Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Beggars ‘target’ elderly shoppers
SUPERMARKET customers urged staff to contact police after older shoppers were reportedly targeted by “aggressive” beggars on the Seagate.
The incident, which happened outside the M&S Food Hall at 3pm on Sunday, prompted one customer to report the two women to staff.
Another customer told the Evening Telegraph the man had described their actions as “aggressive begging” before staff took the decision to contact Police Scotland.
Police confirmed officers attended the store on the Murraygate shortly after 3pm, following reports of two women “intimidating shoppers”.
The other shopper praised the customer for alerting staff and slammed those responsible.
He said: “I heard the guy speaking to the staff near to the exit at the Seagate and he was concerned by what was going on outside.
“I didn’t hear him say if those responsible were male or female but he did say there were older customers being harassed by folk outside.
“He described their actions as ‘aggressive begging’.
“The staff had a quick conflab and decided to phone the police on 101 and to the police’s credit one van came around a short time later.
“As I was exiting the store on the Seagate the police van circled back around on to the Murraygate but it didn’t look like they detained anyone.”
The customer said he sympathised with those needing spare change, but questioned the tactics used by those particular individuals.
He added: “I’m very aware people are on hard times but don’t start harassing older folk for cash.
“These people are probably at their wits’ end with this pandemic as it is and they’ve got folk in their face looking for money.
“When the police van went past on the Seagate, the staff from Marks and Spencer had a look out to see what was unfolding.
“The staff are brilliant with the customers in there, particularly the older ones, and they did look concerned when the customer brought the matter to their attention.”
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers were called to a shop premises on Murraygate in Dundee on Sunday following a report of two women intimidating shoppers.
“Upon police arrival there was no trace of the women but a search of the nearby area was carried out. There were no arrests.”
An M&S spokesman said: “The wellbeing of our customers and colleagues is always our highest priority, which is why we raised the matter with the local community police.”