A UK man plugged his iPhone into the train to charge it and arrested for 'abstracting electricity.'

network world ^ | 13 July 2015 | john pease

[DUMBGRUNT]

a UK man was arrested for stealing about a 'penny's worth' of power after charging his iPhone on a train.

[DUMBGRUNT]

Lucky, they did not shoot him, or his dog; yet.

[DUMBGRUNT]

My wife used to charge her laptop on AMTRAK.

Good thing she escaped unnoticed.

[JoeDetweiler]

Frankly, he’s a thief. They should put him in jail for a couple of seconds!

[Darksheare]

So why are the outlets there in the first place?
“Passenger convenience”?

[StormEye]

"My wife used to charge her laptop on AMTRAK."

The last time I rode Amtrak to NYC from Wash. D.C. many passengers were using laptops and mobile devices that were plugged in. Apparently Amtrak is willing to supply power for the device chargers.

[DUMBGRUNT]

They should put him in jail for a couple of seconds!

That was superb! Fast too.

[11th Commandment]

A Transport for London spokeswoman told the Evening Standard that "on board London Overground trains" have "signs near the plug points state they are for 'cleaners use only and not for public use'... ":

I am going to take an unpopular view. What right do people have to think they can plug their personal device into any open plug? I see this at the airport and waiting rooms all the time. It is stealing pure and simple. This is the taker philosophy which is ruining the entire world.

[Cementjungle]

So why are the outlets there in the first place?

Maybe they're there for use by the cleaning/maintenance folks. But, if that's the case then they should be labelled with something like "for official use only" or something.

[GraceG]

I surprised this hasn’t happened earlier, heck in the UK they probably charge the working class for even breathing....

[Darksheare]

Zactly.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Those plugs are installed AT EVERY TRAIN SEAT!

Assuming they are limited to “cleaner use” is absurd.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“What right do people have to think they can plug their personal device into any open plug?”

That’s like asking why were passengers using the air conditioning.

[camle]

if it was an electric car adn he plugged it in, it would be doing a friendly service

[11th Commandment]

Wrong, air conditioning is provided for the comfort of the paying customers. If I am waiting for the Doctor, he/she is providing a comfortable environment for me or I am walking out the door. He may even provide WIFI on an open network which implies public use. However, open electrical sockets do not imply public use and should only be used with permission of the owner. In this case, signs were clearly posted that the electricity was NOT for public use.

[telstar12.5]

The same right as texting in the movie theater, or filming at the theater - self-absorbation I call it.

[Boogieman]

Sure, it may be theft, but if you know people are sitting on a train and want to use their electronics, and you put an outlet right next to them that they can access, and tell them not to use it, it’s kind of an enticement.

It’s like putting a water fountain in front of a thirsty man and then saying “please don’t drink”. Technically, you have the right to do it, but a sensible person still wouldn’t do that.

[AFreeBird]

Um, airports, you’ve got a captive audience. Using their phone to arrange travel, deal with missed flights, delays, connections etc., not to mention just plain entertain themselves while they sit and wait.

I don’t see airports too overly concerned about electricity usage, especially if it helps keep the cattle from becoming even more irritated than they already are with the whole travel experience these days.

[GregoTX]

Frankly, he’s a thief. They should put him in jail for a couple of seconds!

That's what might have happened. The story says "... was arrested on suspicion of abstracting electricity, for which he was de-arrested shortly after." "Shortly after" could mean a few seconds, minutes or hours.

In reading the story it says a few other clues as to what happened:

"We (British Transport Police)were called to Camden Road London Overground station on Friday, 10 July to a report of a man becoming aggressive when challenged by a PCSO about his use of a plug socket on board an Overground train..."

"... he was de-arrested shortly after. He was further arrested for unacceptable behavior and has been reported for this offense."

"Some users on the London Underground Forum pointed out that the cops might have just dropped it if he had simply apologized instead of trying to push past them."

Emotions and attitudes on both sides may have made a mountain out of a molehill.

[DUMBGRUNT]

That is correct!
Trains are so efficient(GREEN) the have surplus energy!
They should be begging people to take some home, lest they burn some of the dreaded fossil fuels!

Now about the guys that embedded all the wire in the walls next to the electric railroad; not so sure.
They did in fact receive ‘free’ electric.

[HereInTheHeartland]

“”I just sat down and plugged my phone in because there were no signs saying not to.””

Do you want to have a society that arrests someone for charging a cell phone on a 8 minute train ride?
The same mentality that deems one a criminal for going 56 MPH on a 55 zone.
While ignoring the guy going 50 mph in the left lane and holding up dozens of people.

That’s the issue; we have descended into an over regulated society where the government can deem almost anyone a criminal. Of course this story is in the UK; and they are several steps ahead of us.