JEDDAH, 21 December 2005 — One particular gang of beggars has been frequenting Jeddah’s Al-Murabba Bridge and the intersection outside Bugshan Hospital for the past six months, prompting one Al-Rawdah district resident to take action.

“I live near the bridge and see them every other day limping between the cars begging for money. I used to think they were really hurt until I saw one of them running like the wind down the bridge’s steps,” said Seif M., 23, a university student.

“Once I started to pay attention, I realized that they were all fakes. It really bothered me that they were preying on people’s good nature. When I complained to immigration officials, they told me they were doing all they can and would eventually get to them,” he told Arab News.

When Ramadan came and went, and the beggars continued to profit on the bridge and in front of the hospital, Seif asked a photographer friend for help. Over a period of a few hours, the individual gang members were photographed one by one.

Seif then showed the pictures to an immigration officer parked in his patrol jeep at a gas station near the bridge and asked him why nothing was being done.

“He told me that when they approach the bridge, the beggars run down it and across Madinah Road, risking their lives. He told me that many beggars have been run over and killed in the past,” Seif told Arab News.

Wishing to somehow put an end to the deception, Seif solicited the help of friend Abdullah T. Together they made a flyer with the individual gang members pictured.

The flyer printed both in English and Arabic read: “This gang of actors beg at Al-Murabba Bridge and Bugshan Hospital. Their injuries are not real. Please do not give them any money. What they are doing is haraam (prohibited).”

With dozens of copies of the flyer in hand, both Abdullah and Seif, accompanied by Arab News, walked up the steps of Al-Murabba Bridge while the beggars were there and began handing out the flyers.

“When I gave one of them the flyer, the look on his face was priceless. He stood up, ran to the others, and they all ran off down the bridge. I consider it a small victory,” Seif said. “We hope this will get rid of them once and for all, but we have a feeling that they will be back soon,” Abdullah told Arab News.