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Monday I was in Dallas for work. After I was done for the day I went to the hotel and got cleaned up for dinner. I was standing at the foot of the bed getting ready to put on my shirt when I heard my door lock click and the door start to open.

First lesson learned: always use the flip over lock in the hotel.

I didn't even think and drew my gun and was in the low ready before the door was all the way open.

Second lesson reinforced: drill, drill and drill then drill some more.

A big black guy about 6'4" 300-320 lbs walked in. I yelled "hay" and he said "oh ...." and backed out so fast he hit the wall across the corridor and the door slammed shut.

First thing that went thru my mind was that they double booked the room or he was a maintenance man. I went to the door and looked through the peep hole and didn't see anyone. Opened the door and look down the hall and it was empty. So I put my shirt on and went to the front desk. Told the lady there that someone walked into my room and she immediately described him. She told me that he has been staying in empty rooms at random times for about a month and they've called the cops on him more than once but he has been gone by the time they've shown up.

Well, we called the police and they searched all of the empty rooms and found nothing and the only cameras that they have covers the front desk and lobby. So no pics of the guy.

All said and done. I'm just glad I was ready but didn't have to pull the trigger.

Any explanation of how he got a key or acces card to your room?

They know this guy has been doing this for a month and haven't done anything to improve security? If this is a chain hotel, I'd be on the phone with their corporate offices like nobody's business.

They think he has a card made that spoofs the locks. I was told that they've changed the lock codes but he's still getting in.

doncb wrote:They know this guy has been doing this for a month and haven't done anything to improve security? If this is a chain hotel, I'd be on the phone with their corporate offices like nobody's business.

I did call corporate and got just we're so sorry and we will will give you points on your account to make up for it.

I refuse to stay in a hotel that has a no gun policy. My company has had to change my itinerary because of that. Good for you for being ready. And good for you for not shooting!

Lying in a hotel bed reading this thread. Gun on the nightstand.
Had to get up and double check the flipper and deadbolt. Both locked.

Unnerving story. Thanks for the reminder. Glad it turned out OK all around.

At 6'-4" and 300+ pounds, I'd think he would have a hard time hiding? You reckon he has a secret entrance/exit?

Several years ago someone mentioned this problem and that they used "Addalock" when going to a motel. I have one on each door of our house plus I have two in our suitcases.
https://www.addalock.com/

Oldgringo wrote:At 6'-4" and 300+ pounds, I'd think he would have a hard time hiding? You reckon he has a secret entrance/exit?

My room was on the first floor at the end within 20 ft of the side door. One of the reasons the police searched the hotel was that I didn't hear if he went up the stairs or out the door.

Had CNN on the tv and turned up so I could yell at them and call them idiots plus other choice names. My wife doesn't let me watch the news channels when she's a round. She thinks I'm going to drive myself into a heart attack or start foaming at the mouth and have a psychotic episode. She just don't understand that they make me mad but I enjoy yelling at them.

Nuts wrote:

Oldgringo wrote:At 6'-4" and 300+ pounds, I'd think he would have a hard time hiding? You reckon he has a secret entrance/exit?

My room was on the first floor at the end within 20 ft of the side door. One of the reasons the police searched the hotel was that I didn't hear if he went up the stairs or out the door.

Had CNN on the tv and turned up so I could yell at them and call them idiots plus other choice names. My wife doesn't let me watch the news channels when she's a round. She thinks I'm going to drive myself into a heart attack or start foaming at the mouth and have a psychotic episode. She just don't understand that they make me mad but I enjoy yelling at them.

That's why I don't watch the Clinton News Network, or any of the other MSM idiots. I might be tempted to do more than yell at them, and televisions with bullet holes don't get good picture resolution.

Glad you didn't have to shoot anyone, but they definitely need to find that guy and get him a room with bars on it.

How about sharing the name of the hotel with us ??

Carlson 1,

I had never heard of "AddaLock".

I'll be buying at least 6 of them.

Thanks for the heads up!

mojo84 wrote:Any explanation of how he got a key or acces card to your room?

I worked in the hotel industry for years. Most likely he's got a buddy wok in there who makes him keys. Or he can just Jimmy the door. Either way, he's found himself a nice nesting place and not likely to give it up anytime soon.
Glad you scared him off o.p.

One key lesson to take away from this - as my grandfather always said, "Locks only keep honest men honest..." - thus far I've never found a truer saying.

I also dabble in lockpicking as a hobby - once you go down that road, you don't look at locked doors as doing anything other then being designed to slow down a properly motivated person. I've never looked into defeating the security swipe locks at hotels, but I imagine they wouldn't be that hard to defeat with a little knowhow.