13 November 2023 , 15:53
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A woman has issued a warning to others who live alone after a chilling late-night incident that involved a strange lingering man. In the video, Mary Alice advises other women who live alone not to turn on their lights as soon as they enter their apartments for the evening.
Mary, who is a singer and songwriter, told TikTok about an experience that made her see the benefit in women not “immediately” turning their lights on when they walk into their apartments. “Especially if people can see the windows of your apartment from the street,” she says in the video, adding that if “someone’s following you home, they’re going to know what apartment you’re in.”
The singer told viewers that when she got home that night, she noticed a man she’d never seen before getting stuff out of his car. She said the man gave her "bad vibes," and described how he attempted to "make conversation with her” as she exited her car. He informed her that her car's headlight was out, to which she replied that she was having it repaired.
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Mary said she didn't continue speaking with the stranger but instead headed straight to her apartment. When she got into her home, she chose to keep the lights off before checking the Ring camera attached to her building door. And to her horror, noticed the man's strange behaviour through the camera feed.
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“He’s standing in the street, which is very close to my apartment building,” she said. “[He was] staring at my building, and he did not leave for like five minutes. I mean like, halfway through he left the empty parking spot and hid behind a car. But he waited to see.”
She continued: “Now he knows what car I drive and where I live, just not my apartment. So, don’t turn your lights on.” In the caption of her TikTok video, Mary wrote: “I’m so tired of feeling like prey!! My lights are only on in my bathroom now because it’s the only room I have with no windows.”
Other women on TikTok commented wished Mary all the best and sympathized with that unsafe feeling when traveling or arriving home alone. One user wrote: “Life hack, don’t turn your lights off at all! Lol never walking into a dark room and it always seems like you’re home.”
Another wrote: “Please make sure for the next week you switch up your schedule and don’t return home at the same time multiple days in a row. Stay safe!” One more thanked Mary for highlighting her safety hack: “Amazing advice, that I guarantee so many don’t think about. I didn’t until you said something! Thank you!”