Neighborhood Alert!

Several people have experienced what we believe is a scam in our area.

A man has approached people saying that he lives nearby them and needs taxi fare because he is locked out, and
will repay when he gets back.

Here's one example of his pitch:
- Said ''he was a neighbor named Robert Olsen and that his sister just dropped him off and he left his keys
in her car and needed money for cab fare. He told us he would pay us back when he came back. When I asked him
for I.D. he told me that it was locked in his car.

I told him that his story was very similar to a story a man told a neighbor and he told us that he would show us his I.D. when he came back.''

Here's one description:

''White male, late 20's-early 30's, approximately 5'10, 160-180 lbs., short dark hair, wearing a green patterned polo shirt and tan shorts. Clean
and well-dressed making it plausible that he lived in the neighborhood. Spoke quickly and with a sense of
urgency. He repeated that he was Richard (never gave a last name) and asked three times if I would
be at home for at least the next 30 minutes.''

We believe this person ( or persons? ) is preying upon our neighborhood, so beware.



By Mark Stout