Arrest for theft of 5 cents of electricity

Your analogy doesn't really work there, as he wasn't stealing the outlet or wall socket out of the wall. It's possible that both the guy was being a smart nice person and the cop was in a bad mood overstepping his boundaries. However it should not have gotten this much attention nor escalated that much.

And it is different whether you plug into an outlet at a public school versus someone's house. Who exactly do you go about asking when you are on the school if it's okay to use their electricity? A teacher? A janitor? The principle? The superintendent? The football coach? Who would you have to call to get the right answer? Does anyone know what the actual policies on using an outlet at a school are? Does it explicitly say you are not allowed to use it for charging your own personal devices in that specific school district?

This is one of those topics where technology spills over into social and economical issues. Ten years ago no one would have thought that this issue would arise, but over time rules and policies need to be amended to cover cases such as this one. However at this stage it's unfair and a bit ridiculous to arrest someone for 15 hours for using an outlet.

EDIT: I'll shut up for this topic as it will probably lead to nothing but bickering back and forth, but thanks for the entertaining article! I've already shared it with a few of my friends and gotten quite the laugh out of it.

 

Please delete.

 

When we buy a airline ticket, an airport use tax is included, meaning you have the right to use the facility in the airport including seating area, escalator, bath rooms and electric plugs.

 

Mistakes in judgements are not to be confused with mistakes in the law. This is not a mistake in the law. There is no legally sanctioned "minimum threshold" of allowable thievery.

There is always a need for sensible judgement. Human behavior conflict resolution will never be reducible to a written script that covers every situation. Legal limits are not to be confused with right answers.

 

My airline has these, I have no sense of stealing their power



Passenger Guide - Departures - All - Charging Points - Hong Kong International Airport
The Top 10 Tech-Friendly U.S. Airlines | TechHive

 

says you? Please find proof that says airport tax includes power outlet usage.
Some airports have dedicated charging stations and in this case, I'd agree with you. Some airports have proprietary outlets that your normal plugs would not be compatible and obviously they don't want you to use their power.

 

Memphis International Airport Notes
Ford Airport installs charging stations for fliers' gadgets | MLive.com
60 charging stations installed at Mitchell International Airport | News | South Shore News

 

I am referring to laptop charging inside the airport terminal, not EV charging in the parking garage.

 

As I was reading through the comments, I was thinking that this might have been solved with a verbal warning from the LEO and the EV creep unplugging his car.
Then?
I read the article....

...The officer, his marked patrol vehicle and the electric vehicle were all in clear view of the tennis courts. Eventually, a man on the courts told the officer that the man playing tennis with him owned the vehicle. The officer went to the courts and interviewed the vehicle owner. The officer's initial incident report gives a good indication of how difficult and argumentative the individual was to deal with. He made no attempt to apologize or simply say oops and he wouldn't do it again. Instead he continued being argumentative, acknowledged he did not have permission and then accused the officer of having damaged his car door. The officer told him that was not true and that the vehicle and existing damage was already on his vehicles video camera from when he drove up.
Given the uncooperative attitude and accusations of damage to his vehicle, the officer chose to document the incident on an incident report. The report was listed as misdemeanor theft by taking. The officer had no way of knowing how much power had been consumed, how much it cost nor how long it had been charging.

Great way to represent the EV community, huh?
I hope that Jack-wagon enjoyed his 15 hours in jail, and I hope that he's not bright enough to have the criminal charge expunged from his record after he goes to see the judge!!!
I can fully understand how his door might really have been damaged.

 

I was referring to personal devices as well..
I'm just saying I don't see the difference in this leaf guy plugging in at a school VS. plugging in at an airport to charge up your devices.

 

BS

 

You airline ticket also pay for the guy who pad you down.

 

Cheap thrills and get paid for it.

 

How can it be stealing. Did they search his car and find the missing electricity. Did they put it in a evidence bag for the court to see?
But yes he should of asked first. They probably would not of cared. Someone threw a fit because a federal judge pluged his car into the court house. When it was investigated, they found out he had a payment plan with the local government in charge of electric bill. And had paperwork to prove it.

 

Interesting, I am posting links FROM the airport itself, showing off free charging stations at the airport, and folks STILL claim that it is not true.

 

what's not true, and what's the point you're trying to make??

 

I have posted press releases by the airports, showing off free charging station in their airport. All anyone would need to do would be for someone to post a press release by that school district showing off free charging at their schools. Then my point would be demolished

 

So you're saying any facility that offers free charging stations for EV's, their accessible wall outlets are free as well??

So basically I can go to any college campuses since most have EV charging stations and plug into a 110 wall outlet and no one would say anything.

 

Let's put this thing to bed - shall we? Who among us hasn't taking home a pen or pencil or paper clips. Who hasn't taken an extra long lunch or a break at work. Who hasn't cheated in some fashion on a test at school or fudged on a job application. Who hasn't charged a little extra on their billable hours. Who hasn't used the internet at work although your employer policy says not to. Who hasn't gone above the speed limit. Who hasn't gotten a little creative on their income taxes. Who hasn't lied to their self by simply justifying such things. If discovered ... any one of those little things ( as well as lots of other things ) might have had serious consequences, had you not gotten away with it. So go ahead and damn this ignorant s.o.b. But after you're done saying, "stealing is stealing" go ahead and get the 'hypocrisy' stamp out. 'Nuf said?
.

 

My best theory is that you haven't read a single thing I linked. (nor even looked at the pictures) Not one of my articles is about EV charging, as that was not the claim made; it was about plug ins inside the terminal. I certainly can find EV articles, but I weeded those out as off topic.