Is ripping people off a Dallas thing?! (Garland, Mesquite: salon, house)

[loves2read]

trolls on the streets and these forums--

frankly I think Gold's Gym needs to be more pro-active in policing its parking area--and inside the locker areas--they post signs that say they are not responsible but frankly that is bunch of hot air--there are times when businesses ARE responsible for thefts on their premises...

you see the tall observations points that may-may not have police inside them in my area in strip malls and movie theater parking lots where there have been breakins -- I don't know if the locations rent those or if the city puts them in spots more likely to have problems based on past info but I think they are beneficial to certain extent--

file a complaint with Gold's Gym because it sounds like there is a gang of thieves who are targeting that parking lot--and face it--if there is no reason not to--why not...

Dallas police are overworked probably but I have read/see lots of articles that make me think they might be not be too aggressive in doing drive-bys for prevention...and if you have an area you KNOW is going to be targeted for car break-ins (according to the cops)--why aren't you doing something to catch those people--that is like knowing where the bass bite regularly and yet you fish in areas where you don't know if you will catch something or not...

I have had cashiers short me on change--sometimes I DO think it is an attempt to palm the extra money--sometimes it seems they are without a clue--but when the cash register TELLS them how much to return--it seems hard to make a mistake by accident...

SUVs don't have trunks but many of them do have the pull-over cover in the back that is supposed to block prying eyes...do you use that when you know you are carrying something around for more than one stop--even if someone sees you put it back there at one stop they are not likely following you to the next...

if your GPS won't fit in your glove box maybe you should clean out the glove box--
all the portable GPS devices I have seen are palm size or smaller
and carry some moist wipes to wipe where it was stuck on the windshield/dash--
that is "tell" there is one in the car...

frankly if you left your purse under a sweatshirt in your car in Chicago--I am sure there are thieves who could steal it in certain areas as well...you are lucky it has not happened before...

[Joannewebx]

Originally Posted by Rakin

Sounds like at least 3/4 of your problems have been created by your own actions. I also have lived here all my life and never had any of your problems.Maybe Dallas is not for you, maybe moving back to crime free Chicago is the place to be.

Well, I don't know how the cashier attempting to keep the change at Tom Thumb is my fault. And my husband paying cash at the restaurant and the server running his card anyway is not something he would have known at the time. As far as the handyman, I was alone with this man in my home and was not about to start arguing with him; with the way things are going here, God only knows what he would have done. If I were you, I wouldn't spend my energy pointing out the faults of an innocent victim and saying I should just pick up and leave town, but maybe thinking of something more constructive that would actually help the crime rate.

[bluescreen73]

Originally Posted by Joannewebx

I think it's funny you're assuming these people were all Mexicans. I do not know about the purse theft, but the rest were not.

Like the other folks said, my post wasn't a shot at you. It was directed at the person who threw out the thinly-veiled racist quip about illegal immigration - saying that Texas is becoming North Mexico.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by bluescreen73

Got bad news for ya...there are brown people (and criminals) in Colorado, too. You wanna get away from dem dar evil Mexicans you're gonna have to go even further north than that, like say the Arctic Circle.

No kidding. Also, I never saw once in the OP that these rip offs were all committed by Mexicans, either.

To the OP, sounds like a string of bad luck. I've been back in Dallas for almost 13 years and these things are not happening to me, knock on wood! I'm so sorry this has all happened to you.

[JS1]

Originally Posted by Joannewebx

Well, I don't know how the cashier attempting to keep the change at Tom Thumb is my fault. And my husband paying cash at the restaurant and the server running his card anyway is not something he would have known at the time. As far as the handyman, I was alone with this man in my home and was not about to start arguing with him; with the way things are going here, God only knows what he would have done. If I were you, I wouldn't spend my energy pointing out the faults of an innocent victim and saying I should just pick up and leave town, but maybe thinking of something more constructive that would actually help the crime rate.

What we are trying to say is that those things are not unique to Dallas.

My biggest complaint about Dallas is the lack of sidewalks.

[lifertexan]

The crime rate in Dallas is 602,with the theft rate per 100K pop being 3322,and the murder rate 13.

By comparison,Chicago is 615,3032,and 18.Philadelphia is 665,2728,and 23.St Louis is 1082,4864,and 47.OK City is 590,3518,and 10.

While personal incidents and anecdotal stories may make it seem worse than it is,Dallas is not any worse than any other major city,and somewhat better than most.Criminal types abound in any large city.


Is prejudging the entire populace of a city without a real reason a midwestern thing?

[galore]

Originally Posted by Canine*Castle

I don't think the thinking is sad; I think the situation is sad. Well, maybe the thinking is sad because the thinking is factual. I just received a daily email from "Inspired Faith" ... below, and I think it's quite true. That's not to say that there aren't good and decent people left, but it seems like many are out to cheat the world ... or worse.

As we look at this country, we see a nation that is morally bankrupt and in spiritual decline. Vulgarity, indecency, obscenities, lies, and corruption are today’s norm. Economic struggles, terrorist threats, sexual immorality, and the breakdown of families are just a few problems our country faces. We are a fractured people and nation, and we need healing through God’s divine intervention.

Lay off the talk radio, change whatever pessimistic (and dangerous) church you attend and enjoy life. Sheesh!

[Canine*Castle]

Originally Posted by galore

Lay off the talk radio, change whatever pessimistic (and dangerous) church you attend and enjoy life. Sheesh!

I don't attend a dangerous church, just a simple little country Baptist Church in rural Texas and what I posted came via email. Umm, I think it's pretty realistic, but as my Grandpa used to say, "Why worry when one can pray?" Gosh, I loved that guy. Life is enjoyed doing the simple things I revere. I don't listen much to talk radio and watch very little television. My ways are so at the other end of dangerous, and I like it.

[KittySkyfish]

[quote=Joannewebx;13779541]

Originally Posted by KittySkyfish

I've lived in the area for 9 years and don't often have problems. Sorry you seem to be having such a hard time. But if I were to travel to Chicago and meet up with some real idiots, how do you think the locals would feel if I went to their forum and asked if stupidity is a Chicago thing?


The policeman who met me after the Gold's Gym parking lot purse theft said it happens in their lots a couple times a week (mine was at 3:00 p.m.!) One of the workers at Gold's Gym said the window smashings happened probably not a couple times a week, but definately a couple times a month. The policeman also said to never, ever bring anything of value inside to place in a locker since there is a rash of locker burgaleries at gyms here. In the past two months, I have personally seen three windows broken out of cars that are parked in the street in Uptown. I have never seen this before in my life, though obviously it happens, living in Chicago and other places. Even my guy at the bank said there was another client who came to him the next day because their window was smashed in and their wallet was stolen also. Yes, I think at least the break-in method is a regional thing. Then when everything else happened, I did start to wonder what's going on here.

I did a cursory online search of thefts in Chicago. CD readers, prepare yourselves for this...these crimes are going on in Chicago too!!!! I'm amazed that Chicago has so many ex-Dallasites. What a bad influence, we are.

$140K in jewelry stolen from East Bank club (http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/12/cops-100000-in-jewelry-stolen-from-river-north-health-club.html - broken link)

Police Blotter 4/15 (http://www.southtownstar.com/neighborhoodstar/oaklawn/2159962,041510olcops.article - broken link)

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by leigh61870

And this is why I am moving to Colorado! I'm sorry, been here all my life and you know what, people in DFW behave that way now yes. I!

Yep, people in Colorado NEVER rip people off. RIGHT!! Got news for you. Had it happen to me TWICE in Colorado on two different trips in the last few months. And for HUNDREDS of dollars. One was at a place I had made a reservation to stay at while on a family vacation. They REALLY tried to rip us off so bad it got ugly. I could go into detail but won't bore you with the facts but let's just say it was BAD! Then the car rental. Not only us but our friends as well. They tried to get both of us on different things. This was last month. Again, won't bore you with the details but what they did to both of us was outright FRAUD! And they got caught be ME!!! And both of us walked away from the counter paying ONLY what we had agreed upon to begin with. We DID fight for our rights.

Good luck thinking though that you won't get ripped off there though.......


[quote=Joannewebx;13779541]

Originally Posted by KittySkyfish

I've lived in the area for 9 years and don't often have problems. Sorry you seem to be having such a hard time. But if I were to travel to Chicago and meet up with some real idiots, how do you think the locals would feel if I went to their forum and asked if stupidity is a Chicago thing?


The policeman who met me after the Gold's Gym parking lot purse theft said it happens in their lots a couple times a week (mine was at 3:00 p.m.!) One of the workers at Gold's Gym said the window smashings happened probably not a couple times a week, but definately a couple times a month. The policeman also said to never, ever bring anything of value inside to place in a locker since there is a rash of locker burgaleries at gyms here. In the past two months, I have personally seen three windows broken out of cars that are parked in the street in Uptown. I have never seen this before in my life, though obviously it happens, living in Chicago and other places. Even my guy at the bank said there was another client who came to him the next day because their window was smashed in and their wallet was stolen also. Yes, I think at least the break-in method is a regional thing. Then when everything else happened, I did start to wonder what's going on here.

I've never had it happen either and NO, it is NOT a regional thing either. People ALL OVER THE COUNTRY get their windows broken into in their cars and valuables stolen. What a lot of niave thinking going on.

Movie theatres and gyms are the absolute worst places for this kind of thing. They KNOW you are going to be in there for at least an hour. DUH!!! Don't leave valuables so obvious and leaving a purse in a car or suv is just not wise no matter where.

Originally Posted by TXNGL

To the OP, sounds like a string of bad luck. I've been back in Dallas for almost 13 years and these things are not happening to me, knock on wood! I'm so sorry this has all happened to you.

I'd like to know how they are going to explain it all when they get to their utopia and the same stuff happens there.