What would you do?

I don't think it was the neighbor who actually saw them, it was another lady who then asked a neighbor to call the police. That being said, when the police arrived I would shoe my id, explain my situation calmly to the police being as cooperative as possible. I would then ask them who reported it so that I could thank them. When I was a child we went away for the weekend and while we were gone our house was robbed. Our next door neighbor saw our door propped open and knew that we were out of town. Yet did nothing, NOTHING. When asked about it, they said they didn't give it much thought. So I say HOORAY for the woman who saw something out of place and choose to do the right thing and report it.

wow, that's really a tuff thing that I can't imagine. If that really happens to me someday I thought it would drive me mad, and I might don't know what to do in a short time, yet after a period time of calming down, I believe I can handle that well.

I personally would go to my neighbors house and get my key from my neighbor to get into my house. Then I would go home, and go to bed. If the police showed up I would show them my ID, and if they didn't believe me then I would tell them to get off of my property, and get a warrant for my arrest. But, I am a white person who has never been arrested, nor my people discriminated and arrested for no reason. So I don't fear the police, but how many on here know what someone else would do?

You show the policeman your identification with your address on it so he'll know that is your home. After that, you thank him and the neighbor for being concerned about your property.

I'd feel violated. I'd curse the officer and get arrested. I know this because it has happened to me. It's not what I think I'd do now, but it is how I handled a similar situation. When I was 19, a snot-nosed punk who thought the world owed me much more than I was willing to give, I went to visit my uncle at my grandmother's house. He was a bit off his rocker from Nam, but he always had solid advice. It was one of those days... Anyway, no one answered the door, and in that part of town, free from a lot of crime and bums like me from my side of town, the key was in one of those fake rocks beside the porch. So, I opened the door, walked in, sat down and watched TV. The neighbors didn't recognize me, called it in, and the cops arrived. They were extremely forceful, demanding I step outside and produce ID. Well, my response was, "FU, buddy." After a few more of those, I was sprayed with pepper and cuffed. I was never formally charged, as in locked up, but I was arrested and taken to the station. If I had to do it all over again, at that age, I would have locked the front door after walking in, or maybe went upstairs. I don't think I would have treated the cops any differently -- not at that point in my life. Not at that stage of mental development. Not a bit differently, because, as far as I was concerned, the police didn't deserve respect from me. They were violating me. I can perfectly understand where Gates is coming from in many respects. The only difference I can see is that I'm white, the arresting officer was white, and I had no cry of racism. The person I am today knows how to handle it differently. But that's because I've allowed my mindset to evolve. I've learned much more. I've stepped outside of the bubble I thought was America and ventured deep into what I now know it to be. That may still leave my blinded to many things, but when it comes to police, I know to respect them and not to prejudge. Someone with Gates' education, at his age, shouldn't be where I was at 19. Reactionaries shouldn't be involved with the shaping of minds -- they should working to remold theirs. I know it's extremely hard to do, but sometimes you have to put on the other person's shoes, even as they're still walking toward you. It's not how I thought as a young punk, but after realizing my attitude got me nowhere but down, I changed. I think, maybe, if I had a solid scapegoat like racism or bigotry, I wouldn't have changed. I would remain the victim simply because I'd be treated like one when I stomped my feet and raised my voice.

I'd pull out my ID...show the officer I had the right to be there..and thank him for doing his job. why do you ask? Isn't that what everyone would do?

I'd show my ID to prove I lived there, explain the situation and then thank the officer for coming out. I'd also be thankful that at least someone was concerned enough to check on my home while I was gone. [b]~~AT PEACE WITHIN~~ **STAND STRONG IN YOUR BELIEFS**[/b]

You can do is prove that you are the owner of the house,you should not complain about is, after all, they are to Hello.Perhaps you did not see the neighbors,but he preferred for ho.In case you do not come in and they are really thieves.

Oh dear, I better make sure I have all the necessary documents to prove that I live at the place. Moreover, my next door neighbor will definitely recognize me, so I'm sure there won't be much hassle. Anyway, I don't think this will be a problem for me - that is, locked out of my house. I usually leave sets of keys with my sister and dad. If I've lost my keys, I'd most probably give them a call, and wait for them to arrive!

I hope I'd maintain my composure and ask the officer what he needed from me as proof that this was my home. I'd like to think that I'd cooperate with the police.

Hello, Well I never traveled to another country before, but incase this kind of incident accures, you should let the officer know in a calm voice that you live at the residence, and provide proof if possible that you do , mail , lease, etc, then allow them to know that you just got back in town , from traveling how many hours you have traveled, to come home just to be locked out, I'm sure they would understand this, you are not the first person this has happen to, HappY My Lotting!

i would be laughing loud at that time and have a good relax to see this happen. Interesting indeed . Of course the police won't take me away and i actually can show him the evidence . On the other side i should be think it over why my neighbor doesn't know me . We should get well along with our neighbors really.

I too would show the officer some ID and thank them for at least coming out to check the situation. Luckily for me i live next door to a cop anyway so if there were any problems im sure he would come and help me out.

First of all it feel very tired when you travel and come home and definetly one feels of taking rest immediately in his house but if a situation like this arise then first thing is hold our patience and inform atleast our neighbours that I am the owner of this house and I have lost my keys and ask them if they have any known person who can do a duplicate key and if not then we can take the extreme step of breaking the door so that no body from the neighbour will inform to police about you..

Well I would start ranting and raving, so I could get myself arrested. Oh wait I am not a Harvard professor and have no reason to act like a mad man, or in my case mad woman. What I would most likely have done is try to explain to the police officer that this was my house, and apparently I have misplaced my keys. If the cop wanted proof I would try to proved him with whatever proof that I could of my residence at this house.

In my case, I live right behind the police station, and I'd go there FIRST to let them know that I was locked out of my house. If they could not help me, I'd find my own way in, and would bring one of the officers with me to witness me breaking into my OWN house, so that they would know that this was not a mistake.

I have had to break into my house a couple of times. Once I had to climb up on an overhang from the first floor to the 2nd and go thru the one window that I hadn't locked upstairs. It did cross my mind that someone might see me and think I was breaking in. I half expected the cops. I'd have been ok with it. I would have showed my ID and explained the situation. It would have been ok. I would have been grateful that the neighbors were keeping a watch out for me.

I would be happy to find out that my neighbors care about me enough to call the cops if they think my house is getting broken in to. It would be good to know that the police were quick enough in response to get there while I am still trying to get in. Then I would show them my ID and explain to them that I live there.

I'd be very glad that the driver was there to help me. When the police arrived, I might honestly have felt a little cranky that a neighbor called them when I know I live there, but I would have shown my ID and thanked them for coming out. I would admit that it probably looked like I was breaking in to someone else. Who knows if I would grumble a bit, being tired and having this disruption but I am sure I would not show my irritation to the police officer, because that's just a stupid move. You don't try to irritate the police, that's just stupid. Later, when I had time to calm down and rest up, I would be glad to know that the neighbors were keeping an eye out and it might make me feel more secure when I had to go away again. I might even thank her after a meal and a good night's rest. But probably not that night, because I would still be a little cranky.

Well I'm a girl, so I would probably be upset that someone thought I was a guy. lol. Well I would be real upset at the neighbors and real annoyed at the police, but I would just show them my ID and it would be over with.