Panhandling as prelude to a robbery?

[zmgmeister.livejournal.com]

OK, with the current discussion about crime I want to ask an opinion of the group. If you have a couple of youths ask you on the street for money, and they don't look homeless, is it a good idea to call the cops on them as "suspicious persons" or is it just me being suspicious?

Comments

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

If you're asking for money and hoping people will give you money out of pity, that's one thing.

If you're asking for money and hoping people will give you money out of fear, that's another thing, especially if you're willing to escalate.

I have some sympathy with the position that a bunch of idle youths asking for money are more likely to be the latter than someone who is obviously in bad shape and down on their luck.

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

(Not that I especially think well of panhandling in general. But as a crime, it's a long way from robbery.)