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Short North Panhandler Strange Incident

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Started 3 years ago by Paul
Latest reply from Roland

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Paul
Vancouver, BC
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So I was back in the lovely 614 for the Christmas holiday.
On Saturday some friends and I were out at Press Grill. We walk outside to say goodbye and disband when a panhandler approaches us and asks if any of us has any change for him. He's not poorly dressed, wearing a Notre Dame sweatshirt (go Irish!), decent shoes, and has a rolling carry-on piece of luggage wit him.
We politely respond that we don't have any change for him. He continues to stand there and try and engage us in conversation, focusing on the girls in the group. "I know you lovely ladies have some change for me. Anything?" They respond again that they don't.
This is where the incident changes from normal Short North bullshit to weird and funny.
He then says, "Ah, that's OK. I have money." He produces a wallet, which looks like a normal wallet (not like a children's velcro wallet stuffed with coupons or something like that). It has at least a $20 bill in it. Because he now says, "What I'm really looking for is two $10s for a $20. Any of you guys help me out with that?" We're all pretty much thinking, 'WTF?' at this point. When we respond that we don't have two 10's for a 20 (Who in the world even carries two 10s in their pocket?), he says, "Ah, that's OK. I'll just go in here and get change. ... Do you think you guys could watch my bag?"
"Uh, you can probably just take your bag in with you."
"Oh man, I'm just going to leave it out here. Can you guys watch it?"
"OK, I mean we're not going to be here very long so, yeah..."
I should mention at this point that he's smoking a cigarette. He then proceeds to leave the bag and walk into Press Grill, smoking, and supposedly try and make change.
So basically he left his small bag, which you are allowed to bring into a bar, outside. And he brought a lit cigarette, which you're not allowed to have in a bar, inside with him.
He comes out, I guess with his change, says thanks and walks down the street.
So then I was with a different group of people later that night and walked by him standing right by Mac's. He panhandled us pretty hard for money, I guess not recognizing me or not caring. I didn't have the time or the inclination to call him out.
I guess I should have asked him if he had $10 for me.
Thoughts? Comments? Explanations?

Posted 3 years ago #
turbo ninja
Crumb Bus, Oh.
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Never seen the guy but thanks for the description. If I see the guy I'll be sure to ask specific, pointed questions as to whether he needs someone to GIVE change, or someone to MAKE change.
Then I'll ask him for a cigarette. If he declines, I'll tell him I didn't need one anyways and then produce a cigarette from my own pocket, but I'll ask him if he has a light. If he declines again, I'll pull out a Zippo.
But I won't use the Zippo to light the cigarette (I don't smoke). Instead, I'll use it to burn a convincing replica of a dollar bill while waving it in this guy's face.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
Really close to Explorer's Club.
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That's a strange one man. There's some con games involving making change, maybe that was the plan, definitely odd though.

Posted 3 years ago #
Matthew
Hilltop
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Coremodels wrote That's a strange one man. There's some con games involving making change, maybe that was the plan, definitely odd though.
The 20 may have been counterfeit.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
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Matthew wrote
Coremodels wrote That's a strange one man. There's some con games involving making change, maybe that was the plan, definitely odd though.
The 20 may have been counterfeit.
Actually, maybe the case exactly, there was a story on the morning news about a big counterfeiting push in Columbus of 5's, 10's, and 20's

Posted 3 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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I'm not sure if it's the same guy or not, but I have been approached several times by the same well-enough-dressed youngish (maybe mid-30s) white guy who is usually wearing a backpack or carrying a bag and asks for some weird specific amount of change (61 cents) to have enough to catch the bus to go somewhere respectable (he said Dublin the most recent time).
He approached me on the patio at Brioso during a casual meeting. Someone I was with gave him a dollar. As I was leaving the meeting and waiting for the walk light at High & Gay I overheard him walk up to someone else on the sidewalk and ask for the same amount of money for the same reason. I was tempted to ask him what happened to that dollar he got from us, but my walk light changed and I was sort of in a hurry.

Posted 3 years ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Coremodels wrote
Matthew wrote
Coremodels wrote That's a strange one man. There's some con games involving making change, maybe that was the plan, definitely odd though.
The 20 may have been counterfeit.
Actually, maybe the case exactly, there was a story on the morning news about a big counterfeiting push in Columbus of 5's, 10's, and 20's
Panhandling seems like a really inefficient method of laundering counterfeit money.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
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Cookie wrote
Coremodels wrote
Matthew wrote
Coremodels wrote That's a strange one man. There's some con games involving making change, maybe that was the plan, definitely odd though.
The 20 may have been counterfeit.
Actually, maybe the case exactly, there was a story on the morning news about a big counterfeiting push in Columbus of 5's, 10's, and 20's
Panhandling seems like a really inefficient method of laundering counterfeit money.
Panhandling is, asking strangers on the street or a bar for change isn't. Considering the bills in question didn't pass the black marker test, that pretty much eliminates 90% of the traditional ways you'd pass small counterfeit, and there's certainly no reason someone couldn't try to accomplish both.

Posted 3 years ago #
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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This guys sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. Never know what to expect! :lol:

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
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p.s. The counterfeit operation in question doesn't exactly sound like arch criminals:
WEST JEFFERSON, Ohioâ€”West Jefferson Police and the Madison County Sheriffâ€™s Office are working together to find what they believe are multiple suspects who have been passing counterfeit $5, $10, and $20 bills. Investigators say counterfeit bills are popping up in Madison County. Investigators say the fake bills have turned up at the Circle K store, the Marathon Gas Station, and the VFW in West Jefferson and the Pilot gas station off Interstate 70 in Madison County.
Authorities have released surveillance photos from the Circle K on December 11, showing a man entering the store before purchasing ice and milk with a counterfeit $5 bill. The suspect was believed to be driving a white Oldsmobile Intrigue. Because the purchases are perishable items such as milk and ice, police believe that the suspects are local.
http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/counterfeit_bills_spotted_in_madison_county/11141/

Posted 3 years ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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Coremodels wrote Panhandling is, asking strangers on the street or a bar for change isn't. Considering the bills in question didn't pass the black marker test, that pretty much eliminates 90% of the traditional ways you'd pass small counterfeit, and there's certainly no reason someone couldn't try to accomplish both.
The bills in question? You mean the ones on the news?

Posted 3 years ago #
Paul
Vancouver, BC
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Core, my friend also offered the hypothesis of the change-raising scam. I'd think it would be hard to pull off without another factor (usually I hear of it being done at a convenience store or bodega in conjunction with a small purchase), because at the end of the transaction if I don't have $20 back in my hand I think I'd notice.
The counterfeit money is something that had not occurred to me. I didn't know there was any appreciable amount of it floating around Columbus.
Walker, my friend has witnessed literally the exact same thing. I have to think it's pretty common. The specific amount of money request is just a line, and of course since the person in question is just out to beg for money, they'll turn around and keep panhandling no matter how much you just handed them. Accosting them will only end in disappointment for you, I am sure. These people have no shame and no accountability.
Cyclist, never thought about it like that! I may consider shadowing this guy if I can schedule a time. :wink:

Posted 3 years ago #
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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Coremodels wrote p.s. The counterfeit operation in question doesn't exactly sound like arch criminals:
WEST JEFFERSON, Ohioâ€”West Jefferson Police and the Madison County Sheriffâ€™s Office are working together to find what they believe are multiple suspects who have been passing counterfeit $5, $10, and $20 bills. Investigators say counterfeit bills are popping up in Madison County. Investigators say the fake bills have turned up at the Circle K store, the Marathon Gas Station, and the VFW in West Jefferson and the Pilot gas station off Interstate 70 in Madison County.
Authorities have released surveillance photos from the Circle K on December 11, showing a man entering the store before purchasing ice and milk with a counterfeit $5 bill. The suspect was believed to be driving a white Oldsmobile Intrigue. Because the purchases are perishable items such as milk and ice, police believe that the suspects are local.
http://www.nbc4i.com/cmh/news/local/article/counterfeit_bills_spotted_in_madison_county/11141/
Milk and ice?
-Number 1 rule of counterfeit laundering... don't buy $4.62 worth of goods with a counterfeit bill. Buy a pack of 35 cent gum and get the change. ?? :roll:
I like how the suspect drive an Intrigue! :lol:

Posted 3 years ago #
bayrea
Dublin, Oh
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Cyclist wrote This guys sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. Never know what to expect! :lol:
Maybe you should shadow him..

Posted 3 years ago #
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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bayrea wrote
Cyclist wrote This guys sounds like a fun guy to hang out with. Never know what to expect! :lol:
Maybe you should shadow him..
I'll talk to him if I see him. What a mysterious man? How interesting, How bizarre!?

Posted 3 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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Just tell him you'd be happy to "watch his bag for him" and see how he reacts.
Perhaps it's possible to out-weird these guys into submission.

Posted 3 years ago #
Coremodels
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blammo wrote out-weird these guys into submission.
THAT is a podcast/CU Meetup/adventure gone awry I'd participate in any time.

Posted 3 years ago #
Cyclist
Peach District (State of Mind)
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blammo wrote Just tell him you'd be happy to "watch his bag for him" and see how he reacts.
Perhaps it's possible to out-weird these guys into submission.
Its one of my hobbies.

Posted 3 years ago #
Ndcent
OTE
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I feel like the guy would be best off if he jumped in front of a fast moving bus.

Posted 3 years ago #
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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It would be interesting to see Columbus adopt a "100% Weirdness" policy towards dealing with panhandlers, and just incorporate surrealist approaches with all interactions. When asked for money or confronted by one of those "parking attendants" I try to respond by providing an answer to an unrelated question of my choosing.

Posted 3 years ago #