Beggars in Oswestry not homeless and preying on goodwill of people, say police
Beggars on the street of Oswestry at the moment are not homeless and are preying on the good will of the people of the town, the local police inspector has said.
Inspector Tracy Ryan told the town council that there had been a number of people recently pretending to be homeless on the local streets.
“The genuinely homeless people in Oswestry are the hidden homeless, those sofa surfing for instance,” she said.
“The people seen on the streets at the moment are coming into Oswestry to beg.
"They include two men, one in a wheelchair, that are coming in from Wrexham. They both have accommodation and access to benefits. They don’t need our support.
“The good people of Oswestry are feeling sorry for them and giving them money and while they continue to do so they will stay. “
Deputy mayor, Councillor Duncan Kerr, said: “People genuinely feel compassionate and maybe they could be signposted to give instead to a charity such as Shrewsbury Ark.”
