Parking lot deal attracts cops!

shibbershabber · Jun 16, 2009

Anyone have similar experience?

Today I was meeting another forum member to trade some ammo.

We met up in a Parking lot, stood around talking for 5-10 minutes. When it appears that the local busy bodies decided that I was dealing meth and called the police...

A short time after, we were visited by the Milwaukie Police.

Nothing came of it and he left after a minute or two.

Anyone else attract unwanted attention when doing a deal in public?

SavageGerbil · Jun 16, 2009

Perfectly reasonable reaction, you darn kids smoking that gunpowder, you'd think they'd step in and nip that in the bud by inventing smokeless powder...er, wait.

Seriously though, that's always been a concern of mine with parking lot meets (especially being a long haired skinny guy), not that there's a real problem with law enforcement showing up but it can be quite inconvenient.

JC9995 · Jun 16, 2009

I agree.... always a concern..... but not so much for us bald short fat guys.

wayoutwest · Jun 16, 2009

I was in Wisconsin last year, and arranged to meet a guy from ar15.com for a CZ52. We were both licensed C&R. We met at a park and ride just off the highway, I am looking at the CZ, he shows me his Krink which is in the trunk also, pay the guy, and head back to put the gun in the car, look down the road and here come 4 squad cars. 2 were local PD and 2 were Highway Patrol.

I have a nice conversation with one of officers, my friend is in the back of the patrol car for officer safety and the other guy (seller) ended up arrested for concealed carry, WI does not allow it.

Show the officer my ID, FFL license, his signed FFL license, and the CZ and he says thanks much have a good day.

Funny thing is when I had pulled into the lot there were 2 other guys in the plot dressed in Blaze Orange putting rifles into their trucks, they probably didnt get a second look.

willseeker · Jun 17, 2009

It does seem a little obvious when theres a meeting in a vacant parking lot. Vehicles pulling up along side eachother, trunks popping open, packages changing hands. I'd probably look at that scene too with curiosity.
Maybe the most obvious would be the the most un-noticed. Meet in a busltling parking lot where trunks and packages are constantly moving.

You can remove a pair of jeans from a store flipping them in the air in front of the cashier...but try to get them out in duffel bag...you're busted.
(I heard about something like that happening to someone else :s0087:

I think someone has already mentioned a Fred Meyer lot or similar. Pick a corner and trade away.

Anyway my :s0159:

shibbershabber · Jun 17, 2009

Yeah, that old Albertsons parking lot is kind of wide open... but its NE Portland. People expect it

Yesterday's incident was at an apartment complex.

swoop · Jun 17, 2009

Go to north Portland, ammo exchanged daily, no problem.

shibbershabber · Jun 17, 2009

swoop said:
Go to north Portland, ammo exchanged daily, no problem.

Yeah, brass goes one direction, and the bullets goes another. :s0131:

Rugerbub · Jun 18, 2009

My problem is that everyone wants to meet in small towns which i have no problem with. But when u r 6' 1", Bald, 290 lbs and have darker skin than everyone else in the town, Cops always show up!

Redrum · Jun 18, 2009

shibbershabber said:
Yeah, brass goes one direction, and the bullets goes another.

problem is its almost always hardball..thats why the gangsters never die even when they manage to hit each other

Silver Fox · Jun 19, 2009

Wear a military style haircut and act like you own the place. Nobody looks twice.

SF-

Nightshade · Jun 19, 2009

thats right and good advice SF

pdxjohann · Jun 20, 2009

SF, yours wins.

wichaka · Jun 21, 2009

Stay away from major public areas, go out of town somewhere and meet.

284guy · Jun 21, 2009

I had the cops called on me a few months ago, I was in Walmart before the ammo rationing, bought about $200 worth of ammo and a 5 lb bag of potting soil for the house plants. Apparently a lady thought I might be planning to kill someone and bury them with the potting soil....... :s0112:

tionico · Jun 22, 2009

Whenever I buy ammo in a non-gun-store setting I will bring a cart to the gun counter and ask them to bag it in paper, or at least double bag it in small enough lots they don't tear through the cheap bags. At WalMart, anyway, one pays at the gun counter where the purchase is bagged to get it out the front door no questions. Then its off through the car park with "bags" in the buggy....... nothing to rouse suspicion. BiMart, one has to bring the purchase to the front to pay, where they double bag it in heavy paper. Once in the car park, same situation, Never had anyone look askance, ever.

Funny that lady suspected you were on about killing someone then to bury them with potting soil. If you HAD that plan afoot, seems you'd only need a handful of ammunition but a bit more than a cartful of the soil....... shows how illogical the gun-owner-is-evil syndrome can be. Lady hasn't got a clue about reality.

Silver Fox · Jun 22, 2009

Stupid lady... don't you know you need a friend with a pig farm???

SF-

CharlesAFerg · Jun 22, 2009

Silver Fox said:
Wear a military style haircut and act like you own the place. Nobody looks twice.

SF-

...and drive a really, really nice car.

Silver Fox said:
Stupid lady... don't you know you need a friend with a pig farm???

SF-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HAQ3pNHwj4

A righteous infliction of retribution, manifested by an appropriate agent. Personified in this case, by a 'orrible C*. Me.

Great reference.