Solicitor Complaints Reported Across Whitefish Bay, Several Cited

WHITEFISH BAY, WI — Police in Whitefish Bay are reporting several incidents where solicitors have been asking people for money, selling various items and pulling door handles on houses in the village in order to knock on doors. Police say they've sited multiple people, including a supervisor who lives in Arizona.

According to Whitefish Bay police, an officer on patrol was sent to the 800 block of E. Glen Ave. just before 4 p.m. on Aug. 13 on a report of a solicitor.

The officer said he saw a white Ford E-350 van with Illinois license plates, and recognized it as the van used by the supervisor of the group that had been soliciting throughout the village all week.

Authorities said the officer stopped the van on E. Glen and N. Marlborough Dr. and cited the supervisor, a 55-year-old Arizona man, for soliciting without a permit.

According to police call logs, the man posted $124 at the station for a previous citation and $90 for a second citation related to members of his sales crew that had been cited two days earlier for soliciting in the village.

Other Reports Of Solicitors In Whitefish Bay

Police responded to the 800 block of E. Hampton Road just after noon on Aug. 9 on a report of a solicitor who asked for money, according to call logs.

An anonymous caller told police there was a man in a white shirt and tie pulling a suitcase and asking for money on the 4700 block of N. Hollywood just before 6 p.m. on Aug. 10. The man was going door-to-door selling bibles, police said.

Police were sent to the 5200 block of N. Diversey Blvd. on a report of a solicitor selling cleaning products "and using BLM to aid in his sales," according to police call logs. Police gave the solicitor information on how to get a village solicitor's permit.

At 7:30 p.m. on Aug. 10, police say they talked with a solicitor on the 800 block of E. Glen Ave. who claimed to be selling cleaning supplies for "ORS." About 20 minutes later, they were sent to the 4700 block of N. Idlewild Ave. on a report of a solicitor who appeared to be trying door handles on homes as he sold cleaning products, call logs stated. The officer told the solicitor to get a permit.

On Aug. 11, Whitefish Bay police responded to the 5000 block of N. Cumberland Blvd. on a report of a solicitor who was going door-to-door trying to sell magazines. Police asked her to get a permit, and stop selling for the day, call logs stated.

The next day, Whitefish Bay police said they arrested a man for soliciting without a permit after he was seen going door-to-door on the 900 block of E. Meadow Pl. Police say the man was warned the previous day about selling without a permit.

On Aug. 13, police say they saw a man wearing a black shirt and black pants going door-to-door and pulling door handles on houses. Police said the man admitted to going up to houses, and opening the screen doors to knock, so he could solicit money from residents. Police cited him for loitering and prowling.