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Think I got Cased Last night.

R

rob99vmi04

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May 22, 2007
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Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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Last night came home, my wife met me at the door which she usually doesn't do, and said a man (Late teens early 20's) knocked on the door soliciting his company (selling doors and windows). He asked briefly about our doors and windows. We have a large Scarlet Macaw, makes alot of noise, and he heard the bird scream. He then immediatly started asking about what type of bird she was, and was she friendly.I think my wife stated he asked about anyother animals. He never gave his company name nor did I see a car with anytype of logo.He also wore a colored blue shirt, and a pair of blue shorts with very white sneakers. Just very odd. Not your typical, salesperson attire. Carried a Small white book.

I arrived home about 3 minutes after he went to the next house. I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at. I then called FFX Non emergency line to report a suspicious person, and they sent out a officer. Gave a description. Just something didn't jingle right with this one.

Anyway, this was in the Chantilly area. Stay safe.
 
HankT

HankT

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rob99vmi04 wrote:
I arrived home about 3 minutes after he went to the next house. I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at. I then called FFX Non emergency line to report a suspicious person, and they sent out a officer. Gave a description. Just something didn't jingle right with this one.
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like you handled it well. It's reasonable to inquire about the man's legitimacy. A few ways to do that. You picked a good one.

OTOH, it's impressivelyironic that someone would be a member of the OC community and wish to check out some ordinary schmoe trying to sell some stuff door-to-door, call the cops on him-even though he was violating no laws that the caller could see.

He might say, after possiblybeing hassled by the local gendarmes, that you, the caller, "don't have a right to be alarmed." Or some such stuff as that....
 
R

rob99vmi04

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Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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HankT wrote:
rob99vmi04 wrote:
I arrived home about 3 minutes after he went to the next house. I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at. I then called FFX Non emergency line to report a suspicious person, and they sent out a officer. Gave a description. Just something didn't jingle right with this one.
Click to expand...

OTOH, it's impressivelyironic that someone would be a member of the OC community and wish to check out some ordinary schmoe trying to sell some stuff door-to-door, call the cops on him-even though he was violating no laws that the caller could see.
Click to expand...

I disagree I've bought stuff of the meat trucks before, and have never had an issue. Those guys hand you pamplets, leaf lets, and cards, and have a truck. They also "Want" you to know the name of their business in order to "get the word out" to sell more theirproduct. When I came home I watched the guy for a while and the guy saw me and pretty much left our little area fairly rapidly.
 
F

Fenris

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HankT wrote:
OTOH, it's impressively ironic that someone would be a member of the OC community and wish to check out some ordinary schmoe trying to sell some stuff door-to-door, call the cops on him-even though he was violating no laws that the caller could see.
Click to expand...

I disagree. It is entirely responsible to report suspicious activity. And if this young entrepreneur did not have a solicitors licence then what he was doing was against the law. And I virtually guarantee that he did not.

Any one inquiring into your defensive measures is not your friend. Getting details on windows may tell him what type of locks and whether they have alarm sensors. Telling him what pets you have tells him whether they will be protecting home.

Real vendors alway want to leave information.
 
richarcm

richarcm

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Not to mention there is a difference between public and private retail and then private residence. If someone I didn't know was OCing on my private residence I would also be alarmed.
 
R

rob99vmi04

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Fairfax, Virginia, USA
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richarcm wrote:
Not to mention there is a difference between public and private retail and then private residence. If someone I didn't know was OCing on my private residence I would also be alarmed.
Click to expand...


The guy was not carrying.


HankT "OTOH, it's impressivelyironic that someone would be a member of the OC community and wish to check out some ordinary schmoe trying to sell some stuff door-to-door, call the cops on him-even though he was violating no laws that the caller could see. "


I think he (HankT) was reffering to Why I (Rob99vmi04) was concerned about a guy trying to sell some stuff and being alarmed enough to contact the Police.
 
richarcm

richarcm

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I know he wasn't carrying. I'm responding to Hanks response about reporting someone not breakng the law and how it was like reporting on legal gun owners
 
B

bohdi

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Centreville, Virginia, USA
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If they don't have a boy scout or girl scout uniform on, or the local school t-shirt, I ask about the solicitor license. Especially if they are willing to ignore ye olde "No Solicitors" sign on our front door at door bell height.....

Not willing to leave a card or other information? You don't want my business either. I think your wife did a good job and kudos to you for the follow up. Plenty of funny business going on out here in good old Chantilly, including a murder last weekend...
 
TexasNative

TexasNative

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I think we're usually better off with either ignoring Hank or making fun of him. I tend to favor the latter solution. Plus, it's easy.

~ Boyd
 
peter nap

peter nap

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TexasNative wrote:
I think we're usually better off with either ignoring Hank or making fun of him.
Click to expand...

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

I'm lucky.
Zeus always checks the solicitors at the gate in the Burbs.

He lets the Mother Nature handle it at the farm.
 
buster81

buster81

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Richmond, Virginia, USA
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HankT wrote:

OTOH, it's impressivelyironic that someone would be a member of the OC community and wish to check out some ordinary schmoe trying to sell some stuff door-to-door, call the cops on him-even though he was violating no laws that the caller could see.

He might say, after possiblybeing hassled by the local gendarmes, that you, the caller, "don't have a right to be alarmed." Or some such stuff as that....
Click to expand...

This is the stupidest thing I've read thus far today, although, I'm sure there is at least one gem out ofConnecticut to make me lol.

Anyone coming onto my property had better have a card to leave with their companies name on it. If I haven't heard of them, they can expect to be checked up on. If they don't have a card to leave, they are told to get the H-E-double hockey sticksoff my property!

If he doesn't like me being alarmed at his uninvited presence on my property, he can stay away. That includes state researchers.
 
riverrat10k

riverrat10k

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Funny to see this here today. Just Saturday, I was at a friends house. He informed me that the weekend before he had called the cops on someone soliciting signatures for a reservoir petition.

He saw this individual at a neighbors , who was not home, armed himself , and called the cops.

My friend's contention was this fellow "looked suspicious" as his clothing and skin color did not fit in the neighborhood. He felt this guy was casing the neighborhood and his accomplices would be back after the scouting report.

The police detained the guy for about a half an hour in the street. The female cop thought he was legit, the male cop was less sure. My friend is unapologetic.


Edited for idiotic spelling errors.
 
2a4all

2a4all

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Good job, rob99vmi04.

Had such an individual been "canvassing" my neighborhood as you've described, s/he would have been reported to the police as "suspicious behavior" as stated on the newly posted Neighborhood Watch sign.
 
F

Fenris

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rob99vmi04 wrote:
I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at.
Click to expand...

Hank,

Please allow me to ask, does this not sound suspicious to you?

Let me give you an example. You take your 6 year old daughter to the park. A man you do not know takes an interest in your daughter, watches her, takes pictures of her, tries to talk to her, asks where she lives, where she goes to kindergarten, if she sleeps on the first floor, if there is an alarm on the house. And because he hasn't actually kidnapped your child yet, you would perfectly OK with this? Not suspicious in the least? Wouldn't even think of calling the cops?

Hank, you are a trusting soul. Maybe you would like to tell everyone here what valuables you have, where they are kept, what security measures you have in place, your alarm code, oh and when you won't be home. Hey, you don't know that anyone here has ever committed a crime. So you should trust us right? No need to be suspicious? Being suspicious would be too ironic.
 
joeamt

joeamt

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Cape Cod, MA
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Fenris wrote:
rob99vmi04 wrote:
I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at.
Click to expand...

Hank,

Please allow me to ask, does this not sound suspicious to you?

Let me give you an example. You take your 6 year old daughter to the park. A man you do not know takes an interest in your daughter, watches her, takes pictures of her, tries to talk to her, asks where she lives, where she goes to kindergarten, if she sleeps on the first floor, if there is an alarm on the house. And because he hasn't actually kidnapped your child yet, you would perfectly OK with this? Not suspicious in the least? Wouldn't even think of calling the cops?

Hank, you are a trusting soul. Maybe you would like to tell everyone here what valuables you have, where they are kept, what security measures you have in place, your alarm code, oh and when you won't be home. Hey, you don't know that anyone here has ever committed a crime. So you should trust us right? No need to be suspicious? Being suspicious would be too ironic.
Click to expand...


Sounds like a lifelock commercial....



My SSN is 123-45-6789



Go ahead and TRY it!! (And they did... And suceeded!)
 
J

jadedone4

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rob99vmi04 wrote:
Last night came home, my wife met me at the door which she usually doesn't do, and said a man (Late teens early 20's) knocked on the door soliciting his company (selling doors and windows). He asked briefly about our doors and windows. We have a large Scarlet Macaw, makes alot of noise, and he heard the bird scream. He then immediatly started asking about what type of bird she was, and was she friendly.I think my wife stated he asked about anyother animals. He never gave his company name nor did I see a car with anytype of logo.He also wore a colored blue shirt, and a pair of blue shorts with very white sneakers. Just very odd. Not your typical, salesperson attire. Carried a Small white book.

I arrived home about 3 minutes after he went to the next house. I watched him knock on a few doors, look on the sides of some homes, peer into some of my neighbors cars.. He also skipped a few homes that people where "Obvisoulsy" home at. I then called FFX Non emergency line to report a suspicious person, and they sent out a officer. Gave a description. Just something didn't jingle right with this one.

Anyway, this was in the Chantilly area. Stay safe.
Click to expand...

Rob99 - just up the road a ways from you (Fairfax); personally, I (nor wife) will open door for folks like that. The one or two times that I have, it was with all three security measures 'at-ready.' ... one was fed properly with hollow-points, the other was mad about not getting table-scraps and the last one is generally mad with my species most of the time anyways...

Please add door to door "security" salespersons to that list. Had a guy come by about a week ago selling home security systems; stated that neighbor just purchased from his company and is very happy - since he listed a "reference" I asked who this neighbor was - guy started stuttering about privacy concerns. I guess it didn't help matters much that I know just about everyone in the community and that I asked if he gave them one of those lawn signs... wouldn't be too difficult to figure out who "purchased" now would it...?

With the internet, IM/PM's, text messages, etc - the door to door sales market has greatly declined - and objectively speaking, you would be really hard-pressed to make business decisions in that manner nowadays.

Stay alert.... and safe
 
user

user

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In Virginia, a peddler's license is required for anyone doing house to house cold calls. The license has to be issued by the office of the Sheriff for the jurisdiction in which the home is located, which means that someone doing solicitations has to get a new license everytime they cross the county line. If they don't have it, they're committing a class one misdemeanor (12 months +$2500) just by being there. If they don't have the license (I've seen exactly one in the past thirty years) I ask them to wait on the doorstep while I go check with the Sheriff's office. Then close and lock the door.
 
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