Working girls wander to another Tri-State street

Reporter: Marianne Lyles
New Media Producer: Rachel Beavin

Evansville police are cracking down on prostitution.

But there's a problem; usually their prostitution arrests are in the Fares Avenue area, but since the crackdown, the prostitutes and their clients are moving, some recently arrested in the area of Governor and East Riverside.

It doesn't matter what time of day, police have caught women both day and night.

It's not a surprise for Evansville police when they catch female prostitutes on Fares Avenue. In fact, they frequently patrol the area. But, according to police, the women are moving, mainly to East Riverside Drive and South Governor Street.

Unlike Fares Avenue, there are a lot more homes with families in the Riverside neighborhood. Resident, Darnell Moss, says the prostitues don't try to hide what they are selling, "They just be walking up and down the street hanging out. They're pretty much trying to flag you down."

In the last couple of weeks, Evansville police have arrested many women.

Police say they approached undercover officers in unmarked cars and offered sexual services in exchange for money.

Authorities are patrolling the area heavily, going after the prostitutes, but Corporal Steve Green, says they have also noticed their clients re-locating with them, "Getting a lot of men coming down there cruising the area. As the beginning of this year officers have stopped over 40 men cruising the area."

Some neighbors say it's noticeable when the police crack down on prostitution, but the women move to another area and their Johns usually follow.

Resisdent, Al Lassack, says he believes it will continue to work that way, "They know they're out there they go to another spot, out there go to another spot, out there to another. That's how it works."