Persistent begging door-to-door

This message has come from the Blenheim Road area of Moseley: In the past few weeks it has transpired that a man has been visiting properties and asking for money. He has given many different stories as to why he needs the money and has often sounded very plausible. However, he has either been managing to acquire residents’ names and house numbers via people unwittingly mentioning neighbours or has somehow acquired this information through other means. He may say that he ‘lives by/knows’ other residents and mention them personally. He is known to the police who have advised not challenging him and instead to call 101 – they will try and send someone to catch up with him. The incident number is 3933 and the date 29/04/2020. He can be described as Afro-Caribbean, in his 50s and with facial hair – he often wears or carries a lanyard neck strap (with no id).”