Beware of door-to-door solicting

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  • brianns

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 29, 2015
    3,559
    Montgomery County
    On the basis of the NYC case of Kitty Genovese, there is a definite basis for providing aid versus keeping the door shut.

    In the case as listed above as well as the case of Kitty Genovese, with the expectation of assailants outside rushing the door, it is prudent to take measures for addressing an invasion.

    I would like to think that I would take adequate preventative measures, aim to let the young woman in and immediately lock the door, but sit her on the couch and keep watch over her until the police arrive to take charge of the situation.

    Talk through a window. Call the police simultaneously or first, etc.
     

    Kmic14

    Slimy Member
    Apr 17, 2020
    112
    Baltimore City
    All,

    Had an incident here in AA County in Edgewater. There have been pairs of people wandering the neighborhood with clipboards, somewhat nicely dressed, knocking on doors and soliciting. The usual stuff like siding, roof repair, BGE Home and so on. My wife and I have a very visible sign on our outer door that says "No soliciting. Do not knock. This includes UPS, Amazon and FedEx.".

    I work from home and my office has blinds on it but I usually keep them slightly cracked. Early afternoon I hear a knock at the door and I see two men on my porch. Somewhat well dressed in polo and button down shirt, metal clipboards in hand. Apparently they can't read and I do what I normally do in such circumstances and ignore them and they'll usually go away without an answer.

    This time I heard a new sound...

    The sound of my doorknob being moved.

    The speed at which I moved was impressive. The rifle came off its rack, to my shoulder, I cleared the corner and it was leveled on the door, my finger on the bolt release. No further activity and after about 20 seconds at the ready, I approached the door at the low ready and saw the pair moving to the next door neighbor's house.

    I called my wife and she called the police. Two marked cars came out and interviewed several folks in the area. Including me over the phone. Turns out that several of my neighbors noticed them and several did mention hearing their doors being tried after the knocks including my next-door neighbor. There were two sets of people wandering through the neighborhood and we aren't sure if they were legit. I do not believe they were.

    So keep your doors locked, folks. We've been told by the police it is not uncommon for would-be thieves to dress up nicely, go into a neighborhood and pretend to solicit in order to case an area for later robberies. It is not common but also not the first time I've seen questionable characters wandering around without obvious purpose. Especially when claiming to represent various companies but not wearing branded clothing or have valid ID.

    Summertime brings more of this stuff out. Be vigilant.

    Matt

    Damn! No doubt about their intentions. Glad you had the good sense to keep your place secure.
     

    Hyper-W

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 24, 2010
    1,189
    Cooksville
    I had a bad experience with a solicitor a year ago. He came to my house and rang the doorbell slinging pest control. No thanks. "You can't tell me you don't have mice and bugs in this place." My tone changed and in a commanding tone told him to get off my property. He did a finger gun at me. Not in the way of the dad next door but in an obvious attempt to be threatening.
    I had cameras at the time and I spoke with someone about the incident. At their advice I did not pursue action for one simple reason: Maryland is a two-party consent state on recording audio.

    I now have my property posted with a sign next to my driveway that states no soliciting or trespassing and that the premises are subject to 24x7 Audio and Video recording. I'm not getting jammed up on some issue because some lawyer says I didn't have the solicitor's consent to record him.

    I got the sign from SmartSign.com. It was about $50 for a customized one with reflective so that they can see it at night. No excuses.
     
    Last edited:

    GolfR

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 20, 2016
    1,324
    Columbia MD
    I had an incident a couple years ago where I was working in my basement and the door bell rang. I was busy and just ignored it. A few min later I look about the back window of the walk out basement and there is a 18ish year old kid trying to open my shed and then walking toward the back door which was unlocked. I had to make the decision of go toward the gun safe or go toward the door to lock it. There were about 50 tools laying out in my basement that would have made handy weapons and went for the door. I headed him off after he stopped to look in the windows and popped my head out the door to ask him what the f&$# he was doing. He gave me some story about landscaping but couldn’t produce any sort of card or even a company name. I asked why he thought it was ok to come through a closed gate in my yard and trespass on my property at which point he started cussing at me. I asked him to stay right where he was while I called the police and he took off.

    Police arrived in about 10 min and were getting a number of calls from other houses in my neighborhood. Lesson learned from that and another incident that cameras around the exterior are a great thing. In hindsight, I’m glad I didn’t grab a gun because the quickest thing I have in the safe is an AR and it would have escalated the situation. I’ve also learned and moved a nice 9mm and a couple loaded mags to the door of the safe.

    This thread has me looking for no soliciting signs as well.
     

    gamer_jim

    Podcaster
    Feb 12, 2008
    13,233
    Hanover, PA
    At their advice I did not pursue action for one simple reason: Maryland is a two-party consent state on recording audio.

    This rule does not apply to people in public. Being on your front porch counts as public and does not require consent. If you were to invite him in and then record would be a different problem.
     

    Sylvester The Cat

    Active Member
    Jun 18, 2021
    221
    Post no trespassing and no soliciting signs around the front of your property. That way if someone is just in your driveway or closing in on the door you can politely ask if they can ****ing read.
     

    Harrys

    Short Round
    Jul 12, 2014
    3,362
    SOMD
    I like answering my door with my 40 caliber stuck in the front of my jeans and my 50 S&W holstered on my hip. I politely ask what can I do for you, typically they hesitate and look at the guns. I tell them what ever it is I am not interested and tell your company not to come back. Basically the word is out and they walk right on by. I have not had sales people or church people come by for many years.

    I did have a bone head pull in my drive way to park. I asked what his malfunction was, he said he was parking in the county right away. I said fine when you come back your car would be in the police impound lot in their right away. He moved.
     

    GOG-MD

    Active Member
    Aug 23, 2017
    366
    AA County
    I've been working from home lately, so I've been around all day to hear any solicitors. About once a month someone rings the doorbell.

    It's almost always someone rapping Verizon, but now and then it'll be someone pushing something else. If I don't open the door, they tend to leave after 10 seconds or so.

    The last one that came around, I was expecting a FedEx delivery I had to sign for, so I opened the door without looking through the peephole as I normally do. When I saw it was one of the Verizon shills again, I just said "Not interested, thanks." and closed the door. He tried to reply, but I stopped listened as I closed and relocked the doors.

    Door-to-door solicitors are as annoying as those charity reps that harass you on the sidewalk in cities. No thanks!
     

    Sylvester The Cat

    Active Member
    Jun 18, 2021
    221
    Oh, I failed to mention that I also have a 175lbs Great Dane that jumps and plays in my yard. She stays exactly in my yard because of the very invisible fence. She stops being happy when people other than myself or family walk in my yard.

    Why won't anyone visit?
     

    martman

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jun 2, 2017
    81
    Reminds me of the day in North Laurel.

    A shady guy trying to sell security systems was telling me mine wasn't good enough. I told em it was fine. He said he needed to look, put his foot in the door stopping me from closing it.... :shocking:

    I displayed my glock19 and told him this house has plenty of security. Leave.

    I think he left the neighborhood after that.
    This is what I'm afraid of.

    A lot of Maryland gun laws were a actual upgrade for me when I moved, but I have a bad feeling your (legally) defenseless after you open the door. I guess its another reason to get a camera or two
     

    OneGunTex

    Escaped Member
    Jan 12, 2021
    232
    Southern Maryland, no longer
    So, honestly wondering how folks handle these situations in households with kids? 99.9% of jiggling doorknobs, bumps in the night, and even broken glass around here are going to be family. As much as I'm reading folks say respond with firearm at the low ready, pointing a gun at those I love is not something I ever want to do.

    Heck, if my father had responded like that when I was a teenager I sure as $h!t would have caught lead one night or another.

    Looking for real advice what's the balance between totally prepared and not scaring the family (or worse)?

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I surprised one poor schmuck out in front of the shop one night.
    Initially I thought it was the youngins out there fiddling with a deer or something they killed because of the headlights on the front of the building for a while, it was too long.
    I was finishing up and went out the side after I began to suspect something wasn't right with some wood and steel.
    Right when I was about to dot the guys eye with the butt swivel he threw his hands up and back-peddled rearwards until he fell on his ass stammering he was lost.
    I almost felt sorry for the guy because I truly believe he was lost but he was dumb-ass for coming back there anyhow.
     

    Sylvester The Cat

    Active Member
    Jun 18, 2021
    221
    Situational awareness and criticial assessment are extremely difficult. Just think of when a cop unknowingly encounters someone with autism. This would take the most critical eye.

    I think cameras, lighting, dogs, signs and patience is the key.
     

    Nanook

    F-notso-NG-anymore
    respond with firearm at the low ready, pointing a gun at those I love is not something I ever want to do.

    If the firearm is at 'low ready' then you won't be pointing it at the known people, just in their general direction.

    Keep the finger off the bang switch and repeat the mantra 'on target, on trigger. Off trigger, off target.' and practice it until it becomes second nature.

    Motion lights, cameras, sensors, a little yappy dog. All good tools too.
     

    Texas solo

    Member
    Mar 5, 2021
    42
    FYI....a No Soliciting sign carries no weight. It's just a suggestion & is not enforceable. Get NO TRESPASSING sign.
    It is legally enforceable.
    I had an issue with a church constantly bothering me. I warned them not to return, but they did. I got the info I needed from them then filed a trespass complaint with LE.
    Never saw them again.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    FYI....a No Soliciting sign carries no weight. It's just a suggestion & is not enforceable. Get NO TRESPASSING sign.
    It is legally enforceable.
    I had an issue with a church constantly bothering me. I warned them not to return, but they did. I got the info I needed from them then filed a trespass complaint with LE.
    Never saw them again.

    FYI. No soliciting signs work fine. People get the idea that they will be wasting their time at my door.
     

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