Arrest for theft of 5 cents of electricity

The moral question about using electric outlets at an airport to charge one's computer or phone is not clear-cut to me. There are some things that clearly are intended to be consumed by the visitors to the airport, such as the toilet paper and water in the restrooms, and the power from public computer/phone charging stations. But are the power outlets in the publicly accessible locations specifically intended only, for example, for use by the service staff to plug in vacuum cleaners, and not for public use to charge a phone? There is really no way to know, and the answer is not obvious, and there really is noone to ask. It's not like you are surreptitiously stealing a candy bar that obviously was intended to be sold; you a sitting in a public space with hundreds of people around, waiting for a flight, using the airport for its intended purpose. Facilities that actually care about restricting use of the outlets use non-standard outlets.

 

You're OVER-REACTING. "crushing problem"? get real.
The school librarian could have handled this better. Just walk out there and unplug the car. The end.
Aren't there any reasonable people left?

 

Given what the guy tried to pull on the peace officer (!), I wouldn't be surprised if he would falsely accuse the librarian of damaging his car, for which she will have less of a defense (no dash-cam) and less weight-of-word in a court of law relative to a peace officer, but also his neutrality in such a situation.

 

I always ask the Airline personnel at the gate, that is where I am waiting and they know all the clever tricks. (Technically I SHOULD ask an Airport employee, not an Airline employee) As I pointed out above, I have been lugging 'portable' electronics through airports since the 80's, so I had this issue long ago, before it was common.
IBM Portable PC
I was building networks of computers with 1200 Baud modem connected via an X.25 infrastructure well before the 'internet'. My Portable was worth about $6000 back then, as it had X.25 diagnostic cards in it.
X.25 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

You never plugged into an airport outlet? and why are all busy airports outlets taken by people? And why can't I use WE for all those people who do use airport outlets? If you don't use them, then great, you're not who I'm referring to.

 

He really can't comprehend the idea of actually asking permission, can he?

 

and most people don't ask in airports if you're not aware, welcome to the real world buddy!

 

I am impressed that YOU define what 'most people' do and decide what is the 'real world'.

 

I have no idea what you are talking about, but whatever.
The man was arrested 11 days after the "grand-theft-electricity". If he did anything that bad to the police officer they would have arrested him on the spot.

 

I'm more impressed that you live in your imaginary world and oblivious to everything else around you.

 

Actually reading the article would help.


Electric car owner charged with stealing 5 cents worth of juice | 11alive.com


"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."

 

I think it is clear that none of these folks are basing their opinions on facts, they wish to steal electricity and are appalled that society disapproves. I am not clear how to make them aware that THEY control how society views them by their behavior. Right now it does not look like the future is bright for plug in cars, if the owners alienate the public. How will you get more infrastructure if the public views you as thieves?

 

There are dozens of articles. I have read more than one of them. So there.

He was still arrested 11 days after the crime-of-the-century.

This one is my favorite. Why don't YOU read it.

Kaveh Kamooneh Arrested for "Theft" of $.05 Worth of Electricity - The News Wheel

 

You do realize that the article I quoted was the very first line in post #1 of this thread, right?

Presumably, that's what this whole thread is about.

I think I'm going to stop wasting my time now.

 

That article seems to have left out the part about the police officer being inside the guy's car for no apparent reason (well, the officer did say something about the man's car being abandoned on public property, whatever that means)

Ga. Man Arrested for Charging Electric Car at Local Middle School - ABC News

 

Yes, but so what? I can't read more than one article to get all the facts. This thread is about what happened not ONE particular article.

 

If he reads enough articles, he will find one so slanted that theft does not seem so bad, he hopes.

 

If I had to guess (and this is just that), the first thing a peace officer asks is, "is this your car?"

To which the jerk might have responded, "I do not know. No." in a bid to flummox and paralyze the officer from doing anything.

Cops, for better-or-for-worse, can see and cut through BS like nobody else. They've seen so much and much worse. So he goes "well, this thing is abandoned on public property." *goes and sits in it to escalate* "I guess I'm going to have to get it towed."

Of course, the jerk now suddenly remembers it being his car.

 

There are literally hundreds of articles on this topic because it is so absurd and ridiculous. Steeling 5 cents isn't newsworthy it's the fact that it's preposterous it why it's getting so much attention. What rational person thinks that spending 15 hours in jail for steeling 5 cents is justice or a good use of our justice system?

 

I agree, given what we know of the 'perp' we could have wished for much more. There is no signs of remorse, no Ah ha moment where he realizes that taking from others is wrong, no sense that spinning any tales he can get away with is wrong. I suspect we will 'meet' him again, ala James Sikes.

Did Bankrupt Runaway Prius Driver Fake "Unintended Acceleration?"

(Show of hands, how many of you do NOT think the Leaf driver is who is driving all the press reports? For extra credit, try to find another person with incentive to notify the press)