Panhandlers are becoming more aggressive and affecting business in a big way.
Recently, one of them shouted death threats at the owner of Galactic Comics, who provided 10News with several surveillance video clips to give an idea of just how bad things have gotten.
Draize provided 10News with several surveillance video clips captured from inside and outside of Galactic Comics in Ocean Beach.
Draize says one of the aggressive panhandlers seen in his surveillance video lives in an inlet between his store and another and in a video clip can be seen urinating in a cup, then dumping it in front of his store.
"A lot of these incidents are causing just a lot of extra time and burden on the local shop holders and local shop owners in the area," said Draize.
Draize feels that an anti-panhandling ordinance – like other U.S. cities have adopted – where nobody could panhandle within 15 feet of an ATM or a business entrance, would be extremely effective and help curb the situation at hand.
"They're aggressively panhandling people and what that does is it frightens folks who would come down and be an economic benefit as well as a just general benefit to the community … families and their children, people with kids," he said. "Those are the kind of people who we need in Ocean Beach to help the local economy thrive and to make people feel that Ocean Beach is a good and safe place to visit."
http://www.10news.com/news/business...ive-panhandlers-are-hurting-business-08032013
Recently, one of them shouted death threats at the owner of Galactic Comics, who provided 10News with several surveillance video clips to give an idea of just how bad things have gotten.
Draize provided 10News with several surveillance video clips captured from inside and outside of Galactic Comics in Ocean Beach.
Draize says one of the aggressive panhandlers seen in his surveillance video lives in an inlet between his store and another and in a video clip can be seen urinating in a cup, then dumping it in front of his store.
"A lot of these incidents are causing just a lot of extra time and burden on the local shop holders and local shop owners in the area," said Draize.
Draize feels that an anti-panhandling ordinance – like other U.S. cities have adopted – where nobody could panhandle within 15 feet of an ATM or a business entrance, would be extremely effective and help curb the situation at hand.
"They're aggressively panhandling people and what that does is it frightens folks who would come down and be an economic benefit as well as a just general benefit to the community … families and their children, people with kids," he said. "Those are the kind of people who we need in Ocean Beach to help the local economy thrive and to make people feel that Ocean Beach is a good and safe place to visit."
http://www.10news.com/news/business...ive-panhandlers-are-hurting-business-08032013
