Does anyone have any experience with Romani scams in your area?  There is a growing population in my AO and we are starting to see some victimization.  I could use some info from those experienced with combating Romani crime.  Feel free to I'M me.

Thanks in advance and stay frosty,
Hagdaddy

One scam is to stop at rural farmstead and offer to paint metal barn roof.  They cut the paint with other products to make it go further. First rain and it washes off.  One stopped at my farm last year.  Vehicle tag from Louisiana.  He tried to sweet talk me into paint job on my buildings.  They are highly skilled on the smooth talking. Told him I don't intend to fall for his gypsy bullshit and to get his ass off my property.  He left rather quickly.  

My great grandfather fell for their driveway paving scam twenty years ago when he was still alive. They prey on the elderly and naïve people.  No contract and they bring out a single load of asphalt. Don't finish job correctly but do enough to avoid criminal prosecution. Most folks that are scammed don't have the time or money to file a civil case.   I have no use for the gypsy scamsters.

They are called Travelers here.  Not exactly all one ethnic group, most would fit under the term "white trash"

They really like the roof hail damage and body repair scams. (We have a lot of hail here)  Out of state plates are almost a requirement.  Some of them use the internet to look for victims.

What do you want to know?

They LOVE ID theft. They will have multiple names and arresting/printing is the best way to get a real ID. They will rotate who they have in your area. It spreads their crime across the entire country and it helps in not getting an easy ID on them.

If you don't have skimming problems, you soon will. You will also see them pray on the elderly, with the scams. Go hard and don't let up.

Watch out for dags and periwinkle blue caravans for his ma.

I had a gypsy crew come to inspect my roof after the bad storm that hit Rowlett.  I think he had WV plates.  I told him to fuck off and that I'd be calling the cops on his gyppo ass.  He flew out of the neighborhood.

When that bad hailstorm rolled thru here last spring there were so many of these jackasses that there would be a couple on every street going door to door. It go so bad they were putting  signs in the empty lots in the subdivision and on every phone pole around. I must of had a dozen show up at my door.

There is an influx of them coming across the border claiming political asylum. Many are coming from the UK/Italy. There will probably be an upswing in scamming trends soon enough.

Yeah ID theft, big time shoplifting "as in every Ham in the counter". They like looking for old retired people, asking for water while a few rummage the house. America must be the promised Land to them, the ones place the cops cant beat them and they get out of jail free time and again. Along with welfare. My memories of them were big time Pro shoplifters. I once watched a crew empty an entire display of cigarette cartons, located right in front of a service desk with 3 girls working it, and Load dozens of cartons in three carts before rolling them out the door. They were so slick had I not been there not one single person in the store would have noticed and they would have gotten away with it.

I can tell you the Romani are thoroughly hated. Truly believe if Europe, especially Italy, fell into lawless disorder the Romani would disappear as fish food. Can't tell how deeply they are hated.

Romani tend to stay at area campgrounds around our area. Touch base with campground management to have them call you if they arrive, you'll be ahead of their game. Or drive through yourself or other officers. I recall most of their vehicles had Illinois plates and their campers and campsite had a "look" about them.

Knowing their arrival you trigger alerts for their usual scams. Proactive is best way to deal with them. After being styimied a few years they look for greener pastures.

Your AO, meaning Kansas?  Would you be willing to share generally where you're noticing the uptick in activity, like what city?

Thanks for all the replies.  My AO is near Wichita.  Had a few pulling the driveway sealant scams.  I called them out on their bullshit and told them I knew who they were.  Essentially told them they weren't welcome in our city and I would make sure we prosecuted them for everything I could get on them.  They moved on and we haven't had any calls on them since late August.