Have the top stories straight to your inbox for free - once a day, every day Yes please! Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

‘Professional’ beggars are fighting each other over shoppers in a lucrative supermarket car park, according to people who live and work near it.

Residents and businesses near the Tesco car park in Narborough Road, Leicester, say it has been increasingly targeted in recent months by persistent beggars, who claim to be homeless but are not.

Police say they are working to try to tackle the issue in the area, having warned one offender he will be arrested if he does not stop waylaying people and trying to help genuine rough sleepers get support from the authorities.

A woman running a small shop near the store said: “It’s got really bad in the last few months.

“Sometimes you get people who are really homeless but they are often driven away by people who aren’t homeless and are just trying to get cash to feed their drug habits.

“There was an older guy there not long ago who really is struggling and a junkie came up to him, shoved him on the floor and told him to get lost.

“She’s always there hassling people for money.

“Some of these beggars will literally fight each other for that car park because apparently it’s the best patch in Leicester.

poll loading Do you think police are doing enough to tackle anti-social behaviour in the West End? 500+ VOTES SO FAR Yes - but they have limited resources No - it's not great in the area

"The Tesco staff don't do much about it because of the grief they get if they try."

Laslo Babic, 34, who lives in the West End, regularly shops at the store.

He told LeicestershireLive: “They (the beggars) don’t give up and they are around quite a lot of the time.

“They circle round stopping everyone.

“They get people as they are going into the store and even if you say no they try again as they leave.

“I’m a big guy so it doesn’t bother me.

“I ignore them, but I see them going after old people as they are putting their shopping in their cars and they can’t get away.

“It’s not right.”

West Leicester police commander Inspector Rob Randell said: “Anti-social behaviour is a priority for the local area, in particular the issue of begging.

“We have issued a warning to one person after reports of begging in the Narborough Road area and should he continue then he will be arrested by officers.

“We work closely with the city council and local businesses to address begging and homelessness.

“Officers regularly patrol the area encouraging people begging or living rough to seek alternative support via the local authority and outreach workers.

“Anyone who wishes to support homeless people is encouraged to make donations to charities which feed, clothe and offer shelter to those who are genuinely homeless and in need.”

A Tesco spokesman said: “We take the safety of our customers and colleagues seriously and are working closely with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour around the store”.

A council spokesman said: "Our homeless outreach team is out in the city every day offering support to those who need it.

"They work alongside the police to encourage people who are begging or living street lifestyles to change their lives, by putting them in touch with the wide range of services available in the city that can help them."

Read more