Crime & Safety

Police Plan Crack Down on Peddlers at Local Holiday Events

The Marblehead Police Department will be on the look out for unauthorized street vendors at many of this year's holiday events.

If you've attended Marblehead's Fourth of July Fireworks Display, the annual downtown Tree Lighting Ceremony or Santa's Arrival by Lobster Boat, you've probably noticed the swarm of street vendors who show up to sell balloons, toys and fluorescent necklaces out of shopping carts to children in the crowd. 

In the hopes of keeping unauthorized peddlers, hawkers, or whatever you choose to call them from showing up at this year's events, organizers have asked Police Chief Robert Picariello to instruct officers to keep an eye out for them.

At their meeting at Abbot Hall Wednesday night, Marblehead Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ann Marie Casey appeared before the Board of Selectmen to explain how local officials are planning to thwart the efforts of area peddlers.

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"We've determined that the best way to verify who is there and who is supposed to be there is by having a sign on each booth that says authorized vendor," Casey said, adding, "So when we have people show up at the very last minute, we're requesting that police have permission to tell them to leave the area."

Board members unanimously approved the Chamber's request and Picariello, who was on hand for Wednesday night's meeting, agreed to have officers keep their eyes peeled for unauthorized vendors.

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"Because this is a chamber-sponsored event, and a community event, we need to pay attention to what goes on around there," Casey said.

What do you think about the Chamber's effort to keep unauthorized vendors away from these events? Do you support keeping peddlers away from the crowd?

Do you have sympathy for the peddlers or enjoy the products they sell?

Let us know in the comments section below.


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