A woman is warning people who live alone not to turn their lights on as soon as they get home, claiming it can potentially be unsafe.
Chicago musician Mary Alice posted a now-viral video to TikTok, detailing an incident which left her feeling deeply unsettled and unsafe.
Why you shouldn’t turn your lights on
In the minute-and-a-half video, the 25-year-old explained why you shouldn’t turn your lights on immediately after entering your house based on her own terrifying experience.
‘Especially if people can see the windows of your apartment from the street,’ Mary explained in her TikTok. ‘Because if someone’s following you home, they’re gonna know what apartment you live in.’
Her fearful experience
Mary then went on to describe an incident that had occurred earlier that evening, saying she had noticed a man getting things out of his car inside her apartment complex when she was getting out of hers.
‘I’d never seen him before this morning when he was in my apartment complex area,’ she explained in a video she filmed from her bathroom.
‘He just gave me bad vibes.’
His efforts to start a conversation with her
After she got home in the evening, she said the man approached her and tried to strike up a conversation with her about a broken headlight on her car.
‘[I said], “Oh, yeah, I know. I just have to get around to it. Whatever,”‘ she said dismissively.
After getting inside her apartment, Mary didn’t turn on her lights right away, instead checking her Ring camera to see if he was around.
To her horror, she saw him standing in the street right outside her building and staring at it, estimating he stayed there for about 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. ‘So now he knows what car I drive and where I live.’
READ ALSO: TikTok trend sees people hitting themselves IN THE FACE with hammers
Mary concluded the chilling video with: ‘So don’t turn your lights on.’
What commenters said
In the caption, Mary said she was ‘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,’ she added.
More than 20,000 people left comments on Mary’s TikTok warning, some with suggestions as to how she could feel more safe.
‘Wow never thought about this,’ one user responded.
‘Getting blackout curtains for the side of your apartment where it’s visible from the street is also a good idea!’
