Police raid busts alleged ‘professional’ beggars scam in Melbourne
They’ve been earning hundreds of dollars a day begging on major CBD intersections. But these fly-in beggars from China were part of an organised crime ring that’s been scamming Melburnians, police claim.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A rort in which professional beggars from China fly in to prey on compassionate Melburnians has been exposed by Victoria Police.
Elderly fake beggars have each been earning hundreds of dollars a day and sending the cash back to China electronically in the scam.
The culprits use begging bowls and money pouches, with their normal clothes hidden under specially-made “street” garments. Key CBD intersections have been targeted, including the corners of Elizabeth, Swanston, Flinders and Bourke streets.
It is believed the fly-in vagrants are being put up in inner city hostels and pass the cash they collect on the streets to “handlers”.
Authorities understand a crime ring is organising passports and tourist visas in China, and then flying the beggars in for short stints working the streets.
Police are working with the Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force to gather more intelligence on the scam, including movements through airports.
A joint Victoria Police and City of Melbourne operation this week resulted in several people with Chinese passports being charged on summons with begging and dealing with the proceeds of crime.
Council compliance officers also issued a number of notices for footpath obstruction.
Under Operation Aquim, the beggars were released after being interviewed, but some returned to the streets and were dealt with again.
Two suspected handlers, also Chinese nationals, were observed liaising with the beggars. Their details were recorded and passed on to federal authorities for further investigation and action.
Undercover police seized almost $1000 in cash from the professional beggars, with some of the money secreted in clothing and other items.
Sgt Chris O’Brien, of Melbourne East police station, said all of the beggars explained through an interpreter that they were destitute.
“They all had a reasonably consistent script in terms of ‘I’m homeless, I’m living on the streets’,” he said.
“We believe it’s an organised group who are coming to Melbourne to prey on local residents and their sympathies.”
Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said he had personally been confronted with the “extreme form of begging”.
INSIDE THE POLICE BUST THAT ENDED CHINESE BEGGING RING
“It was unlike anything I’ve seen on Melbourne streets before, particularly the ‘head down on pavement’ right in the middle of intersections,” he said.
“Something just didn’t seem right, and that’s proven to be true with this joint operation between the police and council.”
Cr Wood said while these professional beggars clearly had precarious circumstances, it was crucial to stamp out their illegal activity.
“Melbourne shows a good deal of compassion and good will to those less fortunate, but this type of professional begging takes advantage of that situation,” he said.
“We need to move quickly on any crime of this nature — both for those people giving their money thinking it’s going to those who are struggling, and also for those people caught up in this sort of begging.”
Sgt O’Brien said the Chinese beggars arrested this week were offered support services from the Salvation Army, but only one took up the offer.
“They were crying poor after we took the money, saying ‘Oh, we need the money to get back to China, we need to fly home’,” he said.
“It’s quite an investment involved in flying people out of China to do this. At what point have they made their money, and then what?”
Acting Premier Lisa Neville said she was concerned about professional beggars in the CBD.
She said police were conducting regular operations to crack down on the problem, but that today’s revelations in the Herald Sun showed there was “another criminal layer that’s been put into our CBD”.
“Victorians are very generous people. If you see somebody who is rough sleeping or who appears to be homeless, assist them to get connected services — don’t give money to them. Or give money to our charities,” Ms Neville said.
“That’s the best way we can help people who are genuinely rough sleeping or homeless in our city.”
MORE NEWS: SETKA TAKES LABOR FIGHT TO SUPREME COURT
DEAD MUM’S PARTNER ALLEGEDLY CLAIMED HER CENTRELINK
INSIDE THE POLICE BUST THAT ENDED CHINESE BEGGING RING
Salvation Army Project 614 director Major Brendan Nottle, who has worked out of the Salvos’ Bourke St centre for 17 years, said it was very rare to see people of Asian appearance begging in the CBD.
“Our concern is for people like this who have been taken advantage of, and providing support for them to ensure that they’re safe,” he said.
“We are also concerned about what appears to be an organised operation where very generous Melburnians are being taken advantage of.”
Maj Nottle said only one of the Chinese beggars had accepted help from the Salvos, a woman who took shelter from the cold.
“But each of them asked us to organise a ticket for them to return to China,” he said.
‘Angels’: Hero Coles workers save mum’s life
A mother of three has opened up on how her life was saved after she suddenly collapsed while doing a routine supermarket shop.
Wildlife and traffic fears over music festival
Wildlife advocates fear a weekend music festival in central Victoria will endanger native animals including rescued joeys.