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Health & Fitness

Homeless man attempts extortion

Homeless man arrested while attempting to shake down a citizen before returning private property.

Meet "Willie". Willie (pretty sure Willie Williams was not his real name) claims to be homeless, but Willie was really a crook. And now Willie is in jail for extortion.

Seems Willie found my scooter keys next to my scooter yesterday afternoon on my property. I was out at a medical procedure, so Willie walked in and asked our receptionist about whose scooter it was and such. When she indicated I was the owner and I was out, he left his number and said to call that "he had something for me (owner of the scooter)". She called a few internal people to report this 'weird guy' asking about the scooter.

I miss all that because I sleep off the anesthesia, until this morning, when the doorbell rang and there is Willie. I am thinking he wants to buy the scooter. Only Willie's story is not so easy.

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Willie starts this song and dance about asking me if I loved my scooter and how much was it worth and such trying to jerk me around like a puppet, insisting I answer his questions. Being awoken by a man who insisted on me answering the typical panhandler greeting "how you doing sir?" and expecting a polite "Fine sir and you?" does not put one in the best of moods.

You guys know the drill. Anyway...4 questions per above later I finally say "fine". What's the point of the visit?

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Willie claimed to be a hero, running off some street thug who was trying to steal the scooter! Yay Willie! And Willie KNOWS the guy who tried to steal it and has my keys and for some MONEY he would glad to fetch the keys. No, he does not have the keys but if I pay him he will get them for me.

Extortion. That, coupled with being awakened at *not a good hour for me* puts things in a bad way quick.

Being a Good Samaritan does not include withholding property you know is not yours and demanding a reward for your 'services'. That is kind of...criminal.

This lead to escalating protests, bickering arguing and me finally chasing the guy in the cold rain in my tee shirt from Spring4th almost to the Fox Theater!

Had no idea I had that much of a run in me. But it motivates me to catch this jerk.

Not having my phone on me, I return and call APD, wheezing. Officer P and his partner fill out the report. They were skeptical that unless I could get the guy to meet again, it would just be an incident and missing keys report.

I remembered he said had come by yesterday, so we checked with receptionist.

And there it was....

Willie: he left me his phone number yesterday.

Oh Willie. Will it be this easy?

So with APD listening, I call on the speaker phone, make arrangements for him to come back (assuring in humble tones that everything would be cool) to return my only set of keys (lie) for $100 (big bait). He will be there in 10 minutes.

Willie comes back promptly because $100 is like...$100 man! While he sits there and I'm carefully making out a receipt and chit chatting, receptionist makes the call, APD comes up hehind him, cuffs him, and Willie goes off to jail, all the while blabbering conflicting stories, as if that would help. Sorry Willie, I had to fib to you. You left me no choice.

Score +1 for the good guys.

APD Zone 5 did a great job and should me commended. Receptionist did as well. She got a $50 reward for keeping her cool and doing her part by calling the officer direct when Willie arrived. The officers were professional and proactive enough to wait for Willie around the corner. Hell, I would have given Willie a decent reward if he had just volunteered to hand over the keys yesterday or this morning.

Remember people, never reward people for things they didn't earn.

APD Case no 130940664 Excellent Job Officer P! Commendations all around for them being patient and waiting for the return.

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