Crime & Safety

Mayfield Heights Police Provide Tips For Solicitor Visits

Mayfield Heights Police received dozens of complaints last week about young solicitors attempting to sell magazines, but most are not operating scams.

Instead, the sellers, often teenagers, and their supervisors simply don't know the city's protocol.

"They have to come in and register every day, give us their names and the streets they're going to be on just so that when people call and complain, we'll know who they are," Sgt. Robert Cunningham said.

Cunningham said asking a solicitor if he or she has registered with the city is the first thing a homeowner should do, whether they plan on making a purchase or not. Residents can also call police to verify registration.

The rash of complaints happens most summers in Mayfield, Cunningham said. He said many of the subscriptions are legit, but the companies sell them in multiple communities and not all require registration.

Callers reported magazine sellers as well as those trying to raise donations for teams and hospitals.

"It's a corporation that's not local, they're all over the place," he said. "They move them around and have them sell subscriptions. I couldn't tell you if it's the same one -- they might re-incorporate every year or change their name."

He said solicitors were a bigger problem years ago when teenagers didn't have cell phones. Once they were told to cease and desist, they often sat on a curb waiting for their ride to return.

"Our advice is if you're not sure if they're registered with the city, give us a call and we'll respond," Cunningham said.


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