Home Brentwood Brentwood POA: Have You Been Helping Support Child Slavery and Other Crime?

Brentwood POA: Have You Been Helping Support Child Slavery and Other Crime?

by ECT

Brentwood POA

Over the past few months, Brentwood has been targeted by organized groups of Romanian beggars. They stand at the entrances to our shopping plazas while holding signs asking for money. The beggars also usually have young children with them, and they look pitiful. This is an intentional ploy to tug at the heart strings of the good people in our city in hopes of receiving some money.

It was only a matter of time before the problem reached our community. It’s been an issue that Europe (especially the U.K.) has been dealing with for a decade, and the problem migrated to the east coast of the U.S. a few years ago. Over the past couple of years, these organized groups have made their way to California. Our surrounding cities of Clayton, Concord, Walnut Creek, Danville, and San Ramon were all dealing with these same people last year…and now it is our turn.

These Romanian begging groups, sometimes referred to as “gypsies”, are very organized, and much of the money is sent back to Romania to “beggar kings” (the Romanian version of the mafia). The groups track which areas and times are most productive for their begging. For example, they know which cities, which shopping plazas, and which days of the week and times led to the most money being handed out.

The U.K. has done large scale kidnapping and child slavery investigations involving these groups. There have been confirmed cases of children and infants being “rented” for begging operations, and confirmed cases of young children and infants being drugged to sleep. This makes the child easier to handle, but the beggar still benefits from having the child present and eliciting sympathy.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Panhandling and begging can be divided into two categories, passive and aggressive. Passive panhandling or begging is simply standing or sitting while holding a sign asking for money. This is protected free speech and is LEGAL. On the other hand, aggressive panhandling or begging involves intimidating behavior like following someone, blocking a sidewalk or doorway, threatening, etc., and is ILLEGAL. Regardless of the tactic used though, beggars will only frequent areas that are productive. The best way to help the problem is to PLEASE STOP GIVING MONEY TO THE BEGGARS. You are not helping them, or the children that you see present. In fact, you may be supporting their continued abuse.

Instead of giving money to panhandlers and beggars, consider making a donation to a homeless service provider. Then you can feel confident that your resources are being used to help other people who are truly in need.

Also, please do not buy food for the beggars. Many people think this is a “safe” way to help and not support the problem, but there are cases of the beggars returning the food to the restaurant with a loud complaint, and demanding a “refund”. The business owners usually oblige just to get them out of their business.

If a panhandler or beggar follows you, touches you, makes threatening or violent gestures, blocks your path or engages in any behavior that makes you feel threatened or unsafe, call the police.

Information was put out by the Brentwood Police Officers Association

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9 comments

Bill Avoider Mar 21, 2014 - 7:36 am

Do these people have work visas? Can’t we just send them back? Does CPS do anything to these people?

PJ Mar 22, 2014 - 8:52 am

Exactly! Seem like only US Citizens are subject to all the laws. Everyone else coming here w/o citizenship has plenty of freedoms!

Mike Ice Mar 23, 2014 - 12:46 pm

Agreed, instead of telling us about it, be a leader and correct the problem.

Kati Mar 21, 2014 - 7:49 am

Interest info about giving them food – never thought about that. I appreciate the suggestion of donating to a shelter.

KB Mar 21, 2014 - 3:58 pm

Humans lack a sense of shame

Geoff Mar 21, 2014 - 4:28 pm

While these groups may be from Romania, I am fairly certain that they are not “Romanian.” Most likely they are Rroma (also known as gypsies). I lived in Romania in the mid-1990s and these were common tactics among this group of people back then. Even worse, Rroma children were sometimes sent into the subways to beg and would be beaten if they didn’t return with a certain “quota.” I wish there was a better way to help the children who are, at least publicly, treated no better than slaves. It then becomes repeated in the next generation.

Sinzi Mar 27, 2014 - 9:58 am

Geoff, thank you so much for clarification. I am a native Romanian living in Brentwood, and privileged to be an American citizen. Yes, these groups are definitely distinct from Romanians, and they do cause the same issues in my native country. Romanians are hardworking people who take pride in their work and how they provide for their families and communities. You will never see a native Romanian begging, and if they are in need their last resort will be to ask help from legitimate sources. We usually help our own people who are going to hard times the best we can, the same as any other culture and community would do.

I agree that the best approach is to not give them any money or food, and report them to the authorities. They are bringing shame to people like me and cause a lot of trouble in the communities they are targeting. Sending them back where they come from is the best solution.

Elaine Mar 21, 2014 - 10:34 pm

These roaming gypsies have been around for years. When I was a young girl, some 70years ago, we were not allowed to play outside by ourselves when they were in town. They also will steal anything and everything they can get their hands on. Do not give them money and they will leave town sooner.

Mike Ice Mar 23, 2014 - 12:44 pm

I wish they would be threatening to me! But victim is not what I project. Never enable the lazy.

Comments are closed.