Every beggar in a small UK town is a fraud and shouldn't be given money, local police say.
Officers in Cambridgeshire's Ely insist none of the city's locals are genuinely homeless, telling The Telegraph those posing as beggars are making "substantial amounts of money".
"All of the individuals that have been seen begging recently have been catered for with regards to housing and support," said Sgt Phil Priestly.
"We do not want people to be misled, because it can be a lucrative opportunity.
"It is natural to feel for anyone who appears to be living on the streets or who seems to be affected by hardship. If you do feel moved to give something - offer food or a warm drink by all means - but please do not offer money."
However, many residents of the city argue that there are real homeless people living on the streets.
"A huge number of those on the streets are ex-service people who have been badly let down by the country and people they risked their lives for and ALL of them are human," one local quoted by the paper said.
The city, one of the smallest in the UK, has a population of 20,000 - around the same as Levin.
Newshub.
