New prostitution warning signs posted in East Salinas

Residents of East Salinas are fed up with prostitution in the area, and someone has posted warning signs in an area known to attract illegal sex workers.

The signs are posted along Market and Kern streets.

“They’re an overwhelming presence,” said Jose, an East Salinas business owner. “They keep coming and coming.”

Jose, who didn’t want to use his last name, runs a store on Market Street and he said he sees prostitutes coming and going every day,and he said it’s bad for business.

“Most of the people come in the daytime, not in the evenings, because they are afraid of them,” Jose said.

The Salinas Police Department said it’s an ongoing problem that is hard to control because many of theprostitutes arefrom out of town, particularly during this time of year.

“Springtime to summertime we get a lot of individuals that come in town for work, and the prostitutes know that,” Officer Jacky Bohn said.

Bohn said prostitution isn’t the only problem; their customers, or “johns,” often become victims of crime.

“They’ll rob them, beat them. And a lot of these men do not report it because for one thing they’re either married, (or) ashamed of what’s going on,” Bohn said.

With low staffing levels, police said it’s hard to combat prostitution. Police know after they’rearrested, they’ll be back.

“They make fun of us, OK, they laugh at us. They say we don’t care — we’ll see you tomorrow,” said Jose.