Is stealing electricity part of going green?

[Ace-Garageguy]

Well guys, I just gotta tell ya'...if some clown plugged into my electricity (not "electric", by the way) I wouldn't have him hauled off by the cops....the FIRST time. I'd politely but firmly ask him just exactly how he got the idea he could take power for nothing, and explain there wasn't a free lunch at my expense. SECOND time is proof it's intentional theft. Different game.

The guy could have been an idiot tool who it just never occurred to that SOMEBODY has to pay for the electricity. I know adults who think the power is "just there", and don't seem to be able to grasp the concept that using more power costs more $$.

Arrest and booking for a FIRST time occurrence is WAY over-reacting, period. Lots of folks are stupid, so you give them ONE free pass.

For instance: I've got ignorant neighbors who ignored the county-wide summer burning ban, and violated the conditions of the fall burning rules. In both cases, going to the fence, explaining the law to them, and letting them know that NEXT time I'd just call the FD, who hands out $1000 first-offense fines now. No more problem.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Harry P.]

Arrest and booking for a FIRST time occurrence is WAY over-reacting, period.

Agreed, as far as the "crime" in this case goes.

But there may be more to this story that we don't know.

[Harry P.]

And now from the local Atlanta news website... the rest of the story:

Wednesday evening, Chamblee City Manager and Police Chief Marc Johnson issued the following statement:

We received a 911 call advising that someone was plugged into the power outlet behind the middle school. The responding officer located the vehicle in the rear of the building at the kitchen loading dock up against the wall with a cord run to an outlet. The officer spent some time trying to determine whose vehicle it was. It was unlocked and he eventually began looking through the interior after verifying it did not belong to the school system.

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 police vehicle's 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.

The report made its way to Sgt Ford's desk for a follow up investigation. He contacted the middle school and inquired of several administrative personnel whether the individual had permission to use power. He was advised no. Sgt. Ford showed a photo to the school resource officer who recognized Mr. Kamooneh. Sgt Ford was further advised that Mr. Kamooneh had previously been advised he was not allowed on the school tennis courts without permission from the school . This was apparently due to his interfering with the use of the tennis courts previously during school hours.

Based upon the totality of these circumstances and without any expert advice on the amount of electricity that may have been used, Sgt Ford signed a theft warrant. The warrant was turned over to the DeKalb Sheriffs Dept for service because the individual lived in Decatur, not Chamblee. This is why he was arrested at a later time.

[Guest]

If somebody is in that big a need of a charge, I'd have no problem letting them plug in for a little bit, don't see that as any different than give them a lift to a gas station...........probably cheaper since you're not making a trip to the gas station using your gas

But, what if he just pulled into your driveway, got out and plugged his car in without your permission or while you were gone? Or what if he told some of his friends with plug in cars, " hey, Joe doesn't mind if you plug your car into his house. He lives over on ....... avenue. Help yourself!"

I don't know much (nothing really) about electric cars. But, I'm willing to bet that there's a guage that lets the driver know how much charge/range is in his battery. Why couldn't he have plugged his car into his outlet before he left? Oh wait, that would jack his electric bill up. Couldn't have that.

[dpride]

What I find odd, is that a person could spend lots of time and money building a large scale, scratch built car, and only get half the comments that this thread has.............

[Ace-Garageguy]

Okayyyyy. Based on Harry's "rest of the story", the guy's just a jacka-- and needed to be slapped. The End.

What I find odd, is that a person could spend lots of time and money building a large scale, scratch built car, and only get half the comments that this thread has.............

Nah. Look at the comments on http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=68368

522 replies and counting.

And then there's this one...http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=42096

2527 replies. I think we pretty much have our priorities straight.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Ace-Garageguy

[Harry P.]

Okayyyyy. Based on Harry's "rest of the story", the guy's just a jacka-- and needed to be slapped. The End.

Also on that same Atlanta TV news website, I found that the guy readily admitted that he made a habit of recharging his car wherever and whenever he found an outlet he could plug into. Apparently who was actually paying for "his" power was of no concern to him.

[Danno]

Precisely. The Rest of the Story. It often makes a difference . . . after reactionaries erupt into tirades against the authorities.

Consider this. A candy bar . . . less than a dollar . . . stolen from a store counter can result in a misdemeanor theft charge, and a few hours of processing into the system (apprehension, citation, booking, photography and fingerprinting, bonding out, release ~~ just like this yahoo experienced), and even ultimately a conviction.

No one hurt? It was only a candy bar! But, shoplifting adds roughly 12-18% to everyone's grocery bill. Inventory leakage is a greater loss to the typical retail business than armed robberies, "till-taps," or employee theft.

Feel sorry or sympathetic to petty thieves all you want. You're paying for it.

[bbowser]

You have no way of knowing whether it's an idiots 'first offense' or they are habitual offenders as it seems in this case. Call the authorities, let them do their jobs. And oh yeah, get mouthy with the cop! Great plan

[Kris Morgan]

Thanks for showing "the rest of the story" Harry. That just cleared things up quite a bit. After reading this I feel they are just in how they handled the situation.

[Greg Cullinan]

Guess he doesn't know the right people. Throw him under the jail.

[Ju Ju]

Just think of all the electric cars that could have been recharged just in the energy that has been used to reply to this post.......not to mention a few methane propelled vehicles.

[1930fordpickup]

Precisely. The Rest of the Story. It often makes a difference . . . after reactionaries erupt into tirades against the authorities.

Consider this. A candy bar . . . less than a dollar . . . stolen from a store counter can result in a misdemeanor theft charge, and a few hours of processing into the system (apprehension, citation, booking, photography and fingerprinting, bonding out, release ~~ just like this yahoo experienced), and even ultimately a conviction.

No one hurt? It was only a candy bar! But, shoplifting adds roughly 12-18% to everyone's grocery bill. Inventory leakage is a greater loss to the typical retail business than armed robberies, "till-taps," or employee theft.

Feel sorry or sympathetic to petty thieves all you want. You're paying for it.

Does this cover theft while in office or is that OK just as in Detroit . Yes I live close enough to Detroit to affect me. And yes this guy is getting what he needs after the whole story has been told. Funny how only the tax payers have to follow the law while the officers leave the tax earners alone.

[Danno]

Theft is theft no matter who you are. It's not okay.

I'm sorry your view of things is so bleak.

[Agent G]

Past post or add to a wager in any amount on a gaming table in Nevada and you get charged with a FELONY. ANY gaming related crime is a FELONY here. True we take a look at the totality of the circumstances, but once probable cause is established, you will be arrested for a FELONY. $.05 $.50, or $500 dollars, the amount doesn't matter.

Yes I can tell the difference between an honest mistake and someone committing fraud. There are at least 4 camera angles I can look at on any given table.

Guy pulls his stuff, acts like an azz, he gets what the law has specified for him.

G

[rmvw guy]

No more sympathy for the guy from here after reading the rest of the story. (If that is the rest of the story, who knows for sure?) He is giving all electric car owners a bad name in my opinion. Book him! I should be building a model car instead of reading this. AHHHHHH!!!

[Craig Irwin]

Nah, this guys a dunderhead, and if he owned any other car he would still be a dunderhead.

[grayghost]

I need to call attention to page 2 of this thread post 27.
I wrote the following.
Life is hard but being stooped makes even harder. John Wayne.
The USA is going down the drain.

This is not the correct way to spell stupid but I wanted to put the Dukes slang on it.
But I digress thanks to Jon Cole AKA spelling police.
I have corrected the post and gave thanks to Jon Cole for my gross negligence.
I officially apologize to any and all that was offended buy my transgression.

[charlie8575]

I still stand by my earlier statements.

Just not in this case.

Charlie Larkin

[lordairgtar]

I DJed a car show held in a municipality some miles away from my home. When I got there, the venue did not have an outlet in the area where they wanted me to do the show. A Masonic Lodge had an outdoor outlet near where I was set up. I was told to just plug into that. I refused knowing I did not have the permission to access it. I wanted the OK from the Lodge before I plugged in. We could not find a person with that authority. I eventually moved to a city owned pavillion and DJed from there with the OK of the city. Had I used the other source and a person from the Lodge showed up and had an issue with it, I would have been at the very least be asked to cease. So no, a guy cannot just plug in to a random outlet. The guys excuse in the article was he considered it to be like getting water from a public bubbler (drinking fountain for those not living in Milwaukee). I say that the bubbler was put there for the intended purpose of letting thirsty citizens get a drink....not so with an outlet which was there for school functions, school power equipment, etc.

[Guest]

Just think of all the electric cars that could have been recharged just in the energy that has been used to reply to this post.......not to mention a few methane propelled vehicles.

We've probably only used about a nickel's worth.

[Craig Irwin]

Back in the 60's the old man who lived down the street had a huge garden every year, and would put out a table of fresh grown items with a cash box, all on the honor system. Nothing was ever taken. Other persons property and hard work was respected.

Today the tomatoes would be thrown at his house, the cash box would be gone, and the table smashed.

Also someone from the city would be there to see his permit, someone from the state would be there to do a health inspection, and the IRS would be there to arrest him for unpaid taxes.

Yeah, in a hand basket.

[Danno]

Wait, . . . so true!

[uncle potts]

So if I had a gas can next to my house would it also be ok for this guy to take .05 cents worth? I think not, thus using a plugin on the outside of ANY building without permission is stealing. And to display such an arrogant attitude about it shows a real lack of concern for other people. This doesn't appear to be a mistake but a pattern of behavior. What the police are doing in this case is the only way that his behavior may be adjusted, if it even can be.

[Craig Irwin]

Does this cover theft while in office or is that OK just as in Detroit . Yes I live close enough to Detroit to affect me. And yes this guy is getting what he needs after the whole story has been told. Funny how only the tax payers have to follow the law while the officers leave the tax earners alone.

The shameful part is enough voters will look past this kind of behavior and re-elect people like this, to them its acceptable as long as hes their man.

Its sad, but a lot of people just don't respect rules, respect of others or common good behavior.

Edited December 7, 2013 by Craig Irwin