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Remember the old radio serial, Chickenman, a.k.a, “The most fantastic crimefighter the world has ever known”?

Chickenman’s slogan was, “He’s everywhere! He’s everywhere!”

And so it is that Gypsy/Roma scammers are everywhere in the Greater Toronto Area – and beyond.

Some pretend to play a violin Milli Vanilli style; some beg for money in order to fund urgent life-saving heart operations (even though such procedures are covered by the ever-beleaguered taxpayer via the Ontario Health Insurance Program…but never mind); some pretend they are citizens from Dubai who were robbed blind and desperately need money (and will trade their 18-karat gold rings for cash except that – shockers! – the rings are made of copper and are worthless.)

Meanwhile, the most prevalent Gypsy/Roma scam involves women occupying traffic islands begging for money so that they can feed their three/four/five/six kids. (The question arises: who’s caring for these broods as mama solicits donations? Hey, stop asking pesky queries already!)

And so it was that Rebel News encountered a duo of these grifters at the busy north Toronto intersection of Lawrence Avenue West and Black Creek Drive.

Notably, they were the same “destitute” mothers that Rebel News videographer Lincoln Jay first encountered many months ago in the City of Mississauga, which is several kilometres to the west. But wait a second: how is that impoverished Mississauga mamas are doing her schtick in the City of Toronto? How did they get there?

As Lincoln exposed in his video, it’s all part of a racket. After their “shift” ends, a vehicle drops by to pick them up to either return them home or go to another location that is perhaps more conducive to begging.

We wanted to ask questions of this dynamic duo in order to clear things up. And what happened? Well, they literally ran away. One went to a plaza on the southeast corner of the intersection while the other went into the woods on the northwest side.

Now, why would that be? Perhaps because they knew we were on to their scam?

And that’s the crux of the matter: we’re quite certain these Gypsy/Roma scammers are not destitute and that they are taking advantage of every social welfare program that’s available. The grifting represents a full-time job for them so that they can “double-dip” (and better yet, since there’s no record of their cash donations, this is tax-free income.)

The worst part of this sordid saga is that there are indeed genuinely homeless people who could use help. But these scammers take advantage of the generosity of Good Samaritans under false pretense. It’s shameful, but then again, these grifters have no shame.

In the meantime, should you visit the forested area near Lawrence Avenue West and Black Creek Drive in the near future please note: the hills have eyes.