• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

GAF? Man arrested after using 5¢ of electricity from public power outlet

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

UltraMagnanimous

Member
Was there a sign saying that the socket was not for general use?

Did the school press charges? Why couldn't they deal with this informally and just advise this guy to not do this again?

Did the police not advise the school authorities NOT to do anything about this? If someone steals an actual nickel from me can I get the police to arrest them or will I be charged with wasting police time?

Plus, I assume he has a child at this school... didn't they think of the consequences of progressing a complaint as trivial as this would have on one of their students?
 
S

speculawyer

Member
Koomaster said:
He doesn't even have to plug anything in. He would be benefiting from the lighting and heating inside the school. That's a whole lot of theft just stepping foot in the door.

The advocacy group is the one quoting the 5cent figure; so it remains to be seen how far the courts are willing to go to charge him. Will they make up a figure on their own or will they use that 5cent figure?
Click to expand...

It is not really a matter for dispute. At 120V and 12Amps, you can't get much through the line. Even if we assume he lied and he was there for about an hour, it only adds up to around ((120V*12Amps)/1000) * 0.12 $/KWH = ~$0.18 . . . 18 cents.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
zma1013 said:
I don't understand why this couldn't be a simple ticket. See someone plugging there vehicle into some place they shouldn't, fine them $30 and have them pay whatever was used and be done with it. Arresting people is just over thinking it, not to mention the wasted resources here. This shouldn't be any more of an offense than parking on a street without putting money in the meter.
Click to expand...

My guess is there isn't an existing offense that properly addresses this.

UltraMagnanimous said:
Was there a sign saying that the socket was not for general use?

Did the school press charges? Why couldn't they deal with this informally and just advise this guy to not do this again?

Did the police not advise the school authorities NOT to do anything about this? If someone steals an actual nickel from me can I get the police to arrest them or will I be charged with wasting police time?

Plus, I assume he has a child at this school... didn't they think of the consequences of progressing a complaint as trivial as this would have on one of their students?
Click to expand...

Ford said he sought the arrest warrant after determining that school officials hadn't given Kamooneh permission to plug in his car. Ford said Chamblee Police did so without asking school officials if they wanted to prosecute the alleged theft of electricity. A DeKalb Schools spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.
Click to expand...

.
 
T

TheOMan

Tagged as I see fit
speculawyer said:
It is not really a matter for dispute. At 120V and 12Amps, you can't get much through the line. Even if we assume he lied and he was there for about an hour, it only adds up to around ((120V*12Amps)/1000) * 0.12 $/KWH = ~$0.18 . . . 18 cents.
Click to expand...

18 cents -> 18 lashes
 
M

Mariolee

Member
peteykirch said:
His taxes go towards that school.

He should be allowed to use the schools resources as a result.
Click to expand...

It's never as simple as that, but the fact that his son goes to that school and he was waiting to pick him up or whatever shows how much of a stupid case this is.
 
S

sk3

Banned
Zoe said:
My guess is there isn't an existing offense that properly addresses this.
Click to expand...
So the cop was so annoyed with this citizen and so convinced he did SOMETHING illegal, he had to find anything he could to charge him with. To protect and serve.

Here on planet earth I'd think a simple ticket or misdemeanor for petty theft would suffice.
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
sk3 said:
So the cop was so annoyed with this citizen and so convinced he did SOMETHING illegal, he had to find anything he could to charge him with. To protect and serve.

Here on planet earth I'd think a simple ticket or misdemeanor for petty theft would suffice.
Click to expand...

Well, that's what he got.

Official statement:

http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/...-charged-with-stealing-5-cents-worth-of-juice
Wednesday evening, Chamblee City Manager and Police Chief Marc Johnson issued the following statement:

• Mr. Kamooneh had been previously advised by school personnel that he was not allowed on the tennis courts at any time without permission.
• In spite of that notice, Mr. Kamooneh was on the tennis courts that Saturday afternoon taking lessons.
• He was not there watching his son play tennis
• His son IS NOT a student at the school
• He lives in Decatur, not Chamblee
• He was extremely uncooperative and argumentative with the officer that responded to the call
• He accused the officer of damaging his car - the pre-existing damage is on the officer's video when he first drives up
• Had he just said oops, been cooperative and not claimed damage there would never have been a report
• Sgt. Ford's decision to pursue charges was ultimately driven by the previous notice to Mr. Kamooneh
• If Mr. Kamooneh had heeded the previous notice not to be on the tennis courts without permission the incident would not have occurred
• Sgt. Ford was probably feeling defensive when saying a theft is a theft - he was looking at it as he did nothing wrong

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 who's 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 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.

The report made its way to Sgt Ford's desk for 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 Sheriff's Dept. for service because the individual lived in Decatur, not Chamblee. This is why he was arrested at a later time.

I am sure that Sgt. Ford was feeling defensive when he said a theft is a theft and he would do it again. Ultimately, he did make the decision to pursue the theft charges, but the decision was based on Mr. Kamooneh having been advised that he was not allowed on the property without permission. Had he complied with that notice none of this would have occurred.
Click to expand...
 
M

Mammoth Jones

Member
I have a hard time feeling bad for the guy being arrested considering he's being a fucking dick about it.

But to be blunt just give him a restraining order to stay away from school property and be done with it.
 
oneils

oneils

Member
Guevara said:
If he instead siphoned a little gas from a state-owned vehicle I think everyone would be in agreement that he's guilty and should be prosecuted.
Click to expand...

5 cents of gas? No I don't think my municipality should be spending money on criminal prosecutions over 5 cents. Might be a better way to do it. Make it an administrative penalty or something. Give the guy a ticket/fine whatever.
 
S

Stumpokapow

listen to the mad man
I think they should really throw the book at this guy and fine him one hundred times the value of what he stole. That'll show him.
 
S

speculawyer

Member
Zoe said:
Well, that's what he got.

Official statement:

http://www.11alive.com/rss/article/...-charged-with-stealing-5-cents-worth-of-juice
Click to expand...

Then charge him with trespassing! Charge him with lying to a police officer. Don't charge him with with stealing 5 cents of electricity when you are pissed at the guy for other reasons.

I don't like this bit about the cops trumping up BS charges because they can't figure out a proper way of charging him him for something. That just creates distrust and an appearance of corruption or incompetence in the legal system as this case has shown us.
 
G

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
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 who's vehicle it was. It was unlocked and he eventually began looking through the interior after verifying it did not belong to the school system.
Click to expand...

I'm... pretty sure you can't do the bolded. Even after the italicized.
 
J

jamesinclair

Banned
Zoe said:
Well, that's what he got.

Official statement:
• Had he just said oops, been cooperative and not claimed damage there would never have been a report
• Sgt. Ford's decision to pursue charges was ultimately driven by the previous notice to Mr. Kamooneh ]
Click to expand...


Uh, what?

So the official line from the PD is that will arrest and pursue charges if a civilian dares to argue with an officer that is illegally searching a vehicle?


Newt said:
Seeing the full details, this guy definitely deserved to be arrested.
Click to expand...


Yes, 15 hours in jail for daring to disagree with an officer. Seems legit.
 
T

Takuhi

Member
• Had he just said oops, been cooperative and not claimed damage there would never have been a report...

...He made no attempt to apologize or simply say oops and he wouldn't do it again...
Click to expand...

Wow, I had no idea that the word "oops" carried such incredible legal weight! I wonder what other Georgia crimes that can get you out of?
 
C

Chumly

Member
They should start arresting students for plugging in their phones. I would probably shoot them on sight to be safe. Damn thieves get what they deserve.
 
B

BigDug13

Member
If I fill up a water bottle on school property and take it with me, is it theft? I assume this was an outdoor power outlet? If he plugged in his iphone instead to give it a little charge since the power outlet was sitting there outside, is he also guilty of theft?

Am I stealing from the airport everytime I plug my Vita in for a charge?
 
Zoe

Zoe

Member
BigDug13 said:
If I fill up a water bottle on school property and take it with me, is it theft? I assume this was an outdoor power outlet? If he plugged in his iphone instead to give it a little charge since the power outlet was sitting there outside, is he also guilty of theft?

Am I stealing from the airport everytime I plug my Vita in for a charge?
Click to expand...
There's a difference between a business that provides outlets for customers and an outdoor outlet on a closed building whose facilities aren't open to the public.
 
S

speculawyer

Member
BigDug13 said:
If I fill up a water bottle on school property and take it with me, is it theft? I assume this was an outdoor power outlet? If he plugged in his iphone instead to give it a little charge since the power outlet was sitting there outside, is he also guilty of theft?

Am I stealing from the airport everytime I plug my Vita in for a charge?
Click to expand...

I was once at the DMV waiting for my number to be called. I plugged in my laptop. Someone saw and told me to unplug, so I did. They then called some electrician to lock the outlet. Why? So petty. Electricity is cheap. Why not charge 50 cents to people that want to plug in and profit off it?
 
M

mre

Golden Domers are chickenshit!!
Black Door said:
Holy shit that guy's lawyer is going to get paid
Click to expand...
Well, yes. Most lawyers don't work for free, and if they proceed with the criminal charges it would be wise of him to retain counsel.

I suppose he might find some lawyer to take the case pro bono, but then the lawyer won't actually get paid.
 
Dice

Dice

Pokémon Parentage Conspiracy Theorist
jamesinclair said:
According to a report from the Chamblee Police Department, an officer responded to a called complaint of the white Nissan LEAF left parked and charging at the school

Sgt. Ernesto Ford of the of the Chamblee Police Department declined to discuss the incident further with NBC News, but told WXIA that Kamooneh “broke the law. He stole something that wasn’t his.”

“A theft is a theft,” he added.
Click to expand...
This wouldn't have happened if it were a Focus Electric.
 
P

Particle Physicist

between a quark and a baryon
In the police report, the officer said he could not find the vehicle’s owner but found the car doors unlocked and picked up a piece of mail on the car floor showing a Decatur address.
Click to expand...



Wait, is that legal?
 
G

G. N. Arly

Neo Member
I'm shocked that something like this went down. I hope the defendant is able to resist the charges, and I'm also surprised this made it into current events.
That cop has really got start measuring the different potentials between different crimes, this was completely harmless! Dude wasted his energy.
 
C

Cody_D165

Banned
Shit GAF

I charged my 3DS at the college library not too long ago

Fuck there's security cameras everywhere in there

I gotta run the police could be here any minute, where do I hide?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Prolific swatter (17 yr old from CA) arrested in conjunction with hundreds of swatting offences
49
4K
DavidGzz replied
Man dies after having sex using epoxy adhesive instead of a condom
2
78
8K
NeoIkaruGAF replied
Bay Area horse molester sentenced to jail
2
61
4K
Buggy Loop replied
Man Arrested for Uncensoring Japanese Porn With AI in First Deepfake Case
2
75
13K
LordOfChaos replied
Deaf man arrested for beating his blind girlfriend with a machete
19
2K
Tesseract replied
Top Bottom