How the public can help solve the begging issue

West Auckland beggar Conrad has learnt his first lesson in personal finance - never share your income.

Stuff published a story on Conrad on January 16 where he claimed he was making up to $150 a day from begging at Henderson's Lincoln North Plaza. He also said that he was not homeless, and used the money for drugs.

He says the publicity has cost him dearly and says now "no-one is being nice to me".

Mahvash Ali Conrad says the Stuff article has given him a "ridiculous" amount of attention.

Conrad says his father called him this morning about his face being "all over the social media".

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The story and the video gained more than 50,000 online views in under 24 hours.

Mahvash Ali Henderson Community Constable Martyn Spear says people who want to help are better off donating the money to a reputable charity organisation.

The attention he is getting is "ridiculous", Conrad says.

"I will get arrested," he says.

Henderson Community Constable Martyn Spear says the man has been issued with a trespass notice from Lincoln North Plaza for begging.

Mahvash Ali Shoppers and retailers say the ATMs at Lincoln North Plaza are a popular spot with the beggars.

Spear says he has been working with other agencies to make sure Conrad does not return to the area, and it was disappointing to see him back in the plaza.

Conrad claimed there was a begging "syndicate" operating in the area. A retailer also says a syndicate operates in the area and there is "a leader of the ring".

"It's not as organised in a way that you would expect a syndicate to be. However, there is a degree of mutually beneficial cooperation between them whereby they look out for each other," Spear says.

Mahvash Ali West Auckland shoppers say beggars use scare tactics to solicit money from pedestrians.

They work together as a "unit" he says.

The community constable says drugs and alcohol addiction are the reason behind begging "without exception".

All the beggars he has dealt with at the plaza are not homeless, have social support and are on the benefit, he says.

Spear says he understands the public may feel threatened by the panhandlers, particularly outside cash machines.

"Most of the time they [pedestrians] do feel quite confronted, offended or intimidated by some of the aggressive types of begging."

Spear recommends not giving money to beggars.

He says it is "almost always" used to support addiction.

Instead, he says, people who want to help are better off donating the money to an organisation such as the Auckland City Mission.

If the beggars are aggressive and pedestrians feel threatened Spear recommends going into a shop and asking for help.

He says while begging is not illegal, hostile behaviour is unacceptable and warrants a call to the police.