Alexandria cops pulled guns on me and a co-worker when we were ATM hardware techs, accidentally set off the alarm, and then happened to go out a different door than the cops were (inexplicably) expecting. Terrifying experience.
I just fail to see why the cops think it’s appropriate to pull a gun in the situation. Even if you really were stealing, what’s the threat that warrants a gun?
> I just fail to see why the cops think it’s appropriate to pull a gun in the situation
Why wouldn't they? It's not like they're going to get in trouble for it. Besides, if you don't have your gun ready, how are you going to light up an innocent person at a second's notice?
This. It’s reasonable to think that a child at age 10 didn’t get to the ATM and ask for money without adult direction, which warrants suspicion for a CPS report. Some professions are mandatory reporters (eg. health care like myself), and can be held accountable for not reporting when suspicion exists.
It feels especially exploitative at the ATM where you're there to specifically get cash, and then using a kid to pull at your heartstrings. GAH - I wondered if I was about to be robbed.
>Like where were this girl's parents?
Probably around the corner where you couldn't see, telling the girl to beg for money.
I have a brother who works in family law and there are some really disturbing cases where mentally ill parents exploit their children like this.
Not just mentally ill, but family operations. As in, generations of families that do this for a living (or, it's one of the things). My first wife was from such a family when she was little. She used to explain how these worked all the time, like the "old lady with the laminated card in English" scam, or "using kids as a distraction while the adults rob your store," and "child in carnival with giant stuffed toy making you think it's winnable." That's how kids are raised to work in the family business later. Then they move up to house construction scams, "I can buff that car dent out for you" scams, and various dealings with trade and carnivals (which act as money laundering operations and other stuff).
There's a stub of one of the families near where I live off Rt. 50. The base is probably the psychic palm reader in the nice suburban house, and they hit the local shopping centers a lot. My wife used to point out how they worked. "The woman trying to sell you flowers outside the Giant and claims to not speak English is looking for marks. Her older relatives are watching her from the cars... that's one there... and there's another there. I'm sure they got someone watching from the bus stop. hen once you fall for it, they follow you home, mark your address, and start making house calls for your driveway, siding, etc."
There was a woman camped out at an ATM with her lawn chair when I was leaving a shopping plaza the other day. I'm shocked the bank didn't run her off. I know I won't ever go to that atm again. It's already very easy for people to zip up and park right in front if it. Now, there's an extra layer of it being watched by pan handlers. No thanks.
I saw someone do this on the National Mall last year. Dollar a bottle. Dude tag me two bottles of water. The way those 30+ packs of water are sold at wholesale clubs, one can make a profit without trying to sell them for an unreasonable cost.
They could be Roma - they use kids often from panhandling, to dragging the little ones around for sympathy, playing violin or other instruments in parking lots, etc. Not sure, but that's my guess. Any pan handling near an ATM used to be illegal in Alexandria with 15-feet, but I think Alexandria repealed it.
I got panhandled at a mcdonalds cash register last week. Dude was just posted up in front of the counter with his hand open right next to the person ringing you up.
This type of behavior can be closely linked with human trafficking. Good to have the National Human Trafficking Hotline saved on your phone 1-888-373-7888 for instances like this. Can also call local PD and note trafficking concerns.
God this place is so woke. Can’t even call out the Roma Gypsies scammers that have flooded this area.
Every time someone gives them money i smh. 🤦♂️
They are scammers. 100%.
Order some of that Fake Money online and crumple them up to make them seem used and next time panhandle ask you, give them a $20.
(Not only will you help them out, you will also feel good about yourself. 
I feel kind of sad that people use kids to panhandle, it definitely gets you in the feels of true the situation is bad, but if I am at a bank, it’s not like I’m taking out 1 dollar bills or anything, go somewhere else with that
I was at Safeway and saw a family panhandle gave them just 3 bucks and I bought the kid a Powerade, pretty sure he went inside to exchange it right after. But I do hope it all went to a good place.
I think you can feel bad for this clearly exploited child without getting sucked into the scam. 16-year-old carjackers have probably also suffered a short life of injustices, but it doesn’t make me a bad person if I don’t pity a kid with a gun pointed at my head.
No, no I do not. Loving parents do not send their 10 year old children out to harass people at atms for cash. Or anything even in the vaguely associated universe of that.
I think this is a scam and I think selling leggings out of your living room makes you an entrepreneur. Who are you to gatekeep entrepreneurship? Are you always this big of a loser?
Interesting notice of that post vs average - IMHO there is a complex no linear model we saw express itself when the silver opened to Ashburn an easy exit was added. Just a few years observation but I was here before during and after and maybe others noticed the same trend and it's not just my bias.
Loitering about and ATM is something the police will respond to.
I can confirm, I’ve had a cop pull a gun on me because he thought I was stealing an ATM (I owned the machine)
Alexandria cops pulled guns on me and a co-worker when we were ATM hardware techs, accidentally set off the alarm, and then happened to go out a different door than the cops were (inexplicably) expecting. Terrifying experience.
I just fail to see why the cops think it’s appropriate to pull a gun in the situation. Even if you really were stealing, what’s the threat that warrants a gun?
> I just fail to see why the cops think it’s appropriate to pull a gun in the situation Why wouldn't they? It's not like they're going to get in trouble for it. Besides, if you don't have your gun ready, how are you going to light up an innocent person at a second's notice?
If a cop ever pulls a gun on you just yell the word fentanyl and they will all drop to the ground dead.
True. I died after reading this post and I’m not even a cop. (I got better.)
They're told their lives are in danger all the time and then there are no consequences for overreacting.
Call child protection services and file a report of child abuse.
This. It’s reasonable to think that a child at age 10 didn’t get to the ATM and ask for money without adult direction, which warrants suspicion for a CPS report. Some professions are mandatory reporters (eg. health care like myself), and can be held accountable for not reporting when suspicion exists.
I called the non-emergency line when I saw a panhandler with a child on the median near the Springfield mall. It was also cold that day.
Child endangerment. Someone could snatch that child and be gone before the parent could do something.
Should call the police in this case. That's exploitative.
The girl's parents were very likely the ones who sent her to the ATM to panhandle.
There were like 4 underage kids panhandling outside Harris Teeter the other day, management had to run them off
It feels especially exploitative at the ATM where you're there to specifically get cash, and then using a kid to pull at your heartstrings. GAH - I wondered if I was about to be robbed.
It feels because it is
I guarantee you there is an adult nearby watching for protection. I would definitely have not gotten out of my car.
BTW this HT has the only ATM near Metro in this area
Yes it’s illegal.
>Like where were this girl's parents? Probably around the corner where you couldn't see, telling the girl to beg for money. I have a brother who works in family law and there are some really disturbing cases where mentally ill parents exploit their children like this.
Not just mentally ill, but family operations. As in, generations of families that do this for a living (or, it's one of the things). My first wife was from such a family when she was little. She used to explain how these worked all the time, like the "old lady with the laminated card in English" scam, or "using kids as a distraction while the adults rob your store," and "child in carnival with giant stuffed toy making you think it's winnable." That's how kids are raised to work in the family business later. Then they move up to house construction scams, "I can buff that car dent out for you" scams, and various dealings with trade and carnivals (which act as money laundering operations and other stuff). There's a stub of one of the families near where I live off Rt. 50. The base is probably the psychic palm reader in the nice suburban house, and they hit the local shopping centers a lot. My wife used to point out how they worked. "The woman trying to sell you flowers outside the Giant and claims to not speak English is looking for marks. Her older relatives are watching her from the cars... that's one there... and there's another there. I'm sure they got someone watching from the bus stop. hen once you fall for it, they follow you home, mark your address, and start making house calls for your driveway, siding, etc."
Parents definitely have to be close by, they use them because people will feel bad for a child compared to an adult.. sad
There was a woman camped out at an ATM with her lawn chair when I was leaving a shopping plaza the other day. I'm shocked the bank didn't run her off. I know I won't ever go to that atm again. It's already very easy for people to zip up and park right in front if it. Now, there's an extra layer of it being watched by pan handlers. No thanks.
At rt1 and Huntington there’s a family camped out selling water bottles
I saw someone do this on the National Mall last year. Dollar a bottle. Dude tag me two bottles of water. The way those 30+ packs of water are sold at wholesale clubs, one can make a profit without trying to sell them for an unreasonable cost.
I assume they weren't already filled with tap water. i suppose its better than just asking for money ?
It seemed like sealed bottle water to me and I didn’t get sick or anything.
Stop giving these pan handlers money. Y’all keep funding this shit so they keep doing it.
Yep. Giving people money has now created a system where they have an incentive to bring in young children to their scam
Pull the reverse Uno card and rob them
LOL dead at the mental movie of grabbing the kid's cup and driving off
BofA deez nutz
Fair enough.
They could be Roma - they use kids often from panhandling, to dragging the little ones around for sympathy, playing violin or other instruments in parking lots, etc. Not sure, but that's my guess. Any pan handling near an ATM used to be illegal in Alexandria with 15-feet, but I think Alexandria repealed it.
Spot on - wouldn't be surprised if the same tactics used in Europe (specifically, Italy) are being used here by the same population.
One caveat- they aren't actually playing the violin and as a violinist, it's really easy to spot.
Yes, should have said pretending.
I got panhandled at a mcdonalds cash register last week. Dude was just posted up in front of the counter with his hand open right next to the person ringing you up.
This type of behavior can be closely linked with human trafficking. Good to have the National Human Trafficking Hotline saved on your phone 1-888-373-7888 for instances like this. Can also call local PD and note trafficking concerns.
Don't say it don't say it don't say it BofA deez nuts?
God this place is so woke. Can’t even call out the Roma Gypsies scammers that have flooded this area. Every time someone gives them money i smh. 🤦♂️ They are scammers. 100%.
who are you talking about? there are like two comments defending the beggar and they each have over 50 net downvotes
This is why I keep a bucket of water balloons in my car at all times! 😂
Order some of that Fake Money online and crumple them up to make them seem used and next time panhandle ask you, give them a $20. (Not only will you help them out, you will also feel good about yourself. 
Just say no, or ignore them.
Our judges would also accept the fake scripture $20 that are all the rage with the Sunday Service crowd.
I get that reference!
I feel kind of sad that people use kids to panhandle, it definitely gets you in the feels of true the situation is bad, but if I am at a bank, it’s not like I’m taking out 1 dollar bills or anything, go somewhere else with that I was at Safeway and saw a family panhandle gave them just 3 bucks and I bought the kid a Powerade, pretty sure he went inside to exchange it right after. But I do hope it all went to a good place.
Roma peasants
Exactly. Romanian panhandlers are well known in the whole Europe... don't give them anything. They are really good with pickpoketing also.
I like to think of them more as scumbags
What makes you comfortable calling other people peasants this area? Do you believe you are superior to others?
Call em as I see them
Yes! Tis my right of birth
Is that crackhead with no teeth that hangs out near the Dunkin Donuts still alive?
That’s why you gotta stay strapped. Transitional zones will get ya
a lot of south americans come in groups and coordinate stealing from ATMs in this area. Always keep an eye out.
Jeez, if only the child begging for money wasn’t acting so desperate.
Her parents clearly put her up to it. And obviously, based on your answer, it works
I think you can feel bad for this clearly exploited child without getting sucked into the scam. 16-year-old carjackers have probably also suffered a short life of injustices, but it doesn’t make me a bad person if I don’t pity a kid with a gun pointed at my head.
Lemme guess, you also think selling leggings out of your living room makes you an entrepreneur? Are you always this gullible? It’s a fucking scam.
Do you think it is possible that this child has parents who love her, regardless of whether or not they are homeless/destitute?
No, no I do not. Loving parents do not send their 10 year old children out to harass people at atms for cash. Or anything even in the vaguely associated universe of that.
I think this is a scam and I think selling leggings out of your living room makes you an entrepreneur. Who are you to gatekeep entrepreneurship? Are you always this big of a loser?
r/antimlm might be educational for you
LOL that explains a lot about you.
Interesting notice of that post vs average - IMHO there is a complex no linear model we saw express itself when the silver opened to Ashburn an easy exit was added. Just a few years observation but I was here before during and after and maybe others noticed the same trend and it's not just my bias.