Mr. Albero,
I read your blog daily and I thought sharing this story with you might be a good way to warn others about a danger at Walmart North.
I was loading groceries in my van at Walmart north at about 9:15pm last night (Wednesday, dark and rainy). I was parked next to a cart return and I was putting groceries into the side door of my van. As I was putting the bags in a man came up to the cart at the rear of my car and told me a sob story about the police taking his car because he hadn't paid a ticket for $6.60. Now he was stranded and needed to get back to Dover where he lived. I informed him that I was unable to help him (feeling very glad that I had the cart between us and my van on one side and the cart return on the other). He then said that he only needed a little money for the bus to Dover. I told him I had no money. He left, walking toward the entrance.
Well, I was nervous so I called my husband as soon as I got in the car and locked the doors. As I was telling him the story, he knew what the guy looked like (black man, maybe in his 40s). Last week the same man approached him in the parking lot, told him that his truck was broken down and he needed a ride to the bus station to get home to Dover. This freaked me out even more. This man must be doing this a lot for my husband and I to both get hit. What I worried about is some naive young person who would consent to giving him a ride. What would he do?
It concerned me so much that I called the police and reported it. They said that someone would check into it.
I wanted others to know to be careful. I rarely go out alone at night. I'll do it even less frequently now!
Thanks for listening
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
28 comments:
there has been alot of this "panhandling" going on up north.thank you for posting your experience, maybe it will help..
I got the same story last year in the brew river parking lot and the exxon on nanticoke & 50. Called the police
Maybe they will approach the wrong person and that person will call him an ambulance instead of a cop
The police in Salisbury will not even go out and check on this activity. Remember the police and Mare Berrie say the crime rate is down this will drive the numbers up. I do quite a bit of service work in the Salisbury area and this type of activity is city wide not just in store parking lots.
wow, I had this same story told to me by a man who approached me at the recycle bins in front of that same Walmart nearly a month ago.
He wanted a ride from me. I was alone, and wouldn't do it.
Folks, be careful. I bought his story, and he made me feel guilty for not being willing/able to help. Obviously, I'm over that now.
yeah, and the waltons cant afford security in the parking lots. please all wal-mart cares about is your money. they dont give a shit about your safty at their stores. we are all just little stupid pigs to them. keep on making them rich you idiots.
about two years ago in the Salisbury Mall parking lot I got asked to "help a bunch of kids get football uniforms" (this was during football season) normally people would this before the season. the guy didnt have a straight story and showed me a crumbled up piece of paper (in pencil) of all the people that were donating and wanted my address. the worst part about the whole thing was he had a little kid with him (who didnt appear to want any part of this scam, and wouldnt talk). I've lived in alot of places and Salisbury seems to have the worst panhandling I've ever seen.
There was a white guy, 20ish doing this last summer at WaWa too.
I had a similar situation at Target a few months ago. An unkempt looking white guy told me that he needed to pick up a prescription for his child but he was short a few dollars. He then asked if I could give him the money. Having four kids of my own I did take pity but offered to go in with him and purchase it for him. All I got was a dirty look and some grumbling under his breath. I now just somewhat regretfully ignore these people.
Let me tell you what works for me when I am approached...I simply say "you know what buddy, I was just getting ready to ask you for five bucks". They look at me and mumble and move on.
Black man in his 40s hanging out a N Division and Rt 50 with the same story. Next time someone approaches tell them you gave him money last month when he was trying to get to Dover and that he could of walked there by now.
My Husband and I were hit by the same man at Walmart North Wed. night.
It seems to happen all the time at WaWa and Walmart.
Last year, a male came to me with a good story and said he needed money to buy a sandwhich in WaWa. I wanted to help if he was legit, so I told him to come inside with me and I will buy his sandwhich, but I won't give him straight cash. Yeah, he refused, so I refused and told him to have a good day.
Salisbury is only getting worse.
I also got the story at Brew River parking lot.
SBY is getting worse every day. I work in a rental office and every homeless person in the city comes by everyday looking for a room. Alot of these people are coming from all over the US to Salisbury....guess they like the city administration here. LOL!
This guy gets around. I work downtown on Main Street and he approached me about 6 months ago. Same story that he was trying to get back to Dover because the police had impounded his truck. My husband and I own a towing company here in Salisbury and proudly thinking fast, I told him that we had towed his truck and that he owed us for the tow and storage! He walked away mumbling!
Nancy
We had something similar happen to us at the north WAWA a few months ago. This guy's truck was impounded and he needed to get back to his kids in Dover. He came to Salisbury to get their mom who had "run away". He needed bus fare. We offered to take him to the bus station and buy his ticket. He said he couldn't leave without the mom. So if we could take him to the motel down by Outten Brothers he could get her and go home tomorrow. We took him to the hotel and my hubby went in to pay for that nights lodging. He owed for 2 nights lodging. Anyway we paid his nights lodging to get him out of the cold.
This is a panhandling scheme thats been around for awhile. Most of the people that approach with a story abou needing bus fare have day jobs but can cash in at night by approaching people alone and playing on thier fears. Its the responsibility of the business owner to contact the police and remove such people. Maybe big companies like walmart need to invest in a small security detail before one of these stories ends in a bad way.
A lady approached me about a year ago when I was lifting my infant out of the shopping cart and into my car seat. She wanted money for the MS Walk. Whether it was legit or not, a parking lot isn't the place for it, and she startled me enough that I called the police. They came out and I watched them give her a citation.
Walmart REALLY needs to review their security,before something like the "mall murders" in Florida starts happening here.I have been confronted by "perfume salesmen" outside Walmart on many occasions.Why the F**K would I purchase something as personal as perfume from a stranger in a dirty parking lot when I just left a discount store?Dee-dee-dee!
Women,if you still go out alone at night to shop in Salisbury,you are CRAZY-take a man with you or another girl,preferably someone more butch than yourself!LOL-Seriously though,do not become another victim!!!
I was approached by a man in a wheelchair in the parking lot of a grocery store.He asked me for money and stated that he did not drink or smoke.My reply was that I did both and needed every penny that I earned.
About a year ago, a guy on a bike approached me by the Kinko's in Salisbury. He said his car broke down a few hours before on his way from Norfolk to Baltimore and he knew no one in the area. He was $60 short on getting his car fixed. I asked him where he got the bike and he just rode away. I saw him a month later in the same parking lot talking to an elderly gentleman who was sitting in his car. I drove up to the spot next to him and said "Are you still stuck here?" I told the gentleman his scam too. The guy was not happy and it was obvoius he didn't remember me. These people will not remember you. I had a friend who was hit by the same guy 2 times in one week.
The same crap has happened to me in Pocomoke, but the mayor said that my 'perception' of the events was different than 'reality.' OK - I totally imagined scary black guys banging on my vehicle windows and asking for money).
I am guessing that we should all drive beater cars and black out a few teeth before we go to WalMart.
If you look like you have anything, you are a target.
usually, they need money to feed the baby, sporting coupons for enfamil. well, you can't fool me, i tell them to have the mother breast feed. (not as heartless as you might think) frequently this same young white guy comes in our neighborhood looking for work. DON't pay him if you do allow him to work as his reasons for needing the money are not what he claims. A friend even took him to his room at the motel where he lived cause his "car needed fixing." (one of those junk ones).But he got over here, didn't he? They always seem to need money for a ride home, or baby food.
I could pick 2 of these guys out of a line-up.(they've been here so often)
As I pulled into the parking lot of the Walgreen's Pharmacy a man was clearly watching my every move as I gathered my purse to leave the car. He was pulling out his wallet and looking at me pitifully (sp) as he spoke to me and pulled out "one penny" from it sadly telling me his woe's of hunger. It was a very hot day and he begged me to help him buy a meal.
Being the sucker that I am, I handed him a few bucks and actually appoligized for not having more to give him. He was gracious and thanked me for my kindness.
Now looking back this was a pretty stupid of me. Who keeps "one penny" in thier wallet??? And had I been thinking...this man looked far from homeless or even hungry for that matter.
In the past I have even turned the car around to give a homeless person change/few bucks when I have seen them on the side of the road, (obviously homeless). AND I will continue to help others that truly are in need....but i won't be a sucker for another "penny in the wallet man" ever again.
LIVE AND LEARN!
I am an 18 year old female and when things like this happen it is scary! Im 5'4" and 120 lbs someone could easlily harm me.....I was getting gas at the Chevron station in Pittsville one night after work and a skinny white male in his 40's kept trying tho get me to give him money for gas. I work 5 days a week and go to college full time I don't have money to spare. I simply said Im sorry I just used put my last $20 in my tank. The man would not take no for an answer. With the economy the way it is things like this could start happening a lot more often!
My boyfriend and I were at giant and a black man came up to the car window said that his car had been impounded and he needed to get back to dover and asked for a ride we told him that we couldnt give him a ride but we could help him out my boy friend then gave him 20 dollars the man grabbed my boyfriends hand and started praying for god to bless us because we were such kind people and said the world needs more people like you Lol. He seemed nice but I guess that we were scammed
Post a Comment