"Armless" vet caught with two hands.

[Josie]

Panhandler on Ocean Parkway pretends to be a Vietnam vet with one arm, but he's a fake whom our photographer nabbed counting his cash with both arms - NYPOST.com

Semper fake!

For years, Brooklyn commuters have opened their wallets for Robert McMahon, handing cash to this heroic and heartbreaking figure, a Vietnam vet in combat fatigues, his left arm missing and his right leg crippled, as he panhandles on Ocean Parkway in Kensington.

He plays to their patriotism, having scrawled his nickname, "Rambo," on the back of his camouflage jacket, along with his years of service with the Marines and two stints in 'Nam that saw heavy action. The top of his empty left sleeve is pinned to his uniform shoulder, and he drags his bum leg behind him.


Photos: Alex Rud
Robert Mc Mahon appears an arm short.

While begging for cash in Brooklyn, he plays up his phony stints in Vietnam.

At day's end, he counts his cash - with both fully functioning arms.
When drivers stop for red lights, McMahon, 53, hobbles over and salutes gallantly, juggling a paper cup and a cardboard sign that reads, "Vietnam vet." They give freely.

Ugh. He makes me sick.

 

[Cold Highway]

Thats pretty ****ed up.

 

[Crosscheck]

As soon as someone starts bragging about their military experience the red flag goes up.

Have a feeling most of those "Vets" begging at the intersection never were in.

That photo of him counting his money with the suddent growth of a new left arm is a classic. I like to think his scam just came to an end with New Yorkers.

 

[Manc Skipper]

As soon as someone starts bragging about their military experience the red flag goes up.

Have a feeling most of those "Vets" begging at the intersection never were in.

That photo of him counting his money with the suddent growth of a new left arm is a classic. I like to think his scam just came to an end with New Yorkers.

I get that feeling about the internet braggarts too.

 

[Jetboogieman]

I get that feeling about the internet braggarts too.

Especially if the braggart claims he has no arms...

HOWS HE TYPING! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :2razz:

 

[mac]

And he probably makes more in a day than the average soldier/sailor.

 

[spud_meister]

Especially if the braggart claims he has no arms...

HOWS HE TYPING! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :2razz:

With his hands, you don't type with your arms.

 

[Manc Skipper]

Napoleon allegedly kept his armies up his sleevies.

 

[bicycleman]

Especially if the braggart claims he has no arms...

HOWS HE TYPING! WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :2razz:

He uses his toes.

 

[tacomancer]

Too bad you can't say he was caught red handed, due to the lack of ink on his hands.

 

[Ockham]

Even me, a country bumpkin compared to the lifetime city dwellers knows pan handlers do anything that have to to get a buck. Bastards "cleaning" my wind shield with nasty rags and sewer water piss me off to no end. No one remembers Eddie Murphy as the down and out vet begging for money from John Landis' "Trading Places" circa 1983? This is one of the oldest cons around...

 

[rivrrat]

People like that are why I don't give to beggars. When I was in Cali, it was all too common to see people with signs begging at stoplights. You know what else was common? To see people WORKING with signs for local businesses around the same stoplights. There was "Now Hiring" sign in a Chick Filet's window on the corner of an intersection while someone was begging at the same intersection saying they couldn't find work. I saw a woman with a sign that said she couldn't work because she was a single mom and couldn't afford day care for her kids. I remember thinking, "Then where the **** are these supposed kids right now?!" Day after day I'd see the same one out there begging, instead of actually LOOKING for work. Maybe if they spent as much time actually looking for a job as they did whining about the fact they didn't have one and begging for money, they'd actually have a ****ing job. I look upon all of them with skepticism.

The only "beggars" I have given money to are the ones at least attempting to work. Street performers, folks doing artwork, etc.

 

[theangryamerican]

I had a kind hearted friend once buy a sandwich and bottle of water for a bum sitting outside a 7-Eleven. When he tried to offer it to the guy he was told "No thanks, but can you spare any change?" :sarcasticclap

 

[Whovian]

I tend to give to a beggar when I can. Not much, just a buck or two. Doesn't hurt me, and if they really are hard up and not faking it, it helps them.

 

[OscarB63]

I love the ones with the "will work for food" signs. they get pissed off if you offer them work or food. I remember seeing a story on one of those "60 minutes" type shows a few years back about some "bum" in NYC that made a couple hundred thousand a year off panhandling. the guy would get up every morning and drive his car downtown, change into ratty, smelly clothes and beg for 8 hours a day.

 

[tacomancer]

With his hands, you don't type with your arms.

Given the way a lot of people use the internet, he probably can't type with one hand.

 

[bicycleman]

People like that are why I don't give to beggars. When I was in Cali, it was all too common to see people with signs begging at stoplights. You know what else was common? To see people WORKING with signs for local businesses around the same stoplights. There was "Now Hiring" sign in a Chick Filet's window on the corner of an intersection while someone was begging at the same intersection saying they couldn't find work. I saw a woman with a sign that said she couldn't work because she was a single mom and couldn't afford day care for her kids. I remember thinking, "Then where the **** are these supposed kids right now?!" Day after day I'd see the same one out there begging, instead of actually LOOKING for work. Maybe if they spent as much time actually looking for a job as they did whining about the fact they didn't have one and begging for money, they'd actually have a ****ing job. I look upon all of them with skepticism.

The only "beggars" I have given money to are the ones at least attempting to work. Street performers, folks doing artwork, etc.

The other beggars that tick me off are the local volunteer fire department and rescue squads. They approach you when you're at a gas station and get right in your face over it. Of course, I get right back in their faces and remind them that the city charges me for an ambulance ride and ask them what so volunteerish about that? If you tell them you don't have change, they wait for you with a fireman's rubber boot when you come out of the store with change. I don't give to any of them. The volunteer firemen are no better than street beggars, only they try to be more intimidating. Using intimidation will turn me off every time.

 

[MaggieD]

Panhandler on Ocean Parkway pretends to be a Vietnam vet with one arm, but he's a fake whom our photographer nabbed counting his cash with both arms - NYPOST.com

Semper fake!

For years, Brooklyn commuters have opened their wallets for Robert McMahon, handing cash to this heroic and heartbreaking figure, a Vietnam vet in combat fatigues, his left arm missing and his right leg crippled, as he panhandles on Ocean Parkway in Kensington.

He plays to their patriotism, having scrawled his nickname, "Rambo," on the back of his camouflage jacket, along with his years of service with the Marines and two stints in 'Nam that saw heavy action. The top of his empty left sleeve is pinned to his uniform shoulder, and he drags his bum leg behind him.


Photos: Alex Rud
Robert Mc Mahon appears an arm short.

While begging for cash in Brooklyn, he plays up his phony stints in Vietnam.

At day's end, he counts his cash - with both fully functioning arms.
When drivers stop for red lights, McMahon, 53, hobbles over and salutes gallantly, juggling a paper cup and a cardboard sign that reads, "Vietnam vet." They give freely.

Ugh. He makes me sick.

First, I "throw money away" almost every day on one thing or another.

So. If I see someone who "looks legit" panhandling in our suburban Chicago, and it's convenient, I'll pony up a few bucks every time. What's the harm? Can't hurt. Might help.