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Wednesday, May 02, 2018

This 7-Eleven has a unique way to stop loitering, panhandling

MODESTO, Calif. — A 7-Eleven in California has found a way to keep people from panhandling and loitering outside the store: crank up classical music.

Sukhi Sandhu, who owns the franchise in Modesto, said his customers tell him they feel safer since he started blasting symphonies and occasional operas over outdoor speakers.

“Once the music started, the riffraff left,” said Manuel Souza, who’s homeless and jokingly referred to himself as part of the riffraff. The loud music makes it hard “to hang out and gossip and joke around” near the store, Souza told the Modesto Bee last week from under a tree down the block.

The classical music is part of a 7-Eleven program that encourages non-confrontational methods to reduce loitering, Sandhu said. It eliminates any risks faced by clerks when asking panhandlers to leave, he said.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Appreciation of classical music is a sign of intelligence. Just saying.

Anonymous said...

wonder if a different style of music played would have the same effect.

Anonymous said...

a little Tchaikovsky never hurt anyone!
And now listen to Beethoven's Fifth in D-minor..... and wathc them scatter like roaches

Anonymous said...

Sic a rabid pitbull on the bums.

Anonymous said...

I crank up the polka when company doesn't know when to leave.The "She's Too Fat" polka drives em out every time.

Anonymous said...

Beethoven’s 5th Symphony is in C Minor.