I am listening to the police scanner and there is a group of four black males who are in the area trying to sell laundry detergent and are trying to get into peoples houses. Obviously the Sheriff has already been called and dispatched, but want to give the heads up anyway.
Please be a bit more specific if you can. With school out, there are alot of teenage kids at home by themselves right now who may need a "warning" about answering the door.
sounds like the Kirby sales people. They walk up to your door, knock, hand you a bottle of detergent and say, "hold this while I get my equipment". This is their "in" to get them to do a demo. I always meet them at the door and tell them, "not interested" before they have a chance to speak. That and the dog viciously growling makes for a quick deterrent.
They did this to me once....once. I threw the detergent in the middle of the yard and slammed the door.
I always have a great deterrent for sales people. I just tell them I don't have any money. You can likely get through the sales pitch quicker if you ask them can you borrow a $20 till next week. :jester:
That is just creepy... my kids and the neighbor kids play outside all day but I think a snarling german shepherd may deter them a bit... I had the Kirby guys come to my door...well, try to... they were greeted by Harley and they thought twice.. I just stood on my porch and grinned...
Sorry. Work has been busy. Not been able to get back on. All I know is that they were on Rand, but getting onto 42 and headed who knows where. I'd advise that any teens at home alone not answer the door for anyone at any time unless they know them. As for the JW's the call said specifically that they claimed to be trying to sell something. Could be pushy sales guys, but if they are trying to get into people's houses that's never good.
I actually respect telemarketers and door to door salespeople for being willing to at least take jobs when others would rather cry for pity than work at all. I am not rude to these people unless they become too pushy or are rude to me. I generally find that if I cut them off at the beginning by saying "I know you are just doing your job, thank you but I'm not going to buy anything" they usually say thanks and hang up. If they keep talking, I hang up. If they come to my door, either I don't answer it or I also say nicely that I am not buying anything. If they keep talking, I shut the door. From the original post I thought this was a case of possible criminals trying to break into homes. Maybe I misunderstood. If they are actually salespeople, the sherrif did not need to be called for people just doing a job. Only if they refuse to leave would it be considered tresspassing in my opinion.
We had a person try to get in our door to sell me cleaning stuff a few weeks back; we are in the Southwoods area. Also, those annoying guys trying to sell us great cuts of meat for a "great deal today only!" I asked them if they could just help me pay my mortgage, I would surely buy stuff from them. They usually retreat rather quickly. Plus, it is hard to try to talk with me when my min pin barking alarm won't shut up...
I think sometimes people are more afraid of the barking,growling,teeth knashing little dogs than the big ones. My little cocker spaniel instills more fear in visitors than my huge lab!
I agree about respecting telemarketers and door-to-doors generally. Soliciting sales shouldn't be looked at negatively, however its the pushy ones that are nerve-racking. Two "NOs" should be enough.
People called the cops because these guys sounded like they were really pushing to get in their house. There is probably no real way to know whether they were criminals or not. People were scared enough to call. Better safe than sorry.
That's exactly what my mama does. So, if you ever go knock on a door and a little short lady comes to the door with a rug over her arm you better just know that she's packing heat under that rug!
Look if its at all suspicious you call the police PERIOD.... There is the saying better safe than sorry. So what if the police show up question the salesman, at least they were checked out and cleared to sell. Its called being aware of whats going on around you and being a good neighbor.
