Wouldn't Ya Know...They are at it again! Note to Police Chief Miller!

It was reported long ago to Voter, that there were cars lined up on 165th when the Army Surplus Store went out of business.

Once I reported it to Voter, had not seen anything like today!

Although Dollar General has occupied that space, and I happened to have passed it today, Easter Sunday, on my way to a relative's home...lo and behold, double the amount of cars for sale parked not only on 165th Street, by the Dollar Store, but in the alleys behind it.

Now, I'm not exagerating, if that was the least of it...but the alleys behind it, you could witness people checking out cars with the hood up, in the alley alongside the store.

If that doesn't startle you, allow me to tell you a tale about last summer/late summer when I was a patron at that store.

I was approached by a teen-aged kid, asking me for money to take a bus to to "get on the train in South Hammond" cuz, he "just got out of school, and his friend can't make it to pick him up!"

Naturally, I'm naive, want to help out mankind, and told him I had no money to give him. but would "gladly give him a lift to the station in Hammond".

That is when he asked me if I needed any drugs; any kind I would like. As usual, I turned on the charm., and deceived him back. He gave me his phone number. I kept it for a long while. My usual thing is to turn it into the cops...but since they dissed me once, I thought maybe I would be making a fool out of myself again...and eventually threw it away.

I didn't get the help from you.;..how do you expect me to do your job?

Anyway, for your INFORMATION, for a long while, those "For Sale" cars disappeared for a long year almost, after contacting Mr. Voter.

I see they are now back. Afterall, it's EASTER, so I assume it's ok on a religious holiday, notwithstanding any other holiday...

Do you realize the revenue Hammond is missing out of when these creeps come to town, sign a title over, not paying the revenue nececessary to validate transferable titles?

Just updating you.

Making you aware that it has stepped up again on a religious day, thinking the town is without the cops.

Make sure you check the alleys...it's not just limited to 165th Street at the Former Army Surplus store, and who knows if this operation is occuring under code? How much revenue is this so-called outfit denying revenue to the state/city?

Sign over the title, a done deal. Rent a lot to pay real taxes and these scumbags pay no business license, no property/business license?

Crawl out and see for yourself...it's Easter, but worth the trip right now to catch them "off-guard".

Hope someone reads this and alerts you today. I can't call, so maybe someone will for me.

There is not only illegal car selling, but kids approaching us to buy drugs at that location.

I hope someone sees this today and reports it to the 911 center to catch them while they can.

Wouldn't that be effectively an illegal car lot? Seems like they need to have a license to offer more than 5 cars or so for sale, but perhaps I'm mistaken.

It's a practice known as "curbstoning or Curbstoners ". Basically it's someone who parks his vehicles for sales on a public street and then buys ads in the classifieds as if he's a private party selling the car. Anyone considering doing business with one of them should think again.

There were at least 8 or more cars.

What and why do they continually do this when other legal car lots have to buy a business license, register with the state, etc.

I left out the details with the kid with the back-pack...he said hhe attended Purdue and his friend was to pick him up after school. When he said he needed a ride to South Hammond's train station, I told him that was in North Hammond.

Then he asked me for money to take a bus. I told him I didn't have the money, but would take him to the train station Hammond...he said, "I just need money to take the bus."

I said, why would you walk from Purdue to almost the IL State Line, and not just walk to the train station...

He then went on to ask me if I needed any drugs...I asked him, "What kind?" He replied, "Any kind you want!" I said, "No, don't have any money but I know someone who would buy from you."

That's when he gave me his cell number, and said to ask for a certain name he wrote down, which led me to believe he really was in for selling drugs.

I don't know what it is about me, but I got flagged down in Dolton a couple years ago, just trying to see my family home I grew up in, and some guy and gal at the opposite stop sign, flagged me to stop. The guy hopped out, asked me if I wanted to buy drugs...

I took his number, dropped it off at the police station. I went to school with the Investigator, and that's how I know he got arrested.

I would be on the look-out over there, because the kid at the Dollar General, after giving me his number, (now I regret not giving it to the police), instead of heading down a sidewalk, he ducked down south in the alley, alongside Dollar General.

I hope the police patrol that area...seems like something funny is happening over there. Not just with the 8 plus cars lined up on 165th, but in the alley, and this kid I was talking about.

I really regret not turning that number in...whether it turned out fake or not, it may have led them to something. He didn't look old enough to be going to college., either.