WTAP News
Katie Sabatino
Bob Sanes of Parkersburg has been a Wood County builder job years.
He prides himself on his work and was shocked to learn Tuesday that a couple of thieves have been in this Cypress Street neighborhood passing themselves off as craftsmen.
"It's sad to say. It takes all kinds you know...especially on older people like her over there," says Sanes.
He's talking about the 85 year old woman that lives across the way, who was victimized by two suspected gypsies Monday.
Police say it was around 6:00 that two men approached the home wanting to install linoleum floors.
Even though the woman said no thanks..she continued chatting with one of the men, not noticing the other had sneaked behind the house... Stealing her cash and jewelry.
"They're very good at what they do. They pray upon the elderly," says Parkersburg Detective Greg Nangle.
Nangle warns that the troubling scenario has all the characteristics of a group known as Irish travelers...Or Gypsies.
"It's a group of people out of South Carolina and Georgia...their life long ambition is to scam people out of money," says Nangle.
According to Parkersburg officials, these Irish travelers are nothing new to Wood County.
In fact this is becoming a yearly occurrence...When these so called gypsies begin traveling the country looking for an easy scam.
"My advice to the citizens of Wood County would be if you have not solicited someone to come to your home and they come unannounced, you need to get rid of them quickly, observe what they are driving and what they look like and go ahead and call 911," says Nangle.
Original Internet Source
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
Katie Sabatino
Bob Sanes of Parkersburg has been a Wood County builder job years.
He prides himself on his work and was shocked to learn Tuesday that a couple of thieves have been in this Cypress Street neighborhood passing themselves off as craftsmen.
"It's sad to say. It takes all kinds you know...especially on older people like her over there," says Sanes.
He's talking about the 85 year old woman that lives across the way, who was victimized by two suspected gypsies Monday.
Police say it was around 6:00 that two men approached the home wanting to install linoleum floors.
Even though the woman said no thanks..she continued chatting with one of the men, not noticing the other had sneaked behind the house... Stealing her cash and jewelry.
"They're very good at what they do. They pray upon the elderly," says Parkersburg Detective Greg Nangle.
Nangle warns that the troubling scenario has all the characteristics of a group known as Irish travelers...Or Gypsies.
"It's a group of people out of South Carolina and Georgia...their life long ambition is to scam people out of money," says Nangle.
According to Parkersburg officials, these Irish travelers are nothing new to Wood County.
In fact this is becoming a yearly occurrence...When these so called gypsies begin traveling the country looking for an easy scam.
"My advice to the citizens of Wood County would be if you have not solicited someone to come to your home and they come unannounced, you need to get rid of them quickly, observe what they are driving and what they look like and go ahead and call 911," says Nangle.
Original Internet Source
EDITORIAL COMMENT:
He's talking about the 85-year-old woman that lives across the way, who was victimized by two suspected Gypsies on Monday.
One can only wonder what would happen if the word Gypsies were substituted by the Jews or Muslims. Mind you, I don't think we have to wonder what would happen should any journalist dared to use the word "Jews" in such a context. He would be out of a job and probably charged with some felony to boot. But when it has to do with Gypsies (suspected even only) then there is no problem. It is not only in the USA that we find this. Similar statements have been in the press and on police information websites in Germany (no surprise there, I guess) and even the UK. It has to be said, if one reads carefully, that they are talking about Irish Travelers, as it says, "Nangle warns that the troubling scenario has all the characteristics of a group known as Irish travelers... Or Gypsies." While the Irish Traveler part does not surprise me and the statement is correct when Parkersburg Detective Greg Nangle goes on to say "or Gypsies" then he is in the wrong because he equates in his mind, and the minds of all others, Irish Travelers with Gypsies, while the term Gypsy should only be applied to Romani. And, because it is equated with out People, the Romani-Gypsy, it is defaming our People as a Race.
