Roving Meat "salesmen"

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Crosswind81

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Central Texas
Yesterday I was sweeping around the end of my driveway when a strange orange van with two young men (mid 20s prob) drive up and stop. The one on my side asks if I know a "Cpt Snyder", I said I don't know of anyone out here by that name and he just seemlessly says something to the effect of him ("Cpt Snyder) moving or PCSing and says he has his meat order that he can let me have for 350 or some such nonsense. I told him I was not interested and they drove off...I was mighty suspicious of them and would never buy meat off a random person anyway. What I should have done and didn't was get the tag number of the van just incase.

Also makes me think I should probably pack even when at home esp when outside...I definitely felt vulnerable and foolish for being unarmed. My garage door was open, my wife was inside and even more vulnerable. Lessons learned: Carry even while at home, esp while in the yard, keep the garage shut and prob should always have the cell phone on me as well. Mind you I did notice a freezer through the van door...so they may have been legit.

Oh and my neighborhood is quite nice and somewhat removed from normal traffic.

Your input/criticism here is welcome!
 
We have travelling meat salesmen here quite often. Steaks in vacuum sealed packs are pretty good. Something like 20 steaks for $20 so that isn't too odd to have happen. I have never had some one try to sell me an "undelivered" order though.
 
Good question, I have tried the frozen meat once, tasted good. I told them to give me the business card and googled them . I contacted the company ( nationwide seller) The company had them on the employee roster. They came by and left a sample pack. I then (with wifes OK) spent more on it. The big thing with your post is not expecting salesman giving a song and dance.

You are right to be wary of anyone approaching your house.
 
I might buy a side of beef off a wandering stranger, but that's just me. I've also bought pizzas off wandering strangers.

But yeah it is a good idea to carry when doing chores around the house. I was walking around the alley last fall and practically ran smack into a couple of nogoodnick drug dealers sitting in their car. You never know when trouble is going to show up.
 
It's my rule never to buy perishable goods from anyone with no permanent address.

As for carrying at home, I usually don't. I feel pretty safe here at the end of our little gravel road. We can usually see any unexpected visitor approaching in plenty of time to be prepared. But if I lived in a regular neighborhood, I might act differently.
 
op

what exactly made you suspicious of the salesman?

in my area we have guy's who come out a couple times a year to sell meat. it's vaccum packed and usually has the slaughter house/ distributors name on it. i fill my freezer up a couple times a year and don't have to buy meat for 4-5 months. they've alway's been legit and very proffesional. i live in a very rural area with a high percentage of elderly and weekend residents so if the same senario occured i wouldn't be too suspicious.

as far as carrying around your house, my philosophy is it's better to have it and not need it...

there's nothing wrong with being aware and vigilant in and out of your home.
 
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I put my G32 on my hip the second after I put my pants on in the morning and it stays there all day until I take it off to sleep at night. The only time it comes off is if I am going to be going through a metal detector.

I never understood the thought that "I will just carry a gun in situations that I might need it". Gun magazine articles are rife with this mentality, "I am just going to the corner store or mowing my lawn, I don't need a firearm. But later today I am going to a sketchy part of town so I am going to strap on three of them." You should pick a serious firearm setup that will work for you and carry that set up all of the time.

Carrying that way assures that you will have a firearm when you need it. If your gun is outside of arms length when you desperately need it, it might as well be on the other side of the planet. This also guarantees that you will have your pistol on you if you have to leave the house quickly in an emergency.

Another suggestion is to buy a no soliciting sign. We had salesman all the time showing up to our house and after putting up the sign only a few illiterate idiots still come to the door.
 
Ya sometime the people selling food door to door are alittle shady:banghead:
 

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The cpt snyder thing was probably a line. I used to get meat salesman coming by quite often and alot of the time I was told I was getting a great deal because it was all that was left for the day and they didn't want to go back with meat on the truck. It's just a sales technique. I don't carry at home unless i'm doing yardwork and then it's a .22 revolver with snake shot.
 
Yesterday I was sweeping around the end of my driveway when a strange orange van with two young men (mid 20s prob) drive up and stop. The one on my side asks if I know a "Cpt Snyder", I said I don't know of anyone out here by that name and he just seemlessly says something to the effect of him ("Cpt Snyder) moving or PCSing and says he has his meat order that he can let me have for 350 or some such nonsense. I told him I was not interested and they drove off...I was mighty suspicious of them and would never buy meat off a random person anyway. What I should have done and didn't was get the tag number of the van just incase.

Also makes me think I should probably pack even when at home esp when outside...I definitely felt vulnerable and foolish for being unarmed. My garage door was open, my wife was inside and even more vulnerable. Lessons learned: Carry even while at home, esp while in the yard, keep the garage shut and prob should always have the cell phone on me as well. Mind you I did notice a freezer through the van door...so they may have been legit.

Oh and my neighborhood is quite nice and somewhat removed from normal traffic.

Your input/criticism here is welcome!
It's a light-duty gypsy con.

They basically go around the better neighborhoods selling various prepackaged meats (marinated, sealed...etc) for some really high prices. My ex once purchased up a box for something like $200 - it was a big box of chicken but when I calculated it out, it came out to be something like $16 per pound. It was tasty, but dang expensive. They also only take cash or checks. Checks are literally cashed immediately.
 
It's a light-duty gypsy con.

Not always. There are meat companies that employ "mobile distributors" and are completely legit. The meat is very good and much cheaper priced that "store bought". Gypsys do use that sales technique with cologne/prefume, roofing as well as driveway paving. As for the meat vendors they will often set up on the side of the road and let customers come to them. In the case of the OP,I think it likely was a scam. Another justification to carry.
 
I was suspicious of them because the van was pretty run down looking, dirty orange color (rust) and they two guys were somewhat scruffy looking...they were definitely NOT the Shwanns guy! They just set off my intuition..and made me realize that they could have me in real trouble quick if they chose...I didn't like the feeling of being vulnerable.
 
I've never been approached by meat peddlers, but see them often here in the Denver area. Usually a small pickup with a chest-type freezer in the back.
 
We get meat salesmen, seafood salesmen and citrus fruit salesmen at my business in town. All seem legit and the prices are actually pretty good. I bought some beef from one several years ago and it was supermarket quality (not great, but not bad).

We don't get them at home, though. Anybody driving up to our secluded place without an invite is suspect.

I also carry unless I'm sleeping, and at home I have a long gun pretty close by also.
 
A few times per year, I'll be walking across a parking lot and a van will quickly stop by me and the guy will offer me steaks or stereo equipment. I never really break stride though, and they seem to be used to it.
 
I've been hit up by:

The meat man
The stereo van guy
And one that was not mentioned...
The "I'll fix that dent in your driveway for cash" guy (a la the caked-bondo method) :rolleyes:

Solicitor signs seem like a good idea, but it doesn't help when its out by the sidewalk and they just walk from your neighbors door through your grass to your door.
Those instantly appearing door nazi's always scare me and are dealt with harshly.

I rarely carry on my person at the house, but have it within reach, and always in hand when answering the door.
But I'd say you'd be right on to carry in your front yard. etc.

I have a couple classic cars I'm restoring, and between those and a few motorcycles I get a lot of looky-loo's. So I always make a firearm accessible when I'm outside the house. I realize most are just noticing a musclecar and admiring it, but sometimes their manner and disposition come close to 'casing' and usually looking back at them or a wave will get them on their way.

Stopping in my culdesac, looking at my property, and writing notes or taking pictures is a red alert. And for good reason - the ultimate bad guy, the HOA Nazi. :banghead:

I'm amazed that they seem flabbergasted in regards to their actions appearing borderline criminal, and are dealt with similarly. Then again, if my grass isn't 4" by the ruler they act like I have a "Sex Offender" sign on my lawn.
 
I've seen the meat salesmen. I suspect the product is okay, but figure these guys are people who can't get a better job. Ex-Con Felons? A freezer in the back of a pick-up?
Just be careful.
 
Not always. There are meat companies that employ "mobile distributors" and are completely legit. The meat is very good and much cheaper priced that "store bought". Gypsys do use that sales technique with cologne/prefume, roofing as well as driveway paving. As for the meat vendors they will often set up on the side of the road and let customers come to them. In the case of the OP,I think it likely was a scam. Another justification to carry.

The chicken was TASTY...but dang $16/lb!
 
We get them here. We're not talking Schwans. They are usually a minitruck, like a toyota, overloaded with a chest freezer in the back to the point that the rear of the truck is sagging badly. They go door to door selling. None have seemed like much of a threat, but not people I'd be excited to do business with, either.
 
Cosmoline

..which is why I'll never live in suburbia. Just going through those places makes me twitchy.
You think governments' power is scary, an HOA is insane what they can do.
Which is why I'm getting out as soon as I can.
Construct my own range, build my own shop.
And as far as meat goes, I plan on slaughtering my own cows, so I won't need the meat truck guy, or the supermarket for my beef supply.
 
My EX-wife, that's who... The same one that's an anti-gun rabid liberal who I got the hell away from.

Going back to the OP's topic. Whenever I run across folks trying to sell the frozen prepared meats, I just tell 'em that we're vegans. ;)

jimmyraythomason

Chicken @ $16 per lb? I don't blame them for asking that for it but I have to wonder about anyone who would PAY it.
 
If I am awake I am armed.

The few bozo, meat or driveway guys that wander into my sparsly populated area get to meet Sky, the Rottweiler.
 
Trying not to stray TOO far afield here but the only problem I've ever encountered with a mobile meat vendor was when I lived at Highland Lake. There was a truck that came to my house selling meat. I asked him if he had a business license to sell meat within the town limits. He said he didn't know that he needed one. I informed him that he did and told him where to go and whom to see to get one. He left saying that that was where he was headed. I called the town clerk later that day and was told that said businessman never showed up. I called the police chief and told him about the situation and gave him a description of the truck. Police chief said they couldn't find him.(I did buy some very good pepper steaks from him @ $24 per dozen).
 
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