Dozens of fake beggars charged as police reveal core posse lives in houses and owns cars

Police have busted a group of fake homeless beggars who drive into the city from their homes to take money from Melburnians and visitors.

Police have busted a group of fake homeless beggars who drive into the city from their homes to take money from Melburnians and visitors.

A core posse of professional beggars embarking on daily sprees were identified during a recent crackdown in the CBD.

Despite pretending they live on the streets they have houses and even own a car.

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Inspector Craig Peel (centre) with officers Jeremy Bradley and Phil Inger from Melbourne East Police Station. Picture: Alex Coppel

Dozens of people posing as homeless and acting aggressively have been charged with begging in a major crackdown.

Insp Craig Peel from Melbourne East station told the Sunday Herald Sun police had identified a troublesome group of up to 10 professional beggars targeting Melbourne’s CBD.

“This core group of people come into the city on a daily basis, and what we’ve identified is that they’re not those in the greatest need,” he said.

“So they have housing, they drive a car — it’s their vehicle registered — but they come in and take resources and opportunities away from those in the greatest need.”

Some of the beggars used pets to draw sympathy but could become quite angry if they didn’t get money.

Those who got donations often bought alcohol and made a nuisance of themselves on the streets.

“When members of the public say no, they can get in their face and become quite aggressive,” Insp Peel said.

“It creates a level of anxiety at times in the community, and requires us to respond to triple-0 calls which takes us away from some of the other high harm and high impact offending situations to deal with those.”

The unscrupulous behaviour came as police revealed 33 people were charged in a two-week blitz on professional beggars coinciding with the Australian Open, which has been a magnet for problems in the past.

While homelessness is not an offence it is illegal to beg and to drink on the street.

Those charged under Operation Protocol were offered referrals to welfare agencies with a minority refusing the aid.

Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle welcomes the crackdown on fake beggars. Picture: Hamish Blair

Salvation Army Major Brendan Nottle, who runs the Bourke St Night Cafe for rough sleepers, welcomed the crackdown.

“One of the things about Melburnians is that they’re very generous, and we want to make sure that their money goes where they want it go, and that they’re not taken advantage of,” he said.

But Maj Nottle said some who begged were in accommodation services where over 90 per cent of their income was taken to covercosts.

“These are people who have intellectual disabilities and sometimes physical ones, and they’ll come into the city to beg for smokes or something quite basic,” he said.

Police work with the Salvos and City of Melbourne compliance officers to manage the issue of rough sleepers.

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