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Delaware State Police Step Up Enforcement Against Panhandlers

Delaware state police are cracking down on panhandling along I-95 corridor from Prices Corner to Ogletown.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that the campaign began last week and targets aggressive panhandlers.

There are reports that they block parked vehicles demanding money, knock on car doors that are stopped at red lights and in some cases falsely claim they are veterans or homeless.

Some collect as much as $150 a day.

The State Trooper 6 initiated the campaign after getting an escalating number of complaints in their areas.

Police are expected to focus on the I-95 service plaza, Ogletown-Stanton, Harmony and Churchmans roads and First State Plaza. 

Four people were charged last Thursday with loitering for the purpose of begging for money.

But Joe Connor, executive director of Addictions Coalitions of Delaware told the News Journal, that he is concerned homelessness could be turned into a crime.         

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.