Sanitation: WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...WE DIDN'T SEE ANYTHING...

It took a while but the con artist's sign is now GONE. Here is the original post:

"We didn't see anything," is what Sanitation has replied, for months, to 311 and Internet complains about THIS sign:  

Is that so hard to see? It's up ALL DAY. 

Sanitation personnel driving by in a car, given the EXACT location of the sign between 77th and 78th, can't see it? What time did they drive by, 7am? 9pm? 

THE MAYOR...THE PUBLIC ADVOCATE...THE CONGRESS PERSON...

Where does the BUCK STOP? 

A sign like this should be CONFISCATED after a second or third strike. The city tows away cars. It's easy to cut the chain on a sign like this. Keep it for 30 days OR simply destroy it. 

Think of the money the city can make if Sanitation CLIPS a sign like this, stows it FLAT somewhere, and then tosses it if they don't get $200 to return the "property." 

There's a big difference between somebody's chained "property" such as a bicycle, and a chained A-Frame sign. Is that so hard to figure out?

What is so difficult about having laws and enforcing them? The sign has a phone number on it. Call the number, explain the sign has been clipped, and they've got 30 days to claim it.

OR, empower Sanitation to write a ticket AND confiscate the sign. "You owe the city $200 for your illegal sign, and if you want it back, pay another $200." There won't be a problem after that, and word will get around to the other phony "psychics" and anyone else playing games with A-frame signs. 

These gypsy swindlers are the ones who are most likely to chain the A-frames because they see others get away with it. This MUST stop. 

It's sad when some immigrant's life savings are taken because they are superstitious and fall for a tarot reader's scan. It's sad when an old person is so confused with grief that a palm reader can do a "bajour" and say "I'll tell you what your deceased loved one's advice is...for a PRICE...." 

We all know the carny tricks these creeps use.  

Sanitation should be allowed to fine and clip signs and answer complaints PROMPTLY. If someone reports a sign being up at NOON, don't say "We arrived at 7 am and didn't see it." BE ACCOUNTABLE. Also, if the complaints keep coming in, take that extra step and show up THE SAME DAY. 

Get the 19th Precinct in on this. Haul the gypsy down to The Tombs for 3 days, and maybe she won't put up another sign so quickly. Maybe she'll even LEAVE TOWN.