Cut cable - Freaked

Fiend-Foe

Something strange that happened on Friday night. I didn't really get to think about it until now because I went out yesterday just got home now I just dismissed it. But looking at it now, I just can't find any explaination.

I've never had something I would call 'paranormal' happen to me before, so I don't know if any of you have heard of something like this. Hopefully somebody can shed some light.

Anyway I live in an apartment on my own. No flatmates, totally secure. Noone else could have been there.

Friday night I was listening to music on my laptop, I have this long USB cable that connects the laptop to the stereo so the sound comes out the stereo speakers.

My friend whos in the states started calling me on skype. Her voice was still coming out the stereo speakers along with the music. I stopped the music and unplugged the USB cable so the laptop speakers were in use. It was late so I just turned off the lights and went to bed. took the laptop with me.

Yesterday morning I woke up, went outside and stuck some music on the laptop and plugged in the cable to the stereo, and nothing happened. When I was checking that everything was connected ok I saw the the cable was cut.

Not stretched or torn, but cut with a scissors or wire cutters.

I kinda dismissed it until now because I was in a hurry to go out yesterday. But looking around now I can't see anything nearby that could have cut the cable so cleanly like that.

Noone else could have been here while I was asleep, the place was locked. Maybe a ghost in the old building dosen't dig my music? Can stuff like this happen?

Theres nothing around the floor/room there's nothing that could cut the wire cleanly like that.

I'm kinda freaked now looking at it.

ntlbell

mice?

Fiend-Foe

No there's no mice,

Its an old building but the apartment is newly refurbished and modern, nicely sealed too I reckon. I had mice in the family home and know what they are like.

Besides the cable is cut cleanly in one place. There's lots of others and there's no sign of gnawing anywhere. Just once slice.

Don't worry I do know the telltale signs of mice.

Fiend-Foe

The fricken wire was cut, cleanly. Not eaten!!

It wasn't a godamn mouse...

o1s1n

Reminds me of something that happened here a while ago.

Locked shed. Went in one day to see this -



Tried to mimic it but I couldn't get the screwdriver to stay in.

Whatever did it used a hell of a lot of force.

Weird sh1t just happens from time to time. I try not to dwell on it myself. Usually end up freaking out if I do. :eek:

Fiend-Foe

o1s1n wrote: »

Reminds me of something that happened here a while ago.

Locked shed. Went in one day to see this -



Tried to mimic it but I couldn't get the screwdriver to stay in.

Whatever did it used a hell of a lot of force.

Weird sh1t just happens from time to time. I try not to dwell on it myself. Usually end up freaking out if I do. :eek:

Right, now I'm scared of getting a screwdriver in the back. Cheers.

Cutting cable's is fine by me...

Jimbo

You don't sleep walk or anything?

o1s1n

Be interesting if he cut a live one.

Ever see Forbidden Planet?

shoelaceface

sleep walking maybe.. seen as it was the last thing you were doing before going to bed???

i dont see why a ghost would cut a wire lol

Fiend-Foe

jimbo78 wrote: »

You don't sleep walk or anything?

No,

Even if I had just that once, I can't think how I would have cut it like that. Couldn't use a nail clippers. With a knife it would have looked hacked a bit. All the four wires and the shielding in the USB cable are cut clean.

vincenzo1975

Get your door locks changed.

Old apartment building means others may have your keys. landlords, neighbours, caretaker? did you change the locks since the previous tenents left?

Fiend-Foe

vincenzo1975 wrote: »

Get your door locks changed.

Old apartment building means others may have your keys. landlords, neighbours, caretaker? did you change the locks since the previous tenents left?

No way.

I have my own entrance so its chubb locked and chained. The sitting room is also down a hall and through another door. The cable was part of a pile of loads by the tv.

Even if someone would come in while I was asleep with a wire cutters intent on just cutting a cable, with no idea where I was in the house. It sounds like a lot to risk.

I'm really sure noone else could have entered the apartment. I have thought about every possible explaination. This really is weird.

I just thought maybe someone here might have heard of something similar.

This place has a weird 'edge' about it. Hard to describe, makes me kinda uneasy. So thats what makes this seem dodgy.

vincenzo1975

fair enough, if you've ruled everything out then....

ntlbell

shoelaceface wrote: »

sleep walking maybe.. seen as it was the last thing you were doing before going to bed???

i dont see why a ghost would cut a wire lol

maybe he was playing james blunt records and the ghost got a pain in his balls listening to it

Fiend-Foe

That'd p1ss him off alright.

shoelaceface

ntlbell wrote: »

maybe he was playing james blunt records and the ghost got a pain in his balls listening to it

ahhh thats mean!! i like james blunt!

it was me.. i cut the wire.... its an obsession i have... i cut the wires on radios that dont play enough james blunt! i climbed in through the air vent..

there we go problem solved.

GhostInTheRuins

Have you noticed anything else missing or out of place in your apartment? I'd go for the most logical first, ie, that a person cut it (Considering you said it couldn't have been mice) but I can't imagine why anyone would come into your apartment just to cut a cable, unless they purely wanted to mess with your head.

digiking

Simple As, Maybe your neighbor's don't appreciate your music late at night...

Fiend-Foe

digiking wrote: »

Simple As, Maybe your neighbor's don't appreciate your music late at night...

Kinda would look that way.

But there's no way for them or anyone to get in.

And there would be no way to know which cable was the sound one in the big tangle.

Maybe my neighbour is a retired catburglar who just wants to watch his stories in peace.

Hal1

You could setup a webcam that detects motion, and takes a screenshot and emails you when your out.

Fiend-Foe

Hal1 wrote: »

You could setup a webcam that detects motion, and takes a screenshot and emails you when your out.

Maybe,

But I wasn't out! I was asleep in the next room, the door was probably wide open.

It would be pretty creepy to have to leave a webcam set up to watch over me while I was asleep.

It would be even worse to check it and see someone there.

Suppose as long as they are content just to cut cables and not stick any screw-drivers in my back it should be ok.

humanji

It may seem a long shot, but is there anything sharp near where you had the cable? Try and recreate what you did that night and see if there is anyway you could of cut the cable by accident. I know it seems unlikely, but it's happened to me before.

But it does sound like the kind of thing you'd do if you were sleepwalking. I've done it before, myself. Is there a scissors near by, or something like that? You should also check around where the cut was. You might see small scrapes or cuts in the furniture or floor, etc.

CodeMonkey

How about a decent picture of the cut cable?

c - 13

humanji wrote: »

It may seem a long shot, but is there anything sharp near where you had the cable? Try and recreate what you did that night and see if there is anyway you could of cut the cable by accident. I know it seems unlikely, but it's happened to me before.

But it does sound like the kind of thing you'd do if you were sleepwalking. I've done it before, myself. Is there a scissors near by, or something like that? You should also check around where the cut was. You might see small scrapes or cuts in the furniture or floor, etc.

Also to add to that you mightn't have put a metal chair leg down on the cable and sat on it or something ? Caught it in a door of a press etc ? Speaker cable is generally quite thin so it wouldn't require a whole lot of force to snap it.

dade

humanji wrote: »

see if there is anyway you could of cut the cable by accident.
...... Is there a scissors near by, or something like that? You should also check around where the cut was. You might see small scrapes or cuts in the furniture or floor, etc.

was thinking just that, maybe you put something down that had a sharp edge and it cut through teh cable

Fiend-Foe

CodeMonkey wrote: »

How about a decent picture of the cut cable?

I'll get on that once I get home, only have my camera phone so I'll get the best I can.

c - 13 wrote: »

Also to add to that you mightn't have put a metal chair leg down on the cable and sat on it or something ? Caught it in a door of a press etc ? Speaker cable is generally quite thin so it wouldn't require a whole lot of force to snap it.

No, there's nothing nearby that could have cut it like that. No chairs nearby, it can't reach as far as the door. No presses or anything.

Also its not speaker cable, its quite a fat usb cable same as the type used for a scanner or external drive. Seems to be very sturdy.

Hal1

Your right, cable like that is strong and could take the pressure of a chair even over a long period. I've seen data cabinets with cat6 cable underneath the casters and everything operating perfectly. I know people are looking at rational explanations here and I'm sure there is one, but the only way you will know for sure is to setup some sort of survalance in your apartment such as a webcam as I mentioned already, this will explain if your sleepwalking or if there is an intruder. Does the apartment complex have cctv? It would be worth enquiring.

Fiend-Foe

CodeMonkey wrote: »

How about a decent picture of the cut cable?

Here's the best pics I can get.






This was taken using my laptop webcam, thats all I have to work wit
h at the moment. But I'm sure you can see how cleanly the wire's were cut.

That sort of cable can take some hassle to cut, I know it.

Its not like I plugged out the cable, then stood on it or anything. this was just sliced or snipped. Even putting a chair on it wouldn't work. There is nothing nearby that could have done that.

The only way I found to replicate a cut like that is with a scissors or a wire-snips/pliers

I know everyone here was just trying to eliminate every possibility, and thats the point (thanks). And I appreciate the help and opinions, but I am near 99.999% sure that there is no chance anybody else could have been in the apartment.

I have never had a report of sleepwalking before, I've lived with my ex for 3 years before now, house shares during college, and all the time back in the family home and nothing strange has ever happened. And trust me, if it did they would let me know.

(Can it come on all of a sudden in later life with no history? does anybody know? Can you become a sleepwalker as a once off, or can it just happen randomly in life?)

But, I really doubt that is what could have happened. Even if I did it while sleepwalking, there is nothing at all, and I mean nothing in the apartment that could be used to cut the cable so cleanly.

The best I could do to replicate it would be to use a steak knife, bend the cable over it and slice. That leaves marks and is a different kind of cut. It stretches the insulation out and the four wires in the core all get cut at an angle, some being longer than others.

Other than that, the only thing I could have used is a nail clippers, and that wouldn't even fit around the cable. I woulda had to nibble at it bit by bit and the cable would look 'gnawed'.

Fiend-Foe

That black thing in the lower left of the second pic is an external dvd drive on a small light coffee table, not a heavy cast iron bathtub.

And the door in the pic is nowhere near the cables max lenght. Even if it could reach there, I could slam it in it all night and not get that same clean cut.

Besides my bedroom door is on the other side of the room, that door was closed and I didn't go near it.

Lets recap, It wasn't mice, just look at the cut. It wasn't somebody else* and it wasn't me**

*I'm 99.999% sure on this. Since posting originally I have met my immediate neighbours (on both sides), and really doubt they could be responsible even if they had the means.

The place was locked. Who would use such great breaking and entering skills, and not leave a trace except a cut wire, and how would they know what wire. There was plenty of stuff about to be nicked. Only other motive would be to teach me a lesson, seems like a lot to risk.

I don't buy it, mainly because I know the place was secure and noone could have been in without waking me. Thats open to debate, but I'm sure of it.

** I have never had a history of sleepwalking before, I lived at home all those years, lived in shared housing and lived with my GF for 3 years. Never had and reports of sleepwalking before. And lets just say I did, I have searched high and low, there is nothing around that could cut the wire that way.

This place has kind of a creepy feeling about it. Never felt it before, I don't believe in ghosts really. But I'm never at ease in this place. high ceilings and old pictures on the walls, like pics of Dublin in the 1800's. Just getting a really weird vibe here in general and this cut cable **** is icing on the cake.

iamhunted

that is definitely a very clean cut - if it got caught on anything it would be more ragged. strange.

iamhunted

you should put one of the ends under a microscope and see if it help determine what cut it.

a few years back i got up one morning, went to open the living room door and it fell - overnight it had come off its hinges while the door was shut and i still havent worked out how. it was working perfectly before that and its never happened since (its the only time in my life Ive ever witnessed a door doing that) - never had a logical explaination for it.

Fiend-Foe

iamhunted wrote: »

you should put one of the ends under a microscope and see if it help determine what cut it.

a few years back i got up one morning, went to open the living room door and it fell - overnight it had come off its hinges while the door was shut and i still havent worked out how. it was working perfectly before that and its never happened since (its the only time in my life Ive ever witnessed a door doing that) - never had a logical explaination for it.

Wow, Ya'd think if a door frame was falling apart like the top or the bottom would go first. That would freak me good and proper. This stupid cable has me all weirded out.

Did you have flat/housemates? Kids? Students? Beer?

CodeMonkey

Fiend-Foe wrote: »

** I have never had a history of sleepwalking before, I lived at home all those years, lived in shared housing and lived with my GF for 3 years. Never had and reports of sleepwalking before. And lets just say I did, I have searched high and low, there is nothing around that could cut the wire that way.

Do you have a chef/kitchen knife in the kitchen? Only sharp thing in the kitchen are steak knifes? You don't have a reported history of sleepwalking which is fair enough but you can't just discount this as a possibility. Maybe you just didn't do anything noticable by others when sleepwalking before. People do all kinds of strange activities (cleaning, walking, running, murder too apparently) when they sleepwalk and we don't know enough about how it's triggered to say you didn't sleepwalk.

This place has kind of a creepy feeling about it. Never felt it before, I don't believe in ghosts really. But I'm never at ease in this place. high ceilings and old pictures on the walls, like pics of Dublin in the 1800's. Just getting a really weird vibe here in general and this cut cable **** is icing on the cake.

You're getting a creepy feeling cause you're freaked out since you can't think of a logical explanation. Pretty soon you'll find monsters under the bed...

iamhunted

Fiend-Foe wrote: »

Wow, Ya'd think if a door frame was falling apart like the top or the bottom would go first. That would freak me good and proper. This stupid cable has me all weirded out.

Did you have flat/housemates? Kids? Students? Beer?

Kids - but I was last out of that particular room at 3am the morning before (as i say the door was working fine) and i was right behind my wife when she opened it the next morning. it was strange. still though, theres no proof it was paranormal.

iamhunted

CodeMonkey wrote: »

Do you have a chef/kitchen knife in the kitchen? Only sharp thing in the kitchen are steak knifes? You don't have a reported history of sleepwalking which is fair enough but you can't just discount this as a possibility. Maybe you just didn't do anything noticable by others when sleepwalking before. People do all kinds of strange activities (cleaning, walking, running, murder too apparently) when they sleepwalk and we don't know enough about how it's triggered to say you didn't sleepwalk.

You're getting a creepy feeling cause you're freaked out since you can't think of a logical explanation. Pretty soon you'll find monsters under the bed...

the only problem with this is that you are making the assumption it has to be sleepwalking - thats as bad as assuming it has to be a ghost.

i'd be more concerned that its not someone who broke in and cut the cable just to **** with heads.

Cianos

The most likely cause is that you were sleep walking. It was the last thing you did before you went to bed, so it may have just stuck in your mind and you fixated on it during your sleep.

There's also the possibility that it was a faulty cable to begin with. I know it's unlikely, but so is every other explanation here :pac: Maybe the cable was weak at that point and you gave it a sharp tug without knowing, that finally snapped it clean off.

iamhunted

if Fiend-Foe has no history of sleepwalking then assuming the problem is sleepwalking is plain guesswork

Fiend-Foe

CodeMonkey wrote: »

Do you have a chef/kitchen knife in the kitchen? Only sharp thing in the kitchen are steak knifes?

Yep, moved in with pretty much nothing, I only have two plates. Its a crappy blunt steak knife at that

CodeMonkey wrote: »

You're getting a creepy feeling cause you're freaked out since you can't think of a logical explanation. Pretty soon you'll find monsters under the bed...

Nope, I was a bit creeped before to be honest. As I said icing on the cake. You gotta have cake first.

Cianos wrote: »

The most likely cause is that you were sleep walking. It was the last thing you did before you went to bed, so it may have just stuck in your mind and you fixated on it during your sleep.

It wasn't though, I went into bed talked to my friend for like an hour and a half. Smoked a lot of fags, listened to some music before I went to sleep.

iamhunted

Cianos wrote: »

Maybe the cable was weak at that point and you gave it a sharp tug without knowing, that finally snapped it clean off.

try that with a cable - they dont snap in half like that - they will stretch and break alright, but the cable concerned doesnt look that way

Hal1

iamhunted wrote: »

Kids - but I was last out of that particular room at 3am the morning before (as i say the door was working fine) and i was right behind my wife when she opened it the next morning. it was strange. still though, theres no proof it was paranormal.

"COWBOYS TED, COWBOYS" sorry couldn't resist . That is interesting, was it a heavy door?

iamhunted

not to go off topic but its a normal internal living room door. basically i left the room round 3am that morning and closed the door - there'd been no problems with the door at all in any way before this, nor since - and then the next morning I was following my wife from the kitchen and the two of us were on our way to the living room. she opened the door and it fell open as the top hinge was still in its holder but pulled right up far enough to detach the hinge from the door.

At the time there were things going on - radios turning on, voices being heard and it did all resolve itself (its a long story no-one would believe anyway) - but i cant say that was connected with the door hinge thing. ( the original thread is here

Fiend-Foe

But were your cables cut?? Huh? (fricken door....)



So I guess I just gotta accept this sh1te then. Super.

furking ghosts.

6th

What you can do is set up a webcam or accept it as a once off incident.

Fiend-Foe

6th wrote: »

What you can do is set up a webcam or accept it as a once off incident.

Cool, will do. I only have the cam that it built into the lid of my laptop, it came with feck all software. Anybody know of something free I can use with motion detection off hand? I'll google it and download something at home, I can't here in work.

So what should I do, splice the cable back together and tape it up, play music loud and see what happens? try and recreate the night again.

(I would need something else to record the video then, cos I'd have to take the laptop with me)

Or just record on a continuous basis....

Anybody else have something similar happen?

I know the door thing is pretty weird but that is a moving joint, subject to stresses etc. (so are my neighbours, but I'm sure there is no way they could have got in). Still never heard of that happening a door before though.

CodeMonkey

iamhunted wrote: »

the only problem with this is that you are making the assumption it has to be sleepwalking - thats as bad as assuming it has to be a ghost.

I am not assuming anything of the sort. Just pointing out that sleepwalking seems quite possible. He might not have a known history of it cause no one noticed. He shouldn't discount that possibility in favour of ghosts.

Gillo

Fairpoint codemonkey, but with no known history there's a good chance that he didn't sleep walk. The OP also pointed out that he didn't have anything to make such a clean cut, so even if he did sleep walk cutting the cable would have been a problem.

It's an incredibly clear cut, so I take it we can agree it wasn't accidently caught on something.
A break in is the most plausible explanation I can think off.
Does anyone else have key's? could it have been mates trying to wind you up?
I take it the landlord has keys,but don't see any motive for the landlord to do it.

Paranormal is looking more plausible, but I wouldn't want to accept it yet.

iamhunted

CodeMonkey wrote: »

I am not assuming anything of the sort. Just pointing out that sleepwalking seems quite possible. He might not have a known history of it cause no one noticed. He shouldn't discount that possibility in favour of ghosts.

i agree with you in so much as theres no advantage in jumping to the conclusion its paranormal. interesting all the same though. personally i suspect someone is winding the OP up

Noopti

Strange events to be sure. But paranormal? Why or how would a "ghost" cut a cable?

marti101

I would say if you are thinking of doing the webcam are you prepared for what you find out.Im not trying to freak you out but at the minute you can rationalise it but if you seen something on the webcam its going to freak you even more.Just be prepared.

iamhunted

theres a free site called mogulus.com where you can set up an internet tv station. basically stick a usb webcam onto your machine, log into your mogulus account and you can view the cam online from anywhere. twould be a handy way to keep an eye on things even if youre not there (im thinking in case someone does have access to you apartment and decides to start messing about.)

iamhunted

Noopti wrote: »

Strange events to be sure. But paranormal? Why or how would a "ghost" cut a cable?

i used to live in a house where stupid things would happen - clocks would disappear and then reappear in the middle of the room (obviously not while anyone was watching though) and the like. It has to be said that some 'paranormal' events dont make any sense whatsoever.