Some Dallas Panhandlers Doing Better Than Okay

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DALLAS (CBS11) - The panhandlers you might give money to in Dallas, might not be as in need as they want you to believe.

Police made 138 arrests surrounding panhandling during the last two weeks in and around Downtown.

Officers discovered many had more than $100 on them, some live in homes and one panhandler told police he was just doing it to supplement his savings account.

"That's really shady and it's a lie. It's not really that cool," said Courtney Powitzky, a Dallas resident.

Police say one man even approached woman to get money for his kids.  Investigators said that man had been arrested 40 times over the years.

"There are a lot of people who do beg, but I don't beg. I do card tricks," said Terry Welsh, a self-proclaimed transient magician.

Welsh said it is unfortunate aggressive panhandlers give folks who actually live on and work the streets a bad name.

"I don't have a home and I don't have several hundred dollars on me. I wish I did," said Welsh.

Dallas Police said they are not targeting homeless people, but aggressive panhandlers.

Officers urge folks who are approached to say "no" and go.

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