Police lose patience with panhandler

VICTORIA, British Columbia, Feb. 27 (UPI) -- Police in Victoria, British Columbia, have lost their patience with an aggressive panhandler with more than 250 complaints against him, a report said Wednesday.

Sgt. Grant Hamilton wouldn't release the man's full name, but said the character known on the street as "Red" was "one of our most problematic individuals," the Victoria Times-Colonist said.

Officers Tuesday served him with a summons to appear in court March 31, represented by a lawyer hired by the city. The action is the first under the city's 1999 law banning panhandling, the report said. Victoria hopes to have legal conditions imposed on the man, who could be criminally charged for ignoring them, the newspaper said.

The complaints received against "Red" included nuisance calls, causing a disturbance, being drunk in a public place and aggressive panhandling, Hamilton said.

"We decided we have no choice but to proceed down this avenue," he said.

Hamilton said "Red" is not homeless and doesn't appear to have obvious mental health issues.