The Glendora Police Department said Sunday it issued several warnings to vendors around the city about permits, confiscated bouquets of flowers and arrested one person for selling flowers within 500 feet of an off-ramp and failing to produce a valid ID.
Cell phone video recorded by Vanessa Roman shows her interaction with Glendora police officers as they shut down pop-ups and confiscated bundles of bouquets for sale on Mother’s Day.
NBC Los Angeles spotted a trail of merchants on Grand Avenue between Oakdale Memorial Park Cemetery and the 210 Freeway exit. That’s where Roman says officers took 300 of her bouquets, even though she says she has a permit.
Glendora police later told NBCLA that they counted 200 confiscated bouquets and said they only took them because there was confusion about who owned them, and they appeared to be abandoned.
Roman says the officer cited her a $300 ticket because her business was encouraging cars to stop too close to the freeway exit and causing a traffic hazard.
At $10 per bouquet, she says she’s missing out on $3,000 in holiday sales.
“I was surprised,” Benjamin Santos, one of Roman’s regulars, told NBCLA. “I mean, I’ve been going there for years.”
Santos found his backup plan just across the street from the Oakdale entrance, where Josue Mendoza’s family pop-up was set up.
“The police have talked to me,” Mendoza said. “I showed them my permit, and they said that we’re good.”
Although Santos was disappointed his go-to spot was shut down, he’s grateful he didn’t have to leave empty-handed on Mother’s Day.
Glendora police say its officers regularly enforce all aspects of city code, including laws regarding sidewalk vending.