A man just came to my door saying he was gay and that he and his boyfriend had just moved in across the street. He said he worked at the Bailey Boushay House and he had locked himself out of his house and that the locksmith wanted $45 and he only had $42 and did I have $3. I had only $1 which I gave him, his face fell and he took off. He had been quite chatty up until he saw I only had $1.
I Googled around looking for similar stories as there have been break-ins in the area recently and there were two police officers outside my neighbors’ house this morning, discussing the fact that one of their windows was open. I assume the neighbors had been burgled recently.
Here’s a link to a post on the Roosevelt Neighborhood Blog about this man: http://www.roosiehood.com/2011/04/door-to-door-alert-locksmi
He was about 5’8″, black, skinny (maybe 150 lbs), was missing a number of front teeth, and looked to be about 50.
This guy has been circulating in the CD for years, getting his small contributions here and there, but so far as I know no photos of him posted yet. Just search “fake gay man” in the CentralDistrictNews blog and you’ll come up with many stories about him.
Had this guy come by at 11:30 p.m. with pretty much the exact same story. Told him no sorry and to have the locksmith come by with his business card. Never came back of course.
Patrick, don’t even open the door, or let him see inside your house.
1.) Don’t open your door to strangers at all. Yell through the closed door.
2.) Don’t give money to Patrick.
the first time i saw this guy was 10 YEARS AGO when i first moved to seattle. this must work enough of the time if he’s STILL doing it?
People keep opening their doors for a strange sketchy dude and giving him money. As you said, it’s been going on for years and years.
Why? I don’t fucking know.
Same story, said his name was Patrick and that he’d locked himself out of his parents’ house a few doors down. Same exact locksmith story. He could at least change it up a little.
Same guy tried this at my door last year. There are also others, not Patrick the fake gay guy who has lost his keys, but others both male and female with endless variations of the same story. It seems to be a popular thing in the CD (1st happened at my door in 1987, last happened at my door last winter) to tell a story at someone’s door to get money. Lesson: Call the cops. Everyone who does this is lying at best, scoping out your house for burglary at worst. They’re NEVER actually your new, gay neighbor who works at the school/hospital/YWCA/church whatever who is waiting for the locksmith. Liars and scammers all, and incredibly unoriginal as well.
I should have known better. Just got roped in by the same story at 27th & Alder, same guy Patrick. His story was just plausible enough that I bought it. Should have trusted my Shar Pei who was barking like CRAZY at him.
Lesson learned. I won’t be opening the door for anybody from now on.
glad you are ok, jennkopf.
exactly like you said, don’t open your door. it would only take second for him to push you and rush in, then shut the door, and you’re trapped in your own house with the sketchy dude.
talk thru the door to speak to someone and see what’s up. if someone needs help or whatever call 911.
Patrick is a longtime neighborhood fixture. But we’re on to him.
Patrick the fake gay guy stopped by my place on 29th Ave back in december with his story about needing money for a locksmith… although this time he said he just moved here from Philidelphia for a teaching position at SU. He also said that he had met my neighbors, then talked about how great they are, and how he and his partner loved the neighborhood. Unfortunately, Patrick had locked himself out of his house, called the locksmith and was now incredibly embarrased that he had to ask a neighbor for a few bucks to cover the remainder of the bill.
Evidently he came back to our complex this month (March) and pulled the same exact thing with my neighbor.
Hopefully somebody gets a picture of this guy…