Panhandlers at front door - suburban

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't have answered.
Should have gave them some money since you did answer.
Might get a rock through your window now.

We don’t have any cash at home.

You should keep some. Not wise to not have any at all.

Agreed but it would have been upstairs anyways.

Keep a little by the front door. Sometimes you get girl scouts or kids selling candy and whatnot. They feel good to get a little business.

Our girl scouts take venmo. I keep only left over foreign currency in the house. I’m not going to change. There’s no need to keep cash. I’m 50, I would have come across a good reason by now if there was one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never answer the door for people you do not know. Good way to get murdered.

I’m 100% for this rule, I thought they were wearing delivery uniform. It was just really awkward being at the door.

Now that they are gone, should I call police or just be happy nothing happened?

You people are nuts. We get neighborhood kids (that I don’t know) raising money for this and that. We also get so many political campaigners or people from their office coming to our door (maybe I can murder them?). Then there are census people and neighbors, etc. You all live with a mountain of unnecessary fear - or you really should move.

They don’t usually come by at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they needed some help? Did you help them?

They were asking for money. If they were asking for directions or for me to call the police I would have done that.

So you are willing to help but not give them what they need? What is WRONG with you? You only help on your terms?

DP
OMG, never give money. And yes, of course, I only help people on my terms! They are asking me, not the other way around. I donate tons to charity every year, so I don’t feel obligated to hand out money to people brazen enough to come to my door. Heck, they made me get off the sofa!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they needed some help? Did you help them?

They were asking for money. If they were asking for directions or for me to call the police I would have done that.

So you are willing to help but not give them what they need? What is WRONG with you? You only help on your terms?

I agree with PP. I was helped once when my car had a belt catch on fire before it snapped. A guy came out of a house and let me in to use his phone. I appreciated that.

Handing out cash to door-to-door beggars is a recipe for future problems.

I think OP should call the police to let them know somebody is begging door to door. In our town, the police have community-donated low value gift cards to hand out and they can make referrals and give rides to shelters.

I'm also aware of some crimes that were committed by door-to-door people offering to do chores or casing a specific person.

The police would likely just do a drive through. But at least you would have let them know.

I think if they were super likely to make trouble they would have done it at the door. Might be looking for empty houses just to sleep behind.

Oh I hope they are that kind. I am turned around because I worry there are darker schemes, but I don’t want the police to harass them or worse. But I also don’t want this to become a regular thing, I guess.

I hate people coming to our door — I feel so vulnerable as we have small children.

If you feel vulnerable when people come to the door, you need to move to a safer neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

That’s creepy. What city was this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people really suggesting to keep cash on hand to give these people? Good way to get repeat customers.

They definitely tell all their friends.

Also makes you a target for robbery. Even if it’s not a lot, junkies need cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people really suggesting to keep cash on hand to give these people? Good way to get repeat customers.

They definitely tell all their friends.

Also makes you a target for robbery. Even if it’s not a lot, junkies need cash.

Same town, if junkie so break in, it’s good to have cash to give them so they leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people really suggesting to keep cash on hand to give these people? Good way to get repeat customers.

They definitely tell all their friends.

Also makes you a target for robbery. Even if it’s not a lot, junkies need cash.

Same town, if junkie so break in, it’s good to have cash to give them so they leave.

*at same time

[Anonymous]

I remember reading that during the Great Depression, homeless/jobless/hopeless people would sometimes leave a mark outside a house for others in similar distress to know that “a good woman lives here” because they’d been given food when they asked for help.

That story always makes me a little emotional, knowing that so many people were just looking for compassion in hard times and actually found some.

I wonder how I would respond now if someone knocked on my door. But I guess they wouldn’t be asking for sandwich or a piece of pie. I never feel great about giving money to panhandlers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people really suggesting to keep cash on hand to give these people? Good way to get repeat customers.

They definitely tell all their friends.

Also makes you a target for robbery. Even if it’s not a lot, junkies need cash.

Same town, if junkie so break in, it’s good to have cash to give them so they leave.

Could you just put some cash in your mailbox for them? They could take the cash and leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I remember reading that during the Great Depression, homeless/jobless/hopeless people would sometimes leave a mark outside a house for others in similar distress to know that “a good woman lives here” because they’d been given food when they asked for help.

That story always makes me a little emotional, knowing that so many people were just looking for compassion in hard times and actually found some.

I wonder how I would respond now if someone knocked on my door. But I guess they wouldn’t be asking for sandwich or a piece of pie. I never feel great about giving money to panhandlers.

It's a well known burglary set-up for a person to come to the front door and distract the owner while another person(s) checks for unlocked doors and windows.

[Anonymous]

Im 100% calling the cops if someone is panhandling at my door. If that's not illegal it absolutely should be

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I remember reading that during the Great Depression, homeless/jobless/hopeless people would sometimes leave a mark outside a house for others in similar distress to know that “a good woman lives here” because they’d been given food when they asked for help.

That story always makes me a little emotional, knowing that so many people were just looking for compassion in hard times and actually found some.

I wonder how I would respond now if someone knocked on my door. But I guess they wouldn’t be asking for sandwich or a piece of pie. I never feel great about giving money to panhandlers.

It's a well known burglary set-up for a person to come to the front door and distract the owner while another person(s) checks for unlocked doors and windows.

Should we put up perimeter cameras, would that discourage this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe they needed some help? Did you help them?

+1, seriously! If someone is knocking on your door asking for money, they need help! This seems like it should be obvious. Why wouldn’t you help them?


Be honest - were they a POC? Is THAT why you didn’t help them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Im 100% calling the cops if someone is panhandling at my door. If that's not illegal it absolutely should be

WTH is wrong with you?

Stuff like this is why MAGAs are so hated.