NEW ORLEANS -- Neighbors are on edge about a mysterious door-to-door visitor in one Uptown neighborhood.
The Faubourg Marengo Neighborhood Association received at least six reports this week from concerned residents who say a child has been soliciting money early in the morning.
"There have been reports of a young boy, maybe11-years-old or so, sometimes in a school uniform, sometimes not, going from one house to the next early in the morning," said bob smith with the Faubourg Marengo Neighborhood Association.
Smith e-mailed alerts to his neighbors about the unusual knock on the door and the young boy claiming his grandmother forgot to give him money for the day.
"Asking for lunch money and bus money and a man has been spotted out in the street kind of waiting on him but everybody hasnt' seen the man, they'd seen this young boy," said Smith.
"A lot of eyes are better then just a few eyes," said Commander Robert Bardy of NOPD's Sixth District.
Police are looking into the reports of suspicious activity and Commander Bardy is warning the public to air on the side of caution.
"I don't care if its 9 o'clock at night or 7 o'clock in the morning. If you don't feel confident, don't open your door under any circumstance," said Commander Bardy.
"It makes you feel afraid, its not just this neighborhood its all over," said Uptown resident Bessie Nelson of the crime in New Orleans. Friday afternoon she was keeping a watchful eye on her great-grandson and his friends. Nelson is disturbed to hear a young boy is going door-to-door in the neighborhood.
"If that's what his father or whoever that man is that's doing this, that has him out begging for money. Its really not right," added Nelson.
"It could be somebody trying to set you up for a robbery," said Smith who worries that the young boy may be part of something more ominous.
"I think its good to be charitable and that should be our main motivation in everything we do, but there is a time when you take a risk with the safety of your family when maybe you should pull back from being so charitable and try to find another way to do it that's safer," said Smith.
In some cases, the Faubourg Marengo Neighborhood Association says homeowners did give the young boy money.
Police say if you notice any suspicious activity to call NOPD immediately.
