Penza, 24 October 2014. PenzaNews. The police should bring to justice the scam beggars who collect money from the population by many means, such as posing as former military men, said Andrei Sakmaev, the City Duma deputy and chairman of the regional disabled Afghan War veterans union.

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“Around three months ago, the head of the regional Ministry of Internal Affairs spoke about the fact that all these street bums that ride in wheelchairs, especially in the city center, are illegal, and the police can and should remove them from the city. As far as I can see, the issue has not been dealt with: they are still sitting in front of the police ministry on Moskovskaya Street, 72,” he said during the third session of the City Duma held on Friday, October 24.

Andrei Sakmaev asked what actions the police may take to clear “this shameful sight from the streets of Penza.”

“These people have nothing to do with war, although they pose for them. Most of them have never served in the army, and they are all from other towns — there are no Penza residents among them,” the deputy said.

In response to that, Andrei Gavryushin, deputy police head of Ministry of Internal Affairs of Penza, informed the deputies that the ministry regularly conducts appropriate preventive operations.

“As a result, the Department of the Internal Affairs detained 30 people, filed 43 protocols on administrative offenses. Most of them are not the residents of Penza,” he said.

Andrei Gavryushin also added that the police have developed a plan to held the scam beggars administratively liable.

In turn, the City Duma deputies proposed to reinforce the measures against street panhandlers.