7 NEWS WHDH-TV Boston’s Excellent Report on Robin Hooding

Not all TV news is created equal. 7 News Boston’s Ryan Schulteis’ excellent report on the Robin Hooding lawsuit by the “City of Keene” is the best one yet. Only positive responses from people on the street and the city looks bad for not returning calls for comment.

Click here for their video. Here’s the text of the report:

KEENE, N.H. (WHDH) — A group of men and women in New Hampshire say they’re just trying to help people avoid parking tickets, but Robin Hood and his merry men are looking at a lawsuit and could end up paying the price.

“When you save someone from a ticket people are really appreciative of that,” said Garrett Ean, “Robin Hood of Keene”.

The Robin Hooders patrol the streets of Keene searching for the parking officers and try to beat them — with coins — to the meter.

“My husband had it a few weeks ago. He was just running a little late in one of the stores…and when he came back he had the little card there saying they had put a little extra money in for him. It definitely saved him,” said Pam Stetzer.

But the City of Keene apparently doesn’t agree. The group says they were served with a lawsuit by the city, claiming they’re harassing the parking officers.

“It’s never been my intention to make any of the parking enforcement officers uncomfortable,” Ean said. “I would purposefully try to go out of my wake not to publish any information that they might not want published. I’ve always only used their first names.”

According to the lawsuit, the city is asking for a safety zone around the officers.

But the Robin Hooders think the civil lawsuit was filed because the city is losing money.

“I don’t think it’s a crime to park your vehicle. And I could go to City Hall and talk to them all day. But to me, actions speak louder than words,” said James Cleaveland, “Robin Hood of Keene”.

Calls to the city regarding the matter were not immediately returned.