Asking neighbors for footage
If something happened on your block — a break-in, a car bumped, anything you need a second pair of eyes on — your neighbors might have caught it on camera. Here's how to ask, without it feeling like Nextdoor.
Sign in to Knoc
Open the Knoc app or head to knoc.us and sign in. If you don't have an account yet, signing up takes a minute.
Start a new incident
From your feed, tap Report an incident (the + icon on mobile). Your incident only goes to Knoc neighbors inside the radius you set in step 4 — never to the wider internet.
Describe what happened
Plain language is fine. Try to include:
- When it happened ("Around 7:00 PM on Thursday").
- Where it happened ("Near 123 Maple Street" or "My backyard").
- What you're hoping to see ("Doorbell footage" or "Any photos of a red car").
Keep it short and respectful — your neighbors are more likely to help when you sound like the person next door, not a press release.
Pick how far the alert goes
Choose a notification radius. Knoc will only ping neighbors who already use the app and live inside that area. A serious incident can stretch farther; a small one stays close.
Add a photo or sketch (optional)
A quick photo of your porch, a map sketch, or a screenshot of the area helps neighbors orient. If you have a deadline (insurance claim, police report), mention it here.
Send your request
Look it over, then tap Share Incident. Neighbors get a push notification, SMS, or email — whichever they've opted into.