Police Warn Residents About Fake Door-to-Door Solicitors

The Cockeysville Precinct has responded to an increase in calls concerning door-to-door solicitors in residential neighborhoods, according to an email sent out by Capt. J. Martin Lurz. 

In the past, police have found that some of the solicitors are licensed and legitimate, and others are not. 

Lurz said the following list shows examples of sales pitches previously used by questionable solicitors. 

1. Selling books to support a local children's hospital;

2. Selling books to help sponsor a local traveling baseball team's efforts to make it to a national competition;

3. Selling books to help support a scholarship for the seller to fly to London for a summer internship as she or he studies for a degree in communications;

4. Selling books/goods/wares/subscriptions for any (fill-in-the-blank) reason which arouses suspicions in a homeowner listening to the sales pitch.

Solicitors in Baltimore County are required to be licensed as hucksters through the Baltimore County court clerk's office, and are mandated to carry that license with them. However, the license does not give the solicitor the right to remain on a resident's property when told to leave. 

Lurz urges residents to not allow solicitors into their homes and to call 911 if there is any trouble.