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What Should You Do When A Stranger Offers Something At Your Door

You don't have to be afraid when a stranger knocks. Just careful.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Have you seen this man? Police say he came to a person's home claiming to be a paving contractor and then waited for her to leave her home. So he could break in. 

Crimestoppers says the man introduced himself as "Tommy" and asked to repair a driveway. The homeowners wouldn't let him do the job. A neighbor said, he came back and stole a weed eater and shovel.
So here are some things to keep in mind when someone comes knocking on your door.

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First, don't open the door, crack it open, or just talk through it. You don't want a potential thief to be able to see inside your home and see what kind of valuables you have. 

And keep the conversation short. Listen to what they have to say and then politely say no. And pay attention while they're talking.

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"While you're listening to the spiel you wanna look around and see how many people there are. A lot of times with these kinds of scams they're two people. One person distracts you and then someone else is scoping around your house to see what they can steal. Or they may be testing your shed door or your back door. And at that point, they may even go inside and steal something" says Lechelle Yates with the Better Business Bureau.

Once they're gone, check outside your home to see if anything is missing and if there are any valuables you'd want to put away. And let your neighbors know about the incident so they can be on guard as well.

RELATED: Footprints In Snow Lead Police To Package Thief

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