Posted on 08/03/2005 4:03:34 AM PDT by nyconse
I remember that story because one of the schools was the county next to ours. It turns out those guys in Iraq had plans to schools because they were building schools in Iraq, not because they were planning terrorist attacks in Georgia.
If this is the kind of response you got from law enforcement, I'd call the newspaper or TV media and ask them to "investigate" -- if not the creep who was roaming around, then maybe the police/sheriff why they were so unconcerned.
This is a good idea. I will drive through the neighborhood tomorrow and see if he's around.
I couldn't believe they just let this guy go...they acted like we were racists or something.
Wonder about a person looking for kids who have been taken in a custody thing.
Better call the cops, no harm in that.
I am in Cherokee county.
That's very strange, and I don't know how he would have gotten the names of kids in a neighborhood like that. That's the part that makes me suspicious enough that I would follow up with the sheriff and the police chief. But I can just about promise you the FBI isn't going to pay attention to this.
Thank you all for all the good advice...I must go to work. I will check back. I am going to call the Sherif's office and then call the feds...why not? It will make me feel like I am doing something. I am also going to tell the school polic about this. Thank you all for your great advice! LOL
No harm in calling it in. They may mave other similar reports.
It is probably nothing. But, it might be.
Cherokee County isn't a small Georgia town. My brother lives in Woodstock. You won't get the sheriff himself in Cherokee, but you could (and probably should) call to speak to Chief Deputy Mike Malone (if he's still there) 678-493-4200. That's not a direct line, but it should get you to him.
You can also check photos here http://www.cherokeega-sheriff.org/offender/offender.htm to see if he matches anybody.
It used to be my habit early in the morning to get coffee, a muffin and a newspaper and sit in my car reading. I would usually find a deserted parking lot and hang there for awhile.
After doing that for about ten days in a row, one morning a squad car pulled up behind me, and told me that they received a call from a tenant in an apartment overlooking the parking lot. I hadn't realized there were apartments over the store fronts, and so it never occurred to me that anyone might be living there.
Anyway, the cops said that a lady tenant had called them to check me out. She was afraid I was stalking her. They were very polite, and asked me all kinds of questions about what I was doing there. Then they asked for my driver's license, which they took back to the squad car for a background check.
Then they came back, and politely suggested that maybe I should find somewhere else to drink my coffee.
This is America (well, Massachusetts, anyway), I'm a US citizen, and I was not bothering a soul.
But I was still asked to show ID because someone found my behavior suspicious, and I was fine with showing my ID because I understood the concern.
I think the cop should have asked this guy for ID as a matter of course. I'm not saying the guy should have been arrested for refusing, but he definitely should have been encouraged to leave the neighborhood after being checked out.
What ever became of parents teaching their children NOT to talk to strangers?
When I was selling for Grollier in the mid 70s, it was common practice to get leads and info like that from the schools in exchange for free Grollier products.
What does disturb me is the sheriff's response of being so quick to dismiss the matter.
I would call the sheriff's dept. and find out if the deputies who investigated the matter asked the man who his employing company was, etc, and follow up on this yourself.
FBI.....866-483-5137
They might get calls back from other that experienced the same thing.
The annual scam season is in full swing......
http://kmsp.com/news/story.asp?1647697
"Shoot him"...."my husband said that too...I think he was kidding."
Seriously though, the big question is how did he get all the names and the map of your neighborhood? The police have already been notified and let him go. I'd call back and see if they are investigating. then call all the local newspapers. They love stories like this. One story in the local rag would bring attention to him and he'd split quick.
We can't be too careful these days. Imagine all the kids in your neighborhood being exposed to smallpox, or worse. Can you tell me what area of NY this happened in, not upstate, I hope. Up here, he would at least get beat up and detained until the State Troopers arrived. If you want action, call the Troopers first.
I am sure that your neighborhood probably requires a licese to sell door to door. Call the police and tell them to do their job. Call your local newspaper and tell them about the story.
this sounds like something the HPD would do.
Some strange guy following little kids and their mom's around trying to sell books from a Company he doesn't know. Yepthat's normal.
If it's a large school, they probably have a safety officer.
Call the nearest police department to that school as well.
Be persistent, you might save lives.
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