Scammers on the run
We were at George's on Commodore Plaza today for lunch and up come a group of kids, with white pieces of paper in their hands. Right on cue, they started hitting up the diners outside for money, saying they were collecting money for school.
I grabbed my camera and said, "Hey guys, you're famous! People have been talking about you and your scam. Let me get a picture!" They took off like bats out of hell. This is the photo.
Perhaps if more people would take a photo or just pretend to take one with a camera or cell phone, these little scammers would vacate the streets. My camera sure scared them off.
It's a shame that the police are ignoring this, but groups of kids are known to enter stores, go crazy and disrupt the place to get the clerks confused so that they can steal. This happened at the Kwik Stop on Grand Avenue the other day. We need to nip this in the bud now before it escalates.
posted by Tom Falco at 4:11 PM
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30 Comments:
Lock'em up!
That's just amazing. I can't believe the amount of things that children these days can get away with. I see it all the time. Things are not just the same anymore....
anon,
the difference is these days people are afraid to discipline other peoples kids. When I was young (and mind you I am only 30) my friends parents had no problem disciplining us. Plus if an adult showed up at my house and told my parents I had done something bad my parents reaction WAS NOT "not my child". They would apologize for my conduct and they punish me not only for the wrongful act but also for embarrassing them.
You also couldn't get away with anything even when you were in someone else's yard. We would get busted by other neighbors who would call my mom or my friends mom and tell her what we were up to. I can still see that horrible point when one of us would notice somebodies mom heading our direction at race walk speed with that bone shaking pissed off look.
I really think someone needs to follow these kids home and find their parents.
excellent work! keep it up! I've got my camera armed and ready to go too
This is an ongoing problem in the Grove. Children as those pictured are obviously lacking parental supervision (or maybe are being put up to do these things by the parents themselves), and sadly will more likely than not grow up into a life of crime. I wish there was a way to break this vicious cycle. It is very sad to see young, intelligent people ruining their life and creating problems for the community.
These same kids were at Sandbar last night. Our table told them to get lost but I saw other tables giving them money. The restaurants and waiters need to do a better job of protecting their customers from this scam as well.
What, those kid's don't look Swedish at all!!!I was totally wrong and owe the decent white Swedish kid's that come to the Grove an apology!!Great work Grape!
These kids need discipling ....they don,t look any older than 12 0r 13....their parents probably aren,t aware of this behavior. I hope someone can identify any one of them and take them home by the ear and inform their parents....and the rod will fix this problem.
To ANON 7:20 PM...judging from your comment you have a pre-disposed view.. the word "maybe" won,t hide it. Kids of all races , in all communities pull these kind of pranks or similar acts without their parents knowledge. YOU did , I did and every other kid down thru time have and will. I didn,t grow up into a life of crime nor did any of my peers. I,m a college educated professional with a home here in the Grove. There are many many fine families in the West Grove as there are where you reside....I,m assuming here when I say " where you reside". If you and your neighbors have these kind of preset views, I wouldn,t care to live around you.
Not. Saying. One. Word.
Okay, I can't stand it.
Anon at 1:54:
It's the thin-skinned reactions of people like you that leads to inaction over problems like these kids. Nobody wants to be accused of being "racist," so everybody just throws their arms up in a Gallic shrug, as if to say that there's nothing that can be done about it.
I applaud Grape's activism. If nothing else, maybe these kids can be shamed into behaving. But until their parents show up, I'm not holding my breath.
To swlip.....I,m anon 1:54 . for your enlightenment I also wrote the comment at 12:43AM ....Sir
It's the anonymity. Nobody recognizes the children so they don't get reported to their parents. Sometimes the leaders of these scams will take a load of kids across town to an area where they are even less likely to be recognized. The magazine sales scam operators take kids to other cities.
What needs to happen is for the police or truant officers to grab a bunch of these youngsters and find out who they are and where they live, then have a meeting with the parents. If it becomes unprofitable to do this, the scammers will look for another scam.
To swlip.....again. I refer you to anon 6:23PM. IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD ! obviously you,re one of those closet "racist" with preset views...your "I,m not holding my breath " comment is revealing ! Sir.
I COMPLETELY agree with you anon @ 2:40 and 1:54 about swilp you should have seem his racist and ignorant comments on the last blog about this. There are many closet racist who hide behind this blog and think the Grove is supposed to be only fro the rich and elite. What a joke, we'll see what it looks like when they try to run some of this community away. I am also highly educated, and live in the Grove, so thanks for this anon...
To Anon 5:38PM..and to swlip. I,m a W-H-I-T-E MAN. For those who assumed by my comments otherwise....go back and read them all again now. 12:43AM....1:54AM...2:25PM....2:40PM
TO ANON 7:07PM. I,M ALSO A WHITE MAN...I WOULD LIKE TO ASSOCIATE MYSELF WITH ALL OF YOUR COMMENTS.
ME TOO !
Hey, what are you guys talking about that we are not racist, when Haitian migrants are sent back in boatloads and Cubans migrants are given the red carpet treatment right here, then why do individuals have to be kept to a higher standard when expressing opinions. What is happening to justice in our consciousness?
Hey -- you Anonymous people. If you won't register and get an ID for your posts, would you at least be Anonymous1, Anonymous2, Anonymous3, etc.? It's really hard to tell if there are different people commenting, or if someone just has a severe case of multiple personality disorder.
Hey Pogonip,
Are you talking to me?
POGONIP
It's a FREE country and we don't have to do what you want.........
They actually aren't doing anything illegal - who cares - those kids are actually part of the grove community - i bet if they were white kids, you would say something like "look at these cute local grove children trying to raise money". I've seen these kids multiple times while eating in the grove and i gave them some money. Other times i tell them no. They obviously need it somehow.
GTI,
That is the same form of language that was used in 2005 in Hurricane Katrina, the white people found the food, and the blacks stole the good from the stores. You hit the nail dead on, I completely agree....
Yes.
Why don't you all stop complaining and volunteer to mentor some of these children. Or perhaps if they had a ligit way of making extra $ this would not be happening. So all of you complainers help find a solution, you are all just part of the problem. Think out of your boxes! These are future entrepreneurs!!!
There is also the fabulous Barnyard which has been featured on this blog many times!
Yeah, more like these are the future Mortgage Broker's.
Forget the black and white racist bullsh*t for a moment. These kids may be annoying and it may be a scam. But a little something called the First Amendment protects their right to move freely about the Grove.
There's really nothing you can do about this legally. Just say no and spread the word encouraging others to do the same.
In Brazil many kids like this are killed/murdered outright. Been true since recorded history and a sign of a failed community or country. In the Iraqi, Iran war they put 10,000 kids at a time in front of their tanks to set off mines. I know it difficult, but you'd create a more humane community trying to figure out a way to help all children everywhere so they wouldn't have so much hate turning into adults coming back to bite us all in the ass.
Bottom line. Is what they are doing legal or not?
One ran into me today at Cocowalk. I found the cause and approach rather unusual. I had no idea all this was going on. Who's got money to give out on the street these days?
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