Malvern Police are discouraging people from giving money to beggars.
Malvern Police took to their Twitter handle Malvern Cops to show share a photo of a new sign posted in Malvern encouraging people to give beggars a "hand up instead of a hand out".
Sargeant Geraint Perkins said: "The problem with individuals begging in Malvern has been brought to our attention more in the past couple of weeks as a result of the change to nicer weather.
"The issue tends to be more seasonal where people are more comfortable sat outside in the milder weather.
"The people we as a policing team target are individuals well known to local officers who often beg for money, pertaining to be homeless but they are people who actually have their own accommodation and are involved in local criminality.
"They are not homeless individuals and the money they obtain is often used in criminality.
"Of course, we do have a small number of people who are regarded as being homeless, either by circumstance or personal choice and it is these who we look to engage with and support.
Please see the attached photo's. The Safer Neighbourhood Team work closely with various agencies reference the homeless. We have received a report there was one person, which then escalated to three people asking for money on Saturday #PrioryWellsSNT #SeeAdviceOnPoster PCSO 6209 pic.twitter.com/2mAt0aDaU5
— Malvern Cops (@MalvernCops) March 30, 2022
"We integrate areas where we know people are sleeping rough into our foot patrol routes so we can carry out welfare checks on those individuals.
"As a team, we work with Maggs Day Centre in Malvern who provide services to the homeless, as well as attend the Octagon where food services are provided for those who need them.
"A safer neighbourhood team officer also attends multi-agency meetings which are attended by Malvern Hills District Council, West Mercia Police, Maggs Day Centre and the Rough Sleeper co-ordinators."
Chris Lee, co-founder and co-director of Amaze, a charity shop that offers employment to those struggling with homelessness, said that he believes the system in place for begging at Birmingham New Street station is a positive step forward.
The system there works in the way that a homeless person is able to use a card reader to be given donations and that money is given back to them in the form of credits for food and sleeping charges.
This removes the possibility of the money being spent on drugs or alcohol.
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