Alleged brothel visitors warned via mail

[sam]

Alleged brothel visitors warned
AMALIE NASH
News Staff Reporter

After the latest undercover sting that shuttered an alleged brothel, Ann Arbor Police decided to try a new tactic that they hope will scare off the customers that frequent such businesses.

The department's Special Investigations Unit mailed more than 40 letters to the registered owners of vehicles that had been spotted at various times parked outside a west side business where police say sex acts were being offered for money.

Based on the response police got, Sgt. Brian Jatczak said he believes the message got through.

Weeding out sex-for-profit businesses in the city has been a priority for SIU since 1998, when a federal undercover operation was launched and eventually resulted in the closing of five spas that police say were a front for prostitution. Three additional suspected brothels have been busted in the last 18 months - most recently Skin Care Philosophie in the 2300 block of Shelby Avenue on the city's west side.

Police officials have repeatedly said they're trying to send a strong message that brothels won't be tolerated in Ann Arbor.

Skin Care Philosophie formerly operated under a different name in Scio Township and had moved to an old office building in Ann Arbor for several months before it was shut down. The business advertised facials, hair removal, light touch massage and hot stone therapy.

During a six-week undercover probe, police noted the license plate numbers of customers seen coming and going from the storefront - as they have in the past investigations. After they raided the spa in mid-October, they mailed letters to customers.

In the letters, police noted they were investigating prostitution at the business, and the letter recipient's car was seen there at a specific time during the investigation. They asked the recipients to contact police to set up a time to talk.

Some denied being there, Jatczak said, while others admitted it. Some hired attorneys. And because some of the vehicles were also registered to women, men weren't the only ones calling police to ask what was going on, Jatczak said.

"They didn't really seem surprised when they called, but I'm sure some were when they got the initial letter,'' said Jatczak, head of SIU.

[elecn]

Not that I support this action I'm about to describe -- it's illegal or in a grey area of the law but wouldn't it be fun if:

Since they're capturing license plates, why not take it a step farther? Call up the DMV to confirm the car belongs to the owner, then perhaps the cops can call the regional cellphone companies and get the numbers to the owners cell phones. Call them up while they're "in the spa" or getting massaged and say ''It's 2 a.m. Do you know where your wife is?''

Put the program of domestic surveilance of terrorists to good use. No, actually isn't there a better way? Some people need to learn how to get together without invoking commercial or predatory interests.