Aggressive door to dooor cleaning product sellers

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I just had two guys knock on my door selling cleaning products, they said it was for young offenders and one had just got out of prison, they started off fine but got really aggressive when I said I had no cash and was not going to use my phone to transfer them money, they turned very quickly from nice enough to pretty unsavoury.

I then said I had to get back in side as I had the oven on and they made some comments about hope your house doesn't burn down, not a nice experience and pretty intimidating too, even worse on my own doorstep.

[Penguin68]

Here in Underhill too. Quite threatening. Said they were selling to support ex offenders and would I want people to have to start burgling?

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Penguin68 Wrote:

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> Here in Underhill too. Quite threatening. Said

> they were selling to support ex offenders and

> would I want people to have to start burgling?

I am on Overhill so close by, one of the guys was aggressive and the comment about house burning down was not pleasant at all, they said ex offenders too.

Did you happen to buy and things okay? or turned nasty when said no.

[Penguin68]

I told them (as the notice by my front door said) that I did not buy on the door. One guy originally and then back with a second guy. I didn't open the door that time. Clearly threatening.

[Pugwash]

Report to Neighbourhood Police (Dulwich Hill ward).

[Lucyalexandra]

Yes people must report it.

We have had it a few times and it?s most unpleasant and bullying and when you have young children around especially so. I think it?s really important to flag up when and where they are operating.

[NewWave]

Its not just unpleasant with small children around..its even worse for vunerable old people living alone.

this is the sort of situation where they can get tricked out of money or the 'salesmen'could push into their home and steal their bag.

please report

[macutd]

This always happens, why can't they just be pleasant?

Somebody needs to coach them in selling techniques

They would sell much more.

[Frankito]

Thank goodness I?ve got two big dogs who always make a racket when anyone knocks on the door..

[Ruskin]

macutd Wrote:

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> This always happens, why can't they just be

> pleasant?

> Somebody needs to coach them in selling techniques

>

> They would sell much more.

I think intimidation and aggression is part of their MO.

[bikpon]

Report it here. If we each report every time it happens then hopefully they will help us. It?s horrible being threatened on your doorstep. I never know what?s best to do. Money to go away quietly but then encouraging this. Or tell them no when I?ve been sworn at in front of my 4 year old.

https://www.met.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour/?stepid=1-4&rid=18673 (antisocial behaviour form). If you are verbally threatened then use the crime form.

[Flux capacitor]

This happened to me while walking down crystal palace road... "just got out of prison, do you want to buy house hold cleaning products?". I politely declined although he persisted, the answer he received was still no. After a while in the infamous East Dulwich post office (oh it is punishment for sins I have yet to commit). I returned home to hear a knock at the door to my disbelief it was another individual just out of prison selling house hold products. The likelihood of two individuals with the same utterance is improbable which suggest it is a deceptive narrative.

I suggest using the door chain if you don't know who it is.

If you feel threatened call the police.

Stay safe

Flux AKA Bee

[Penguin68]

These boys are often run by a gangmaster who sends groups of them into a neighbourhood - you will find him with a van re-stocking them if necessary. They may well be ex-offenders, but they are no part of any formal recognised ex-offender programme - what they 'earn' goes straight to the gangmaster, from which they will be paid a pittance. Don't buy from them, (there are perfectly good and legal ex-offenders charities (Googling will bring up a list) if you want to support ex-offenders) and if they seem threatening, call the police.

[DulwichFox]

Gang master Like Fagin

[Penguin68]

https://www.gla.gov.uk/

[Pugwash]

The police are fully aware of these and we discussed this at the Dulwich Hill SNT meeting last night. In order to be legitimate sellers they need to have a pedlars licence and be able to produce this at the door. I will put up the full details later.

[Penguin68]

Even where they have pedlars' licences the rules of caveat emptor apply. The goods they sell may well not be value for money, and the way they sell them may be aggressive and threatening. And the narrative they tell (i.e. being ex-offenders) may be a lie or distortion - as is the implication that the profits they make go anyway towards a 'good' cause. A Pedlar's licence is no different from any other - a driving licence after all guarantees only a minimal amount of capability - there are still bad drivers, who break the law, licenced or not.

[Droler]

Sick of these guys. It's all a scam (charity address on their products turned out to be fake when I checked). As there are so many I always say "some of you guys were round last week and I brought loads then" usually works as they think someone has done the area already.

[anna.c.r]

The same thing happened to me. I was putting my child to be and the man got really aggressive and said 'I know where to come and burgle first'. I said I wasn't interested and he kicked our front gate in. The police came but we're not going to be opening the door to them in future.

[gabys1st]

Had a couple a year or 2 back, didn't buy any of thier products but did ask if they wanteed to earn ?20 cleaning ny filthy car.. They did and when they had finished the car was sparkling inside and out.