Milford residents fire back after description of 'crack hookers' and defecation downtown

Andrew Sharp
The News Journal

An owner of several Italian restaurants in Delaware says he has delayed opening a planned restaurant in Milford because of crime issues, including "crack hookers" and "defecating," and some in the city aren't too happy about it. 

Bob Ciprietti, owner of Taste of Italy restaurants in Lewes, Rehoboth Beach and Ocean City, Maryland, raised the concern with media outlets over the planned restaurant site at a former bank building downtown. 

The historic First National Bank in Milford was slated to become a Touch of Italy restaurant later this year.

"At night there we have some issues ... we have all these drug dealers in Milford, and we don't have enough police," he said on radio station Delaware 105.9. People in the bank building "are subject to drug dealing, crack hookers, people defecating all over the place." 

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He told WBOC TV that there were people "urinating on the windows" and also pointed to drug deals and an overdose in the parking lot. 

Ciprietti told 105.9 that the restaurant would still happen. "We'll work on cleaning it up," he said. 

His remarks garnered some support on social media, but much of the response was anger from people who disputed his characterization of Milford. 

Anger, and some satire. 

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