Reader report: More late-night door-to-door solicitors

This one from Jesse – second time this week we’ve heard about solicitors at fairly late hours:

I live at 30th Ave SW & SW Dakota (map) and my neighbor and I just had a 9:00pm visit from two individuals selling carpet cleaning services, exactly like other people have been reporting. I got a young, overweight african-american girl in a blue jacket and my neighbor got a young white male in a baseball cap. I told her I wasn’t interested and she backed off.

I called the police just to make sure they knew what was going on and afterwards I looked out my side window and saw a young man on Dakota looking like he was waiting for a pickup, standing in the rain. Sure enough a large white cargo van came by, picked him up and they took off down 30th SW. I called the police back and gave them the extra info and they said they’d have any patrol cars in the area keep a look out.

Just thought I’d let the folks in the area know.
Jesse

As mentioned in a report earlier today: Door-to-door soliciting IS LEGAL, provided solicitors follow a variety of city rules – you can read them here. All WSB coverage of readers’ door-to-door alerts is archived here.

GC November 11, 2008 (11:37 pm)

Just a thought, but be careful out there. It only takes milliseconds for an over-inquisitive solicitor to miraculously turn into a much more exciting Home Invasion Robbery.

Keep the door chained, with a well-anchored chain (particularly after dark), know where your phone is and how to speed dial 911, and know what your safety plan is (different folks with different ethos will evolve different safety plans) should things go suddenly and unpleasantly south.

Not everyone is an angel out there.

bj November 12, 2008 (12:59 am)

Same woman came to our home 50th Ave SW and Alaska St around 4:30PM Tues . Same selling tactic and left flyer. Wasn’t happy when she was told NO. Guy across street went running down the dtreet with a blue van going after him. Around 3:00 this afternoon someone’s home alarm went off and made noise for about 20 minutes. Might be a coincidence. I called the police on the noise.

alissa November 12, 2008 (9:07 am)

we had someone come by last week at almost 9pm to talk with us about health activism. something like that. we didn’t really give him the time, since it was pitch dark, raining and too late in our opinion. it was definately fishy.

MAS November 12, 2008 (10:12 am)

A follow-up note to the usual note from the WSB about door-to-door being legal, as long as you follow certain rules.

1. None of these folks seem to be following those rules (at least they don’t seem to be displaying their license) so their activity is illegal.

2. Has anyone reading this blog ever had a door-to-door actually meet the criteria for legal selling?

From the evidence so far, it would appear that 99% of the door to door activity in West Seattle is conducted illegally, and should be treated as such.

mickey mouse November 12, 2008 (7:42 pm)

I always say”you don’t have to answer or open the door to anyone!” I look out my window and if it is not someone I know or am expecting I ignore it.
Don’t answer the door and stay safe!

Bettytheyeti November 12, 2008 (7:52 pm)

I think the late night door to door “canvassing” has reached a tipping point to warrant answering the door with a camera to photograph unwanted visitor and phone to call police. Your in lucky if your phone does both. Not my idea, but I think it will be a effective deterent. Any compliants about being photographed should be met with your on MY property.

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