First off the company "Apx alarm" is pretty sketchy, secondly they come to your door, Try to "give you a free alarm system"

Really I'm going to buy an alarm from a door to door salemen... Sure knock on my door, I'll tell you all about my security details...

Lots of bad press out there on the internet about these guys, course the wife and I are far from push overs, she sent them packing last night, within minutes of me getting home today, they were knocking, I told him in short order, one my wife already said get lost and now I'm saying it for the last time. I'm sure most complaints were based on high pressure sales to weak people, but a lot of complaints on poor customer service. Heck refusal to cancel a 5 year contract when people were moving....

Local cops know all about them, the have their papers in order, but I still think they should be sent packing from our neighborhood.

...... So Wife just got off phone with the local Lakeville PD, after talking to the nice officer for a bit, he also informed us that there are no background check or requirements that they either can do such, didn't quite follow the details, short of they give permits out to random people without background checks now, apparently this is a State thing, not just a Lakeville thing, Anyone know more about this?

Also have gotten 4 emails from them disguised as responses to my craiglist ads.

I've also had them come to my door in Lakeville, sent him on his way in just a few seconds. The lady that came the next day selling cleaning supplies was very sketchy and nutso. Watch out for her, she apparently has cancer, was a drug dealer, and was shot.

I tend to try and keep these people around as long as I can.

When I smell high pressure scam, I figure it is my civic duty to waste as much of his time as I can.
The longer he is with me, the less time he has to bother my neighbors.

Do same thing on political calls from lefty.
I am always an undecided and keep them on the phone for as long as I can.
More time with me, less time for them to call others.

My favorite response to someone who won't stop calling is a small airhorn.

Warn your spouse if you're going to use it, though.

-Mark

any legal suggestions for getting rid of these jerks? I think I'm going to start following them around & telling people they are scammers.

I'm also in Lakeville and they visited me afew days ago.. I think they are canvasing the city.. I live in a newer development and they said they were trying to setup the house for "advertising" to the people driving through. They were talking about how they were "giving" me $2K worth of alarm.. I said just pay me the $2K and leave a sign. I'll tell people they were great, or even give me just $500..

I just put up a no soliciting sign on my door.. I don't like having it up there, but lately it seems there have been more solicitors stopping by..

I also put one up. Could not stand the dog going crazy when they came to the door (was almost daily before the sign went up here in Woodbury). Don't know if it is the economy but I have also noticed a ton more door to door sales at the office too.

The door-to-door stuff has been common in the west metro for several years. Tons of folks in large cargo vans get dumped off in various neighborhoods to sell their wares. Later on when the shift is over, the same van comes around to pick everyone up and bring 'em back to the sleezy-8 they're staying at.

These folks generate a lot of "suspicious person" calls to the police department, especially in affluent neighborhoods where the people who call 911 can never seem to specifically articulate what is suspicious about the person, other than the guy or gal looks different than the typical homeowner in the area. Some people also call 911 to report the sales person was "pushy" or they thought the person was trying to peek inside the house so they could come back an rob them later.

Some cities have tried requiring permits to varying degrees of success for these companies. I know of at least one city who refuses to require permits for the magazine sellers due to first amendment concerns.

They'd go away if we stopped answering the door and buying the crap they sell.

We're getting more of this in my neck of the woods, as well. Last week I was out mowing the lawn when I noticed a small pickup cruising the neighborhood. When I finished mowing and was cleaning off the mower, the pickup stopped in front of my house and one of the guys walked up and started asking me if I was interested in purchasing some tools that his "boss needed to sell". Apparently his "boss" cleaned out some storage locker and this guy was trying to get rid of (2) pressure washers, (2) 12k watt generators and an air compressor. Total value of $17,000 (right.....) and only wanted $2,000 for the bunch. I was a little mad that he caught me in my yard and didn't come to my door. See, my normal mode of dealing with "sales people" is to answer the door making sure that I have my largest pistol strapped to my side and to make sure it's very visible to the "sales person" when I answer. You should see the look on Jehovah's Witnesses when I answer like that!

In any event, maybe it's time to start OC'ing when I'm mowing, too.

I never even open the door for these people. I just look out the side window and shake my head until they get the message. I don't care if they're giving away free gold....going door-to-door is no way to market a product, no matter how good it is.

When I encounter people like this, I report them to the PD (get a license number if they have a vehicle). When in doubt, why not report it?

Sounds alot like they were trying to hawk stolen goods to you....

Yep. Police called and full description given.

I don't have these problems anymore.

Because a "no soliciting" sign doesn't seem to stop all of them, the sign on my front door says very clearly

If you're going door to door FOR ANY REASON
what so ever GO AWAY, I'm not interested!

Those words have worked well. Not one person has come to my door since I put that up.