Over the last couple of days, neighbors have experienced a rash of unwanted solicitors, often knocking loudly on doors and repeatedly ringing doorbells. The Magnolia Moms and Dads group was inundated with posts yesterday about a person or pairs of people aggressively approaching homes, some blatantly ignoring “no solicitors” signs.
Magwife, A Magnolia Voice tipster posted this last night:
“Over the past 2-days, two men have come to my door 3 different times, claiming to be seeking opportunities to practice social skills/public speaking. I answered the door just once but didn’t let them get far into the speech because I fell for an identical scenario about 6-months back – the guy tied the story in with magazine sales. I bought some mag subscriptions but never received anything. I later read on Magnolia Voice that this was a nationwide scam, potentially tied into home invasions. Anyway, it seems really weird that they keep returning even though my husband and i both I told them we aren’t interested. They have been here during the middle of the day and later at night…”
Among the more than 15 related posts yesterday on Magnolia Moms and Dads, residents reported:
- A man lurking in the dark near a duplex on 33rd ave w between Bertona and w Ruffner
- Solicitors banging on doors and repeatedly ringing doorbells on Smith and 29th
- 2 different groups of people soliciting the same house twice in 5 days near the Howe St. tennis courts
- 2 guys on Viewmont knocking on doors selling magazines
In one post, the homeowner called the police, and they came to take a statement. The officer told her that she had done the right thing by calling 911. He said that if you see anything out of the ordinary or suspicious to call 911, not the non-emergency number. That way they can track the complaints and keep our neighborhood safe. He reiterated that even if it does not look like a crime, call 911 and let them know what you see. It may be just the detail they need for a case they are working on. As of press time, the police are in pursuit of the person of interest, and had an idea of where the person might be, because of calls and tips from our neighbors.
Former West Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston said in a recent note:
I think I speak for the entire Community Police Team when I tell you that every day in our e-mail inbox, or on our telephone’s voicemail inbox, we find messages from the community that say something like this, “I wanted to let you know that I just saw something suspicious……….but I didn’t think this merited a 9-1-1 call”. Almost always the information is detailed, withgood descriptions and refers to something that may or may not have been criminal, but certainly seemed odd. And almost always it is too late for SPD to do anything with that information. I am now hoping to encourage you to trust that gut feeling of yours. If you get the sense that something weird is happening, even if it isn’t an emergency, please call 9-1-1 and simply state what you are reporting. The call taker will decide whether your call should be transferred off the primary line onto a secondary line. You don’t know what you prevent by getting a patrol cruiser coming into your neighborhood.
The West Precinct Coordinator should talk to the 911 operators. They rarely think it’s worth our call when we do actually call.
Then insist that they perform. file a complaint against ANYONE on the PD who fails to investigate any call made to the PD- just driving down the street with the windows rolled up is not what a cop is supposed to do. and rude dispatchers need to be FIRED.
disclosure: i was a cop, and lazy, useless cops should all be fired, union or no.
Speaking of lazy cops….when I drive through the Village on my way home at night, there is always a running patrol car parked in front of the TV store watching ESPN. I have seen this at least 30 times. Anyone else notice this?
Don’t bother to call SPD reporting a real crime in Magnolia. When they eventually respond they’ll blame YOU.
“I bought a magazine description and never received anything.” And you wonder why they keep coming back? Open the door a crack, politely tell ANY solicitor you are not interested, and then shut the door. Enough said.
Why even open the door? You don’t owe these roaches anything. Same with telemarketers. Just hang up. Or is everyone in seattle that gutless?
Get a big “no soliciting” sign, put it right on the front door.
I would agree, except for the fact that by not answering gives them the impression that no one is home, in case they were casing the house for burglary. At least wave them off from the front window.
Same with washpirg, greenpeace and all the rest…. 😉
*subscription
One of these guys knocked on our door just south of the Village. He claimed he was working on his social/speaking skills. I had to tell him that we were not interested twice before he got pissed and stormed off. My gut told me he was just checking to see if the house was empty. Don’t think he will be back as our large dog was snarling and barking at him through the partially opened door.
They came by my place also. Obviously a scam. We’ve been targetted because of our demographic. Many Magnolians are intimidated by this kind of approach and buy what they are selling just to avoid any sense of guilt or perhaps for a more dubious rationale. I don’t want these people around but as long as the sidewalks are public there is little to be done. Just say no!
We have a clearly posted “no soliciting” sign directly above the doorbell still they ring.
I went to the door and no one was there, they were two houses away, didn’t wait for someone to come to the door. My neighbor has reported many of these types of things. I had the sense they were looking for houses that were empty.
I read them the riot act for bothering me and not waiting long enough, they weren’t even wearing any outerwear in the cold. It all seemed weird and unsettling. I hate having to be suspicious of everyone who rings my bell, or ignore it, what if it were one of my neighbors?
More and more of these property crimes are happening during the day and when people are home. It is more and more important to keep an eye out on your block and question people who are acting strangely. Lights on timer are helpful to make people wonder is the house is occupied or vacant. It’s much more likely your house is robbed when you are out running and errand or at work than when you are away on holiday.
The magazine salespeople are a total scam. They never deliver and there is no way to follow up to get your cash back. Don’t fall for the sob stories from the salespeople, it’s all a crock.
If you see these guys, after reporting to 911, you could also try posting their location and description on twitter so the community can be alerted. Try using hashtag #magnoliawatch
It’s a fraud that’s been reported in the media, but not widely. Young kids get sucked in to sell magazine subscriptions within these groups of roving sales entities. It usual involves drug use and sometimes violence. The kids find it difficult to get out once they’re pulled in.
Check out this in the New York times then Google others. I’ve read some reports that are shocking if not disgusting.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/21/us/21magcrew.html?pagewanted=all
I miss Magnolia’s sunset law.
What was the sunset law?
This has happened in Seward Park and West Seattle, also.
Every single device today has a camera. When this happens peek thru your window and take a photo or even better…a video. Call 911 and tell them what happened and you have evidence. It may actually help police crack this scam.
Evidently I was on Fox news last night, where a crew interviewed me while I was walking my dog. on the issue of unwanted solicitors. I live in the vicinity of Smith and 29th. I don’t watch TV or especially trash like Fox news so I never saw it. If solicitors come to my door at any time now I will only greet them by discharging my 2,000,000 volt stun gun and telling them to leave politely. I was ripped off once (as I said on Fox news) but now I will be willing to be violent if anyone comes to my front door.
Diane “Smith”
You folks realize that most of these people are camped out in Discovery Park? They routinely jump on the bus and refuse to pay (bus drivers seem to just let it slide) and use that to get to downtown and back. Its not hard to spot them, just look for all the disheveled people staying on the bus until the park who get off and walk off into the woods.
But we can’t do anything about that, because they’re protected. You can’t like, own the woods, maaaaaaaan.
wrongo. the folks camped out in disco park are either hobos or crusty punks. the knock-on-the-door scammers are (sigh… hate to have to put it this way) more “urban”.
in other words, the disco park campers are whiteys, and the scammers aren’t.
The magazine crews are kids from other cities that get moved across the country to sell magazines. They are highly pressured to meet quotas, which probably accounts for much of the aggressive behavior.