Scary Situation!

[Luv Bunnies]

I just heard something really disturbing and scary and need to type it out to process it. Thanks for bearing with me.

My uncle lives in a small town about 2 1/2 hours from where we live. He owns a shoes sales and repair business on the main street that he inherited from my grandfather. In the past several years, he's started a check cashing business that he runs out of the store. His customers are mostly immigrants who work in the fields. They don't have bank accounts or any other way to cash their paychecks. Many of them will cash their checks and then buy something from him so he feels like it brings in more business.

The problem is the way he does it. He goes to the bank and gets between 20 and 30K in cash and keeps in behind the counter in a locked case. People in the town generally know the money is there and when it's busy he doesn't even keep it locked (I've been there and seen it sitting open and scolded him about it many times). He just blows off our warnings and says he knows what he's doing. A couple of years ago, his girlfriend told my mom that someone stole 10K from the case while my uncle was outside (probably smoking). He never told my mom because he didn't want to hear about it from her.

So last night when my uncle was at the store alone, a guy came in and pulled out a gun. He said, "Where's the money?" My uncle already had it hidden in the store since he was about to close. The guy shoved him into the bathroom and told him to stay there. So my uncle, who pretty much makes his own rules no matter what the situation, left the bathroom and tried to go out the back door. They guy shoved him onto his behind and told him to stay there. After not finding the money, the guy got nervous and demanded my uncle's wallet which he gave him. Then he ran out the front door (pushing on the glass door with his hand which apparently made some pretty good prints). He said he's never seen the guy before but obviously he knows about "the money."

I really hope my uncle drops the check cashing business immediately. It's just too dangerous. Actual check casking businesses are set up with safes and the employees are behind bullet proof glass with little windows to help customers. He's just a sitting duck in an open store. And he's one of those people who always knows best. No one can give him advice or tell him anything. The only person he might listen to is his girlfriend so hopefully she can talk some sense into him. I should also add that he's not a young guy. He's 75 so it's not like he can fight back if someone tries to rob him again. If you made it this far, thanks for listening!

 

[Luv2Scrap]

That sounds really scary! Last night my Social Psychology instructor brought up the point that today's elderly community are from an era where they trusted everyone, and people were pretty much always good for their word. Unfortunately, that is why they make such easy targets today.

 

[JulielovesDisney]

Oh wow, that is really scary! He should definitely stop doing that and let the professional companies cash checks.

Thank goodness he wasn't harmed!

 

[Handbag Lady]

See if he is willing to have some construction done to create a safe booth or a cage with bullet-proof glass. This way, he can continue his business and the family can feel safer. If he is willing to risk that much cash all the time, certainly you can convince him to part with some of it for safety.

I'd hate to take something away from him at his age yet he needs to be safe.

 

[dislaney]

That is really scary. Sad that things are the way they are now, isn't it? Hope he stays safe!

 

[Luv Bunnies]

See if he is willing to have some construction done to create a safe booth or a cage with bullet-proof glass. This way, he can continue his business and the family can feel safer. If he is willing to risk that much cash all the time, certainly you can convince him to part with some of it for safety.

I'd hate to take something away from him at his age yet he needs to be safe.

I think a cage would be a good idea if it was only a check cashing business. It's primarily a shoe store so he needs to be out helping customers and doing repairs behind the counter. When a check cashing customer comes in, he just grabs the money from under the counter. The other thing is that the check cashing part isn't advertised. He only cashes checks for people he knows or that are referred by people he knows. It's literally an "under the counter" kind of thing.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

That sounds really scary! Last night my Social Psychology instructor brought up the point that today's elderly community are from an era where they trusted everyone, and people were pretty much always good for their word. Unfortunately, that is why they make such easy targets today.

Maybe that's true in some parts of the country, but I vividly remember my DMIL talking about how great it is today that girls who work as waitresses don't get raped without recourse (she worked as a waitress in the late 30's) and that kids have some recourse to being beaten half to death by abusive parents.

Another dear old lady once told me that she was soooo proud of one her former students, as he's now very famous in the literary world and once thanked her for teaching him everything he knows about rhetoric. She finished with the comment that she didn't know why he insisted on living in NYC, as it's okay now for boys to like other boys in places other than NYC and it won't get you killed the way it used to, and isn't it great how much better the world is now?

Finally, I vividly remember the advice given to me when I was a newlywed: If your husband ever hits you, the dear woman in her 90's informed me, you wait until he's asleep, then you sew him into the sheets and you beat the tar out of him with a broomstick. (I later found out that Willie Nelson's wife did this to him in the early 1970's. . .my guess is that this piece of advice was passed around by women at one point. . .)

So, honestly, I don't think the world was any safer, the mores were just different. Being dishonest or a bad actor, at least in some places, was just more likely to get you killed, so the risk was, perhaps, lower, but I don't think, overall the world was any better 80 years ago.

 

[a1tinkfans]

he got lucky this time. Sounds like he needs to re-think his money making situation!

 

[PattnFmly]

Wow! Too scary! Maybe if he's only cashing for people he knows, he could set up a specific time with them, like only Fridays between 5-6 pm. And have a strong looking assistant in the store with him during that time so he's not alone?

 

[cm8]

Wow! Too scary! Maybe if he's only cashing for people he knows, he could set up a specific time with them, like only Fridays between 5-6 pm. And have a strong looking assistant in the store with him during that time so he's not alone?

, I really think that is a great idea. I do have a question though, If he is doing that under the table, does that mean what he is doing illegal? I know that he is helping out and all but he is making himself a target and needs to get some protection for his own good. If what he is doing is legal, I think he should have a day and time like this poster mentioned and have the police presence needed to provide him with safety. Here is SC, all tax payers can request escorts and security from the sheriff offices and they will usually escort you ( businesses) to the banks, secure your businesses and even look around and help you lock up if you ask. Just might be something he is interested in. I am glad that he is alright.

 

[SandrA9810]

I don't think there's anything illegal. It's not easy cashing third party checks anymore, especially without paying a high fee. Since most these people don't have bank accounts, they'd probably be charged a 5-10$ fee for cashing the check.

It's a scary situation, and at 75, he should probably be looking for assistance. He won't be able to keep the store much longer. And if he wants it to fall into good hands, he should start looking now. Are his kids interested in keeping the business or will they just sell it?? If they're only about selling it, I think it'd be better to go out of the family and stay open. Rather than trying to keep it in the family. You know??

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

Maybe that's true in some parts of the country, but I vividly remember my DMIL talking about how great it is today that girls who work as waitresses don't get raped without recourse (she worked as a waitress in the late 30's) and that kids have some recourse to being beaten half to death by abusive parents.

Another dear old lady once told me that she was soooo proud of one her former students, as he's now very famous in the literary world and once thanked her for teaching him everything he knows about rhetoric. She finished with the comment that she didn't know why he insisted on living in NYC, as it's okay now for boys to like other boys in places other than NYC and it won't get you killed the way it used to, and isn't it great how much better the world is now?

Finally, I vividly remember the advice given to me when I was a newlywed: If your husband ever hits you, the dear woman in her 90's informed me, you wait until he's asleep, then you sew him into the sheets and you beat the tar out of him with a broomstick. (I later found out that Willie Nelson's wife did this to him in the early 1970's. . .my guess is that this piece of advice was passed around by women at one point. . .)

So, honestly, I don't think the world was any safer, the mores were just different. Being dishonest or a bad actor, at least in some places, was just more likely to get you killed, so the risk was, perhaps, lower, but I don't think, overall the world was any better 80 years ago.

You said that perfectly.