'Professional beggars' WILL be removed, say police

A group of around half a dozen people, dubbed 'professional beggars' by police, have been posing as homeless and hanging around outside Tesco in Cradley Heath High Street when they are actually in receipt of full benefits.

Police say dispersal orders have moved some of the con artists on but there is a stubborn group who are refusing to budge and have remained on the High Street.

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They are believed to have made up to £50 a day while people have brought drinks and hot food out to them believing they are genuinely homeless.

Traders have called for more action to remove the beggars, who have also been seen at the train station.

Sergeant Jason Phillips, from Cradley Heath Police, said many of the beggars were previously known to police and some had already been brought before the courts.

He said: "We first became aware of the problem a month or so before Christmas. We identified a group of six or seven people who have been involved in low-level crime and have come across from the Dudley area.

"They appeared to be working as a team; two would come and get dispersed then another two would arrive.

"Through our investigations we discovered they weren't homeless and were in receipt of benefits and basically conning the public."

Dispersal orders have been used which ban them from the area for 48 hours but Sgt Phillips said the force would then look at using criminal behaviour orders which could ban anyone who returns and continues to cause a nuisance for good.

He also said the force had contacted the benefits agency to let them know what the group has been up to.

He added: "We have had a 99 per cent success rate with the dispersal orders."