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struggle4progress

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54. There's no busy-body over-bearing beat-cop story here: the original office was sent in response

Thu Dec 5, 2013, 09:09 AM

Dec 2013

to a phoned complaint and didn't arrest him but went back and filed a report. The department then investigated further and found the guy had a history of showing up at that school and using the tennis court when the school had other plans for it, which had led to a number of conflicts with school officials, who finally told him never to use the court without permission. He doesn't live anywhere near there and has no connection to the school, except for that history of showing up and acting a jerk: he lives in another town, ten miles away. Local police, not having jurisdiction in his town, handed over their reports to county officials, who ultimately arrested him for theft from the county schools

It doesn't sound to me like a big rush to judgment: it sounds to me like they weren't quite sure how to handle a jerk who regularly drove out of his way, to use a tennis court nowhere near where he lived and to grab free power week after week from the school system

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Electric car owner charged with stealing 5 cents worth of juice [View all] onehandle Dec 2013 OP

Stealing electricity from a public school is pretty low. OneCrazyDiamond Dec 2013 #1

If he'd asked permission, they would have reminded him that he wasn't supposed to be there struggle4progress Dec 2013 #52

Are you certain his son isn't a student? kristopher Dec 2013 #57

The county school system has a locate-school-by-address tool: if I plug in his address in Decatur, struggle4progress Dec 2013 #60

I saw two reports that he was. kristopher Dec 2013 #61

In early reports, he said he had come to watch his son play tennis at the school, struggle4progress Dec 2013 #62

I just discovered the guy might be getting off easy. kristopher Dec 2013 #59

That's interesting. Thanks for digging this stuff up struggle4progress Dec 2013 #72

Thank *you* kristopher Dec 2013 #73

Ah, then just a low life. OneCrazyDiamond Dec 2013 #65

And he was an asshole to the LEO. ABCin2014 Dec 2013 #81

LOL!..This is perfect timing. I'm fixing the computer of a Policeman who lives around ... BlueJazz Dec 2013 #2

Great PR for the police............ 7962 Dec 2013 #3

so if I went into the school and drank from the fountain without asking would I be arrested for boomer55 Dec 2013 #4

Great analogy. defacto7 Dec 2013 #6

stupid analogy TorchTheWitch Dec 2013 #70

Good point. Schools have a water bill too. /nt Ash_F Dec 2013 #7

What about plugging in your cell phone? thefool_wa Dec 2013 #10

You just never know these days defacto7 Dec 2013 #32

Charging a leaf is like charging nine or ten thousand cellphones struggle4progress Dec 2013 #45

Did you drink 5 cents worth? Hmmm? Wifi? As well! Flushing. Toilet paper. Festivito Dec 2013 #16

I bet if you walked into a school and started taking rolls of toilet paper, you'd find struggle4progress Dec 2013 #50

You're right, but that's a buck plus human-to-replace-it cost. Much more than 5 cents. Festivito Dec 2013 #66

Only if it offends competing industries. (nt) Posteritatis Dec 2013 #22

The line does seem rather arbitrary, doesn't it? Ed Suspicious Dec 2013 #24

If you'd been told not to do it, then yes jmowreader Dec 2013 #83

Should I say "agenda"? defacto7 Dec 2013 #5

The offended party doesn't have to file a complaint. Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #27

So if the police call something a theft then that's what it is? defacto7 Dec 2013 #28

Mo, if it IS a theft and the Police act, that's what it is... brooklynite Dec 2013 #43

If the cop says it was a theft, this constitutes evidence that it was a theft. Jackpine Radical Dec 2013 #68

Yes, say it again, "a(n) agenda against people who use alternate fuels" kristopher Dec 2013 #46

... The school system issued a statement saying "the Dekalb County school district has cooperated struggle4progress Dec 2013 #47

hybrid and even pure electrics are getting too popular, and successful large scale alt energy yurbud Dec 2013 #76

Can you say... Kelvin Mace Dec 2013 #8

They must have an awesome police force. thefool_wa Dec 2013 #9

Two key points, one obvious and one maybe not so obvious to everyone: Poll_Blind Dec 2013 #11

^ this ^ defacto7 Dec 2013 #29

What's your evidence this is selective enforcement? struggle4progress Dec 2013 #48

Who pays this cop, the oil and gas industry? QuestForSense Dec 2013 #12

How many hundreds (or thousands) of dollars of procedural expenses... Alamuti Lotus Dec 2013 #13

Does the guy who "stole" the juice pay taxes that help keep the school able to pay it's shraby Dec 2013 #14

I wouldn't try testing that theory in practice if I were you struggle4progress Dec 2013 #49

Hang him for by-passing state highway taxes on gasoline! "It ain't the nickel, its the principle!!!" marble falls Dec 2013 #15

They need to hear a few hundred opinions on how stupid this sounds groundloop Dec 2013 #17

One last thing... defacto7 Dec 2013 #34

a nickel here, a nickel there.... dhill926 Dec 2013 #18

The actual charge is theft of something between $10 and $25 dollars worth of electricity struggle4progress Dec 2013 #38

The power company said four cents in the link. Ash_F Dec 2013 #40

The power company estimate is based on an assumed amount of time he was plugged into the socket struggle4progress Dec 2013 #44

Assuming it is an actual problem, was an arrest the wise way to address it? kristopher Dec 2013 #51

There's no busy-body over-bearing beat-cop story here: the original office was sent in response struggle4progress Dec 2013 #54

That name is listed at an address 14.5 miles from the school. kristopher Dec 2013 #56

That address is far outside the district for Chamblee MS csziggy Dec 2013 #63

I already did. It's 14.5 miles. kristopher Dec 2013 #64

Use the school locator tool at the DeKalb county school system website struggle4progress Dec 2013 #69

Why? I accepted csziggy's word. kristopher Dec 2013 #71

No, but the school district should have been asked if they wanted him to be charged Ash_F Dec 2013 #78

Two napkins at Fast Food is 5 cents too bucolic_frolic Dec 2013 #19

Those are some expensive napkins. Chan790 Dec 2013 #79

I'm amazed the cop didn't tase him. I thought that's what they did to nonviolent valerief Dec 2013 #20

The cop appeared on the scene because somebody called to complain: that's his job. The guy struggle4progress Dec 2013 #41

The fact that this is not the title of a piece from The Onion just makes me cringe. n/t Butterbean Dec 2013 #21

Read the whole article - the guy was a douche benh57 Dec 2013 #23

Prosecuted for being an ass.... defacto7 Dec 2013 #33

Guy says he routinely plugged into accessible outlets to recharge his car... Kaleva Dec 2013 #25

"had previously been advised he was not allowed on the school tennis courts without permission" PoliticAverse Dec 2013 #26

Ooops.... defacto7 Dec 2013 #30

Then he should have been charged with trespassing. Ash_F Dec 2013 #35

Because the original phone call to the police was about the electricity theft, and the fact he was struggle4progress Dec 2013 #37

That doesn't prevent them from charging him for it. Ash_F Dec 2013 #39

I don't know whose version is correct, but the charge is that he stole $10 to $25 dollars worth of struggle4progress Dec 2013 #42

Don't you think it sounds just as dumb when you say it though? Ash_F Dec 2013 #74

They probably charged him with that amount, based on how long he told them he'd be coming struggle4progress Dec 2013 #75

I am sorry I think the local power company would know better than this ignorant cop. Ash_F Dec 2013 #77

Next time I get a soft drink at a food court... defacto7 Dec 2013 #31

As electric cars become more common, this will have to be addressed rucky Dec 2013 #36

Turns out the cop was George Zimmerman in a costume.... Uben Dec 2013 #53

He was sent to investigate a phone complaint, investigated, came back, and filed a report struggle4progress Dec 2013 #55

At the scene the officer also got into a pissing contest with the guy kristopher Dec 2013 #58

OK, I've changed my mind on this..... the guy didn't belong there groundloop Dec 2013 #67

Chamblee police are UNREAL. bitchkitty Dec 2013 #80

Yeah but keep in mind that part of the article is only from the cop's perspective. Ash_F Dec 2013 #82

Stopped before he could steal more than 5 cents' worth, it sounds like. Orsino Dec 2013 #84