Panhandler arrested and found with more than $2,000 in his pocket

A man believed to be a repeat panhandler in St. Johns County, Florida, was arrested for trespass and was discovered with thousands of dollars of cash in his pocket.
 
Deputies arrested Rudy McCoy for trespassing after warning because the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said he returned to Riverside Plaza to ask people for money despite businesses telling him to leave.
 
The arrest report said McCoy was found with $2,288.97 in cash in his pocket while he had a sign that said, "Out of work. I'm hungry. Don't like to ask for money but anything will help. Thank you!"

"We don't want to take away from people in need but at the same time there are those individuals out there who, you know, $2,300 in his pocket and he's still out there garnering money from other individuals," St. Johns County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Chuck Mulligan said.
 
People asking for money is something residents in St. Johns County and visitors said they see often.
 
Sylvia Vogel said she has helped a man who said he was homeless in Riverside Plaza several times before.

"I passed him by and I felt bad because I'm going to eat and he's not. I come out of the restaurant and I gave him five bucks," Vogel said.
 
Vogel said while she knows some people take advantage, her heart goes out to those truly in need.

"He had almost $2,300 in cash on him," an Action News Jax reporter told Vogel.

"He probably got that from people like me that felt sorry for him," Vogel said.
 
SJSO said state law bans panhandlers from being on state roads and they are not allowed to block traffic.