Homeless man accused of stealing electricity to charge his cell phones

 

It’s possible to be arrested for “stealing wi-fi,” and now we know it’s possible to be arrested for stealing electricity. We don’t mean going in as some people have done to steal cable TV, but instead, a homeless man, just looking for a place to charge his cell phones (two).

A Bangor, Maine police officer was downtown businesses when he discovered 23-year-old Shaun Fawster charging his phones in an outlet hidden behind some flowers. Fawster was charged with theft of services as well as carrying a concealed weapon. At the time of his arrest, Fawster had one of those EDC knifes tucked underneath his shirt, leading to the weapon charge.

Fawster was taken to the Penobscot County Jail after his arrest. However, the D.A. decided to drop the charges and he was released.

Interestingly, Nissan Leaf and other electric car drivers use apps to find folks willing to give up some of their electricity for emergency charges (in addition, of course, to finding official charging stations).

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