you rarely see them outside of the house. They could be hiding a domestic incident that boiled over.
Paying attention to these signs that your neighbor is hiding something serves multiple purposes. Not only does it help clue you in on a potential risk lurking next door, but you might also have to give a statement to the police or testify in court one day. So, you want to make sure you have all the details correct.
In a world where looting and lawlessness can erupt quickly, your neighbor could become a threat to your family. That’s why having a solid home defense strategy is crucial. One way to ensure you’re fully prepared is by taking advantage of specialized training. The Special Forces Home Defense Academy offers comprehensive courses that can teach you how to protect your home and family effectively in times of crisis.
The Academy’s expert instruction covers everything from setting up strategic defenses to handling various security threats. With training designed by the seasoned Green Beret Terry Schappert, you’ll gain the skills needed to face even the most challenging situations. Don’t wait for a crisis to realize you’re unprepared.
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