Beggars arrested in London wide crackdown on illegal immigrants

 
Arrest: a woman is led away by officers Picture: Alex Lentati
Roma beggars are being targeted by Police in Westminster with help from Romanian Police Ö.. Jonathan Hunter acting Sargent (light grey hoody) Policeman in darker grey hoody and jeans not to be ID'd
Sian Boyle15 October 2013

Beggars and and anti-social rough sleepers in the West End were arrested as part of a London-wide crackdown.

In Operation Encompass, the Metropolitan Police Service, Westminster council and the UK Border Agency joined together to target organised gangs of beggars who arrive in London from Eastern European Union to beg for money before going back to their home country.

The raid saw 31 arrests in Westminster, Croydon and Lambeth for offences including illegal immigration, begging, assault on police and shoplifting. There was also one sex offender arrested.

Alison Newcomb, Westminster borough police commander, said: “Every day my officers come across individual people who they know to be persistent beggars.

“Our job is to deal with them, either by arresting them or removing them for the streets and placing them in one of our rehabilitation services.”

Begging and the anti-social behaviour of rough sleepers currently cost Westminster council £500,000 per year to tackle.

Westminster Cllr Nickie Aiken said: “This is a major operation that we’re doing in conjunction with the police to sort out the human cost of persistent and aggressive beggars.

“Every day these people leave behind a huge mess which residents and home owners have to clean up which just isn’t fair.”

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