Dane Rusk says he will think twice before handing out spare change again.
Rusk was leaving the Victoria Square Mall in east Regina on Wednesday when he spotted a panhandler.
"As I came up to the stop sign, I stopped and I looked and saw this homeless guy holding a sign. I instantly felt sorry for him,” Rusk said.
"I had to undo my seat belt and hang over and dropped the change on the curb.”
But it turns out the panhandler was actually a plainclothes police officer. Moments after dropping the change, Rusk was pulled over by police on Victoria Avenue.
Rusk was issued a $175 ticket for failing to wear a seat belt, on top of the three dollars he gave the phony panhandler.
“I'm out $178 dollars, all because I was trying to help out a homeless guy," Rusk said.
Regina police say the undercover sting is nothing new. It’s part of an initiative that aims to curb traffic violations at intersections.
"Intersections are probably one of the most critical areas when it comes to accidents, obviously,” said Insp. Evan Bray.
“Our high-volume intersections are ones we tend to target. So, we will run random intersection projects across the city."
The police officer's sign was not soliciting money. Panhandling is not considered a crime, but Regina has a bylaw that prohibits soliciting to vehicle occupants in high-traffic areas.
Dale Lakeman, who collects bottles to support himself, worries that police posing as panhandlers may deter the public from giving money to homeless people on the streets.
"Cancel that seat belt ticket for that gentleman,” Lakeman said. “The poor guy took pity on a homeless person to give him some money."
Based on a report by CTV Regina’s Rebekah Lesko
