Ann Arbor police seize car used in scam to solicit money
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Ann Arbor police seized a car Monday that was being used by two people in the city's south side as part of a scam to solicit money, police said.
The black Honda was towed from a parking lot outside Whole Foods on Eisenhower Parkway at about 2:25 p.m., an Ann Arbor police report said.
A 46-year-old man was walking up to female drivers and asking for money to fix the car, which had its hood up, police said. A 38-year-old woman was with him. Both are from Ypsilanti Township.
Neither owned the car or had valid driver's licenses, a police report said. They told police a friend drove it to the lot, but they had no contact information for the registered owner.
The car was registered to a woman who has several outstanding warrants; she is not yet in custody, police said.
The man and woman have been cited in the past two weeks for soliciting as part of the same scam, police said. They were not ticketed Monday.
Police encouraged people to call 911 or walk into a building or crowded area if they feel threatened by an aggressive beggar.
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They towed the car, that belonged to someone else, but did not ticket these people? You gotta be kidding me! So, now they will just move their scam to a different location because there will be no consequences for their actions? 1st time - cited, 2nd time -nothing, what the 3rd time we have to commend them for their ingenuity? How about a description? Short? Tall? Thin? Fat? I'd like to know in case I'm approached so I can call the Police and get a non action response.
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Posted Nov 24 2009
djm:
Agree totally. What is up with that? No ticket issued.
These "poor souls" do pull this all the time. There was one idiot at US23 and Geddes who had an alternator problem and needed $123 to fix it. Gullable me helped him out (almost exactly a year ago, what with the holiday and all). So fast forward to this fall, same scam, same guy (and two females), same spot. I called him out on it, then I called the cops.
Description: thin, white, two trashy looking females as props for he breakdown scam.
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Posted Nov 24 2009
Ypsi perps had to take their show to A2 because we as informed citizens of Ypsilanti are on to these people. I have people try to scam me all over town. You know the quickest way to not get any money from me...ask for it! I will give to charity and donate until it hurts but these scammers gotta understand we are fed up and suspicious. I am worried that the criminals are going to up the anty and start using children as pawns in their scams if we dont shut them down. How could these people not be fined or arrested for perpetrating a scam? Isn't that theft by deception?
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Posted Nov 24 2009
There is a rash of this activity going on lately. I've seen it in action 3 times in the last month 2x in A2, then in Chelsea on last sunday. Typical set-up is an apparent "breakdown" on a freeway exit ramp...hood up, doors open, people looking distressed. Alternator seems to be the problem of choice (as per EyeHeartA2@ & my experience)..."just need $100+ to get alternator from _____autopart store...lost checkbook, etc". Beware of such convenient breakdown locations, story of woe that doesn't add up. Coincidentally, my experience on Sunday in Chelsea involved a black Honda. I let the guy approach me & I told him he was lucky - the state police post was nearby & I offered to call them. At that point he said no thanks - he thinks it's just overheated. I persited that I'd call & he said not a problem, he had a cell phone. When I got my phone out & started to punch in #'s, he went back to the car & (miraculously) drove off. Only got a good look @ one male (though there was another person in the car). 46 year-old (per story) sounds about right - (looked older, but also looked pretty weathered), white male, thin, dark hair, (including rather large, hairy ears), maybe 5'8", shabby clothes.
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Posted Nov 24 2009
I wonder if these are the same people who we saw at Arborland two weekends in a row (a while back). Sounds like they are making the rounds.
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Posted Nov 25 2009
This guy approached me in the parking lot at Meijer on Ann Arbor-Saline Road last month. He also had his hood open and asking for money.
It was just getting dark on a Sunday night. I was leaving Meijer with my groceries when this man ran up to me. I was upset and angry at him for approaching me so fast that I yelled, "there is nothing you need from me sir"!!
He turned around and went across the parking lot heading toward other people. I walked back into Meijer and reported this man and his scam to the manager on duty who said he would take care of it.
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Posted Nov 25 2009