A team of pushy door-to-door salesmen in Ahwatukee Foothills refuse to take no for an answer.
The salesmen are selling a high-power cleaner, at $40 a bottle, and going door to door, mostly in The Foothills area. When residents say no, at least some of the salesmen become rude and hostile, police said.
“They don’t get that ‘no’ means ‘no’ and that they need to leave,” Sgt. Bryant Rockwood said.
Police have limited options if residents don’t want to help to prosecute pushy salesmen for trespassing.
In one case, Rockwood was called to a home by a man who couldn’t get a salesman to leave even after insisting four times he go. But when Rockwood asked if the resident was willing to press charges, the man said no, leaving the Phoenix police sergeant with few options.
“I was really surprised that he didn’t want to prosecute” Rockwood said.
Police are investigating the company and the salesmen, but Rockwood said the simplest way to combat a heavy-handed sales pitch, from anyone, is to keep the door closed when strangers knock.
“If you see someone at the door you don’t know, I wouldn’t open the door,” Rockwood said. Instead, ask through the door what they want and decline politely if you aren’t interested. If they insist on trying to sell you something you don’t want, tell them you will call the police if they don’t leave and then follow through.
“Call us; let us come out and document the contact,” Rockwood said.
