Ref Door to Door solicitors - Alarm salespersons:
We have sent advisories discussing these matters before, and the Crime Prevention unit does advise folks constantly to be suspicious of ANY door-to-door salesmen. The general recommendation of the International and SC Crime Prevention Officers’ Associations is that if you are interested in an alarm system, rather than opening your door to a stranger, you yourself call and initiate appointments with at least 3 different companies that you select from the phone book. Compare the estimates and pick the service that fits your needs. It is just the philosophy that you are safer in an encounter you arrange than taking a chance on a solicitor.
The Business License office states that there is a properly authorized group of ADT staff issued Peddlers Permits working right now.
It is apparently a common practice in the alarm business to react to media coverage and crime reports, using them as a guide of areas to go to, to try to make sales. If you answer your door, ask to see their City Peddler’s Permit. They are required to have this permit on-hand. The person ringing your doorbell is likely to be legitimately associated with a large corporate or small local system, or may be a private contractor attached to the large company. But they may also be independent fly-by-night-never-see-them-again types or outright criminals casing the neighborhood. It can be difficult to tell. It would be possible to pretend to be associated with a known company, making up things with fake logos, but they rarely go through the proper channels of the Business License office. The bottom line is that if the person doesn’t have an actual City of
Regarding the question of signage, according to a Supreme Court ruling, a “No Soliciting” sign at the front of a neighborhood is enforceable ONLY if the neighborhood is all private property, including private roadways (not public streets under city, county, or state maintenance) like a gated community. Beyond that your defenses are a “No Soliciting” sign posted on each home combined with laws/ordinances requiring permitting. Violation of the ordinances in the City can potentially be a ticket/fine of several hundred dollars for each type of offense and each house they bothered.
I will also mention that some residents’ practice is to refuse to answer the door for strangers, and that is good. However, I would advise that residents do call out and say they are not interested, so it is known that there is someone home. After they leave call the police as stated above. I say this because in a few incidents where residents kept quiet, a few minutes later the thief attempted to break-in through the back door, thinking no one was home.
Sgt. Shelor
Thank you,
Jennifer Seabrook
Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA)
Association Management Specialist (AMS)
Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC)
Community Manager
Community Management Group
O: 843-795-8484 x329
F: 843-795-8482
www.CMGCharleston.com
