Channel 3 Reports On Suspicious Visitor In Fairfax

Fairfax, Vermont - June 10, 2005

"There was a call of a suspicious male apparently selling some products to a person in the Fairfax area. She smartly called police with this complaint," says Lt. Evans of the Vermont State Police.

Lt. Evans says many local companies use door-to-door selling techniques, and that the man involved in this incident may have been legitimate. But he says to stay safe, residents have to be smart consumers.

"People need to be vigilant, people need to be cautious. It's a different day and age now. People need to take control of their personal safety."

It's like what we tell children - don't talk to strangers. And Lt. Evans says adults don't have to open the door for them, either."

"Nothing says they are required to come to the front door if they don't know who the person is whose knocking. They are not required to have conversations they aren't familiar with."

Don Fleming says many salesmen have knocked on his door, but he has had no problems.

"We watch out for each other as neighbors. If we see a suspicious vehicle or something, we look out for each other," says Fleming.

Reporter: "So you aren't concerned about this then?"

Fleming: "No, but I can see where a woman at home alone with kids would have a problem with it."

That's why Lt. Evans says the woman who called did the right thing.

"There was a concern on her part and she felt something was suspicious and that's what we've been asking the citizens to do on a daily basis," says Lt. Evans.

The police only received one complaint this week about the mystery salesman and it was from the woman who called. But Lt. Evans encourages anyone who encounters similar situations to contact the police right away.

Lt. Evans says that although Fairfax does not have its own police department, that these complaints are investigated. Late word from Fairfax is that a deputy sheriff and a St. Albans police officer have talked to the man in question and he is a vacuum cleaner salesman. The email story was circulated by another person who has reportedly told friends a few of the facts were exaggerated.

Jessica Abo - Channel 3 News