MY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE : A case of mistaken identity

Have you ever had a feeling of being watched?
I currently have that feeling after this past Friday night.

Friday

Just as most Friday afternoons would start, I collected my son from the crèche after collecting my wife from work. The relaxed weekend feeling setting in.
As we decided that we would have a Braai, (Barbecue), we went to the butcher shop to buy some marinated ribs, lamb sausage and a bacon and cheese 3 foot sausage. After which we went to the local grocery store to top up essentials like bread and milk and some chips.
Everything was going according to plan, I relaxed outside in the afternoon sun while my wood fire turned into coals ready to braai. I love the smell of burning wood, the feel of a cold beer in my hand.
The braai was very fun as my 3 year old helped me to cook the meat, helpful as always. After our meal we watched a movie and went to bed. Not expecting a thing as this was our usual routine, what could go wrong?

02:00 AM

In the middle of a nice deep sleep, I was awoken by a loud banging on my front door. I flew out of bed, already angry. Who in their right mind would be banging on my front door at 02:00 in the morning!!! The banging on the door, which started out as knocking was not helping my mood.
As we live I a complex, with 80 living units I was sure it was someone that had trouble with their access card to the complex. But there is a time and place for everything I thought to myself.

The Door

Upon reaching the door, I furiously turned the key, pushed the leaver of the door down and flung the door open, starting with a confident “WHAT THE FU….” Mid-sentence I stopped and froze.
The disbelief of seeing 7 heavily armed police officers, R5 assault rifles and all, in front of my door. Shock does not even a start to explain what I felt at that moment.
At a loss for words I asked what this is about. On which the front police officer replied that they are my visitors. Again I requested an answer on what this is about. Like I was speaking to a deaf man the police officer stood there with a smirk only but no reply. They demanded that I grant them access to my home. Keeping in mind that I live in South Africa, I firstly requested their identification documents as there is a wave of criminals dressing like police to gain access to you residence to rob you and much worse.

You said I was a suspected WHAT….

After ensuring that these police officers were the real police, I granted them access into my home as I have never had a run in with the police and want to give my co-operation if it is needed.
As all 7 policemen entered the premises I was informed that there was a tip off that I am a suspected drug dealer and that they have come to raid my house. I had to pinch myself, believing that this was only a bad dream and I just had to wake up. All of the above happened within a few minutes so I was also still in the process of waking up and in shock. I could absolutely not believe my ears.. Repeatedly they asked me and my wife what I did for a living. Roaming through the house in my presence. Looking under clothes in between my shoes, EVERYWHERE was searched. At this stage I was blank. Between the mix of disbelief and shock my brain went into auto-pilot mode. Walking through my family home with police looking to find something that is not there.
My poor wife was shaking and trembling in fear and disbelief of all the happenings around us. She is not the kind of person that handles that kind of stress very well. Up and down through the house, even the garden. My home, My place of safety has been violated.

03:40

After asking the same questions a hundred times and checking every nook and cranny in, what was once my place of safety and relaxation, the police left as suddenly as they came. I sat on the couch in disbelief, still, thinking about what had just happened.
My nerves were wrecked, feeling anxious and the great confusion of what had happened.
I made a cup of very strong coffee and I must have had 4 cigarettes one after the other, trying to piece together what had led to this raid. Around 04:30 I finally got back to bed. Exhausted and still confused and stressed as hell. Didn’t manage to sleep really.

The butterfly effect
After the ordeal everything feels different around me. My house does not feel like a home anymore, every time there is a knock on the door this anxious feeling spreads over me with the thought of what if this was to happen again.
Even while driving I have to make sure no one is following me, as this paranoid feeling of being watched does not leave my back.
Monday morning first thing I’ll be off to the police station to get clarification on all the details to be able to put my mind to rest. You have no idea how un-settling an ordeal like this can be.
As soon as I find out what the meaning of everything was, I will do a follow up post.
Please wish me luck and let’s hope this gets sorted out before something like this happens again.

Thank you for reading!
From a nervous, anxious @rslabbert