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Warning: Strange Solicitor

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by mwork, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. mwork

    mwork New Member

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    It's that time of year again....had a strange solicitor at the door...rambling about talking to other neighbors, but never really told me what he was selling, etc. Kept talking endlessly....Told him I had to take care of dinner and politely closed the door.....something about this didn't seem right. Not trying to get him in trouble, but called the sheriff non-emergency line. He really didn't seem to selling ANYTHING. I really need to install a peep-hole. Thought it was my daughter's playmate.
     
  2. redon1

    redon1 aka Aphioni

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    thanks for the warning- you never know these days. :(
     
  3. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    In what area did this occur?
     
  4. Twinmama

    Twinmama Member

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    He just hit us up on Glebe View Dr. Nice enough guy but i had to drag it out of him that he was selling magazines and he would NOT stop talking. Ugh.
     
  5. mwork

    mwork New Member

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    Yep--that's him, same area. LCSO did come out within minutes of my call. And they did speak with him. Not sure what came of it. I feel bad if he was just trying to make a living. But his repeated references to "a brother" in this nice neighborhood really unnerved me. When I told him I did not have much time because I was making dinner he said "What are you cooking, probably not soul food." Before anyone jumps all over me, please take note, I did NOT call LCSO because of his color, I called because he was on my porch for a LONG time w/o telling me why, even though I asked what are you selling. I still have mixed feelings about calling the non emergency line regarding him, but I was super impressed at how quickly they came to check things out.
     
  6. mwork

    mwork New Member

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  7. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    LOL - for what it's worth, we've had a 'No Solicitors' sign in the window about 2 inches from the doorbell - pretty hard to miss. Many solicitors don't care. When I point the sign out to them, I've had a few tell me "Oh, I'm not soliciting and then proceed to continue their sales pitch."

    Only thing that seems to throw them off guard is when you ask them for their county license for soliciting door-to-door. I think in the last 20 times I've asked a solicitor for it, only one could produce a valid one (beware of fakes!). If they don't have the license, shut your door and inform the Sheriff's office via their non-emergency number, specifying that the solicitor could not produce a license when asked for one.

    You can find more information, as well as what the license/permit looks like in a past issue of the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit Neighborhood Watch Newsletter:

    http://www.loudoun.gov/archives/41/May 2009 Neighborhood Watch Newsletter.pdf
     
  8. Pirate

    Pirate Overland Park Denizen

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    I use the county license request, and it usually works. The solicitor described previously sounds like a guy that hit us in Overland Park last year; that guy's nickname was 'Cornbread'. Unfortunately, the request to see his county license did not work; he produced one. And his line was that he was not selling magazines, he was asking me to invest in his future. Bottom line, they were some expensive magazines.
     
  9. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    In college we did a fundraising thing door-to-door. The guy that ran it said the No Solicitors sign was a great place to stop. A lot of times it placed because someone in the house cant say NO. LOL

    Not saying thats your case Eric.... just thought back to that statement.
     
  10. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Hmmm, maybe I should add an NRA sticker underneath ;)

    j/k
     
  11. Twinmama

    Twinmama Member

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    Yup, this was him!
     
  12. jamesmkelly

    jamesmkelly Member

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    I've spoken to several officers about this issue. The license request genreally works, but if they are persistent, you need to inform them that they are trespassing and need to leave immediately. if they refuse, then you actually have legal grounds to press charges - you don't with a no soliciting sign. If you have a no trespassing sign that is clearly visible, this (under law) is enough to inform them - you don't actually need to tell them.
     
  13. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    He visited my house. After letting him speak for 30 seconds, I said I am not interested and closed the door.
    He left.
     
  14. CandL

    CandL New Member

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    This Cornbread character sounds like the solicitor who was handcuffed in our front yard (as he was walking up to ring our door bell) on Friday night and searched/interrogated by two sherrif deputies ...... they let him walk. They told us that if he came back, to call them, and they would put him in the "pig pen".

    Today, just 4 days later, another SKETCHY solicitor approached me in my driveway as I was getting home. I had seen him wandering on my street and the adjacent street yesterday, just walking around holding a clip board. It was a bit of aimless wandering. Today when I got home, I noticed him across the street. By the time I got my kids out of the car, he had crossed the street and come directly into my driveway. It was the standard solicitor scam I've heard of, trying to mention neighbors, "Hello my name is Logan. Do you know Steve and Kim down the street? I'm helping them with their stink bugs and spider crickets. But actually I'm here to see about helping you with ticks." .... ?!!! He was a 30-ish white male, over 6 feet tall, with an Australian accent. He had no company vehicle or marking on his outfit. I declined, and immediately reported this to the non-emergency sherrif number. They had a patrol car search the area .....
     
  15. Brit

    Brit New Member

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    We're getting the bug guy too - he came yesterday, actually hammered on the door when I didn't answer. He was back again today, his name is Josh from Moxie. Not too offensive, just hard to get rid of and the neighbor name drop trick lost me at hello.
     
  16. mdcrim

    mdcrim Member

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    Moxie dropped about six of my neighbors names when they visited me the other day. That creeps me out.
     
  17. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    FYI Moxie was in the hood last year also - If I remember correctly I figured out they are way more expensive than local competition...
     
  18. lilpea

    lilpea Member

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    Totally agree and I am glad to know I am not the only one who is creeped out by Moxie's sales approach.

    I asked why he was beating on my door and asked to see his County's solicitors license. The sales guy copped a major attitude with me. I ended up calling the non-emergency number for the LCSD, because the guy was overly nasty and just gave me the creeps.

    Below are the telephone #'s for the County's (non-emergency) Sheriff's Office/Dispatch.

    703-777-0445
    703-777-1021
     
  19. sri_n

    sri_n Member

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    It does not take a rocket scientist to pull up homeowner info... I'm sure that is how they "name drop". He was at my door too, saw his Moxie jacket/sweatshirt, rightaway told him that I am not interested, didnt even give him a chance to say hello. He asked if I have another service provider, I said yes, and he was off on his way.
     
  20. Mike-and-Kim

    Mike-and-Kim Member

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    We've had a Moxie person by the house 3 times (female) in almost as many days, but have not answered the door. They must have a system where they need to contact everyone.
     

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