"Fake beggars" target North Solihull shops

BEGGARS have become an increasingly common sight in the centres of both Castle Brom and Chelmsley Wood, a recent report admitted.
There have been concerns in recent months about a growing number of individuals preying on people’s good nature by pretending to be homeless.
Solihull Council has confirmed that the majority of beggars in the borough in actual fact have a roof over their head.
And it has named North Solihull’s largest shopping areas as among the “hotspots” to have seen a dramatic increase in activity.
Coun Alison Rolf, cabinet member for stronger and safer communities, suggested that shoppers needed to be wary.
“The trouble in Solihull is that people are generous, people are concerned and in some respects that’s being taken advantage of by some of these people.
“That’s what we’re trying to get to the bottom of. Who genuinely needs our help and who are the ones who are just really thinking that we are a soft touch here in Solihull.”
Figures show that reports of begging have increased most dramatically over the last 12 to 18 months. In the whole of 2017 there were just 20 reports in total, whereas almost 300 cases were flagged up in the first four months of this year.
This rise isn’t unique to Solihull, but locally it could have been driven by a greater number of people coming in from Birmingham.
Amid concerns that the problem is having a negative effect on shopping parades and fuelling issues like drug use and intimidation, the authorities have drawn up a new strategy.
Organisations like the police and council will also be investigating suggestions that some begging is being “coordinated” by criminal gangs.
Alison McGrory, a senior council officer, has admitted that some of the activity appeared to be “organised”.
Smith’s Wood councillor Ben Groom (Green) said it was important that publicity about con merchants didn’t overshadow the plight of those who really had fallen on hard times.
“It’s hard enough being homeless,” he said.