Stop, stop, stop, electric thief!!!

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by elhigh

The guy's a schmo - interesting, no redline under "schmo," I must have spelled it correctly - for taking power without asking or offering to pay, but having him arrested for what is literally only a few cents' worth of electricity is even more criminal.

Just fining him would be more reasonable than wasting taxpayers' money with an arrest.

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

Just fining him would be more reasonable than wasting taxpayers' money with an arrest.

Who would benefit from that action?

[Astro]

I think it all boils down to, he knew he shouldn't be taking the electricity, he knew he shouldn't be on the property, he knew what he was doing was against the owners wishes.

Criminal.

It doesn't matter if it was 5 cents or $500. Knowingly performing a criminal act is the act of a criminal.

What would you do if you came home from work and someone had parked their car in your driveway and were in the middle of siphoning petrol out of your second car into theirs? And then when you approached them to question what they were doing they got all aggressive towards you. And what if this wasn't the first time you caught the person doing this? You had made it very clear to them that this was unacceptable but still they continued doing it over and over???

Would you just shrug and say "Ah well, its only petrol, i can always buy more."?

I think the fact that it was an electric car muddies peoples view of the situation. I think people who drive electric cars like to think of themselves and other electric enthusiasts as good people doing good. But re-read the article and substitute petrol where it says electricity and it may make you feel differently towards the guy.

[P-hack]

my view isn't muddied by the fact that it is an electric car. The punishment should fit the crime, and the crime was $0.05 from an unsecured outlet, not emptying someones tank at $4/gallon. Maybe your view might be muddied by the fact that it is a car, how do you compare siphoning gas to plugging in to an unsecured outlet on public property? I have plugged my laptop into many a school outlet and never had anyone complain. Indeed how many people recharge things in public areas?!?

This was an attitude adjustment, his attitude is what got him a 911 call and the worst treatment by the authorities.

[Frank Lee]

Ooooooo... "criminal"! Sounds so sinister, illicit, and menacing!

Want to know where the real criminal activity on school grounds occurs? It is in the Superintendents' six-figure pay package.

When banksters and the like get caught (not all that often) the fine is less than what they stole. I think they just consider it a cost of doing business.

This guy's fine should be less than what he stole... so how about 2 or 3 cents?

[P-hack]

I don't envy our superintendent, even with his 6 figure salary. Parents are the worst creatures to deal with, seriously irrational at times. There are far easier ways to make 6 figures.

[Astro]

Each is entitled to their opinion.
I was just trying to give a different perspective.
Instead of judging the severity of the crime by the dollar amount, judge it by the actions of those involved. I would not like someone stealing from me no matter how much it was.
It only takes a moment to ask the owners permission but if they say no, then even if he thought he should be allowed, he still should have respected the owners wishes and not continued.
If someone asked to plug into my house i would have no hesitation. Like you said it is a small amount. Not quite 5c for me seeing as our electricity supplier charges nearly 40c/kwH, but that is a different sort of crime.

[P-hack]

I think they did judge it by the actions though. He acted like a turd. It wasn't the plugging in as much as how he acted indignant and entitled and had previous run-ins with a school his kid doesn't even go to. Plugging in just gave them ammo, his repeated behavior gave them motivation.

[P-hack]

FWIW, I can't find the guys court case in the county system. So I don't know if this got very far at all.

[Astro]

Originally Posted by P-hack

Plugging in just gave them ammo, his repeated behavior gave them motivation.

That is very likely exactly what happened.
And now with all the controversy over the media report it will make it just that little bit more difficult for other electric vehicle owners to get permission to plug in.