Interesting, not sure what I saw

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JamisJockey

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First, let me say I don't deal with panhandlers. Too many variables. I'd rather give that money to a charity and have it distributed that way.
Anyways,
At the local hardware store, loading my youngest into her car seat. See the guy coming before he gets to me. He's in the middle of the parking lot, behind my wife's SUV, halfway between the cars when I tell him I don't have any cash and to go away. Middle aged, slightly disheveled Hispanic guy. Ambling around the parking lot to the next car. I circled my car with an eye on him to get in the driver's seat, when I see another guy sitting across the parking lot. He's younger, hispanic, and dressed in typical gangwear. He's sitting on one of the lamp-post-bases, and watching the first guy. I wasn't sure what to make of it, and was wondering if anyone had heard of either panhandlers getting rolled, or some kind of tandem act going on?
 
I've never heard of bangers specifically working the team effort as panhandlers, but historically, asking for help is a time-honored way for criminals to lure victims.

A short while ago I was letting my family out of the car at a KFC, and I saw a rough (methy) looking guy walking towards us. I gave him a hard look and shook my head. I didn't want my kids to hear me speak harshly to a person asking for help if it wasn't necessary. He looked disappointed and walked away, but I was ready to tell him to back off if he kept coming. He wandered over to the car wash next door and started working it, I could watch him from inside the store.

Homeless people are lose-lose. If you get close enough to them to help them, you are risking your safety. In Utah, there is enough shelter space for them to sleep inside, if they are willing to use it. To me this equals, let them go somewhere else for help.

For someone with car trouble, it depends on where I am. In my home town with a small population where we all know each other, I will always stop. In other places, I will only stop if there is a clear urgent need for help, like extreme heat or cold or a small child. And then, I want to have someone with me who can watch while I help.
 
Interestingly enough, living in Utah is where I had my most parking lot encounters. The Harmons on 6200 south in WJC seemed to be rife with them. A few times I was made to feel uncomfortable by them, some were pretty aggressive.
 
I have seen this exact same scenario many times in St Louis MO. As soon as you would have started talking to the guy that approched you the other guy would have got up and circled around you. Then when the wallet came out you would have been relieved of it by surprise and both of them would be gone.
 
He was far enough away that he would have to trot over to me. Made me really wonder if they were working in some kind of tandem operation, though, the way he was watching him.
 
This got me thinking...you know, I thought this kind of incident happens only in third world countries, not here in the US. You see, panhandlers in Asia have bosses who takes them to location to beg. They have different strategies in approaching people and they work in groups. Apart from those near the supermarket doors during the Christmas seasons, I have not encountered any panhandlers so far...knock wood...I hope I never have to.
 
You saw two. Could you have missed one?
I'm inclined to think something was going on, and it wasn't something you wanted to be caught up in.
 
Likely didn't miss any others, as I had a real good view of the rest of the parking lot. My vehicle was blocking my view of #2. Interesting thing was that he was far enough away that he'd of had to make a concerted effort to get over to me quickly. I'm more inclined to think he was either working the panhandler or even considering rolling the panhandler when the cars cleared out.
 
My thought; Perhaps he was watching to see if you pulled out your wallet so he could take it easily or to see if you had enough cash in there for him to worry about?
 
The first guy seemed fairly fraile. Guy number 2 was simply not close enough to make it over to get my wallet unless I stood there with it open and chatted with guy #1 or something. But I could tell #2 was watching #1 with more than idle curiosity when I did see him.
 
Also,as sickening as it is to think about, beating the ever-loving **** out of the bum may be a gang initiation. Thug-nasty may have been biding his time.
 
I doubt it was anything more than a gang banger loser having nothing better to do. If he was that far away, it was not likely a tandem act, and I doubt many bangers really roll bums. Some bums will roll over pretty easy, but most of them have realized that they have nothing more to lose, and they are not going to lose their meal for the night/booze to keep them warm that night. Many homeless people have had a lot of experience dealing with people attacking them, and quite simply will not roll over some some street punk.
 
When a gangbanger has nothing to do that is when he finds something illegal to do. Idle hands are the devil's playground and all. In larger cities it happens all the time, gangbangers attack bums and bums attack regular citizens.

Welcome to the thread ;)
 
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