I like that!
I'm not sure though that the guy intended to break the law, he's more likely just naive. Given the cost of having an officer investigate and make an arrest I wish something could be in place to offer the offender the alternative of paying a "civil fee" to the store owner in lieu of dragging this through the courts. Maybe a "civil fee" of 250 dollars would make people understand that they don't have right to free electricity.
Years ago I and some students in a basic accounting class held a meeting at a local Border's bookstore. One of the students plugged in a calculator and was promptly told to unplug it by the Border's staff. At least an arrest wasn't made.
Is there any incremental cost? Does the cop cost the same if he's sitting in a donut shop or actually working?
This just in from Georgia Tech EE Dept. "...a kamooneh is defined as five minutes worth of stolen electricity, providing the thief did not know watt he was doing and is welly welly sorry and amply demonstrates it ."