Free Soda Refill Can Be A Federal Offense

I'd say the cup/lid/straw+waste account for the majority of the cost of a cup of soda, not really the soda itself.

Typically the machines are provided/serviced by pespi/coke vendors themselves and the mix is sold to them and delivered by the vendor itself, the cost is really in the bag.

edit: As to the OP: While I agree theft is theft, and purposefully breaking the law or stealing should result in said punishment, there should be some leniency and just allow the guy to pay what he owes, and apologize, it's the more "adult" thing to do, imo.

The only reason I say that is that a lot of places don't charge for refills, and we don't really know where the fountain may have been.

Maybe the guy has bad eye sight and wasn't wearing his glasses at the moment, as he may be near-sighted, who knows.

I'm all for punishing actual theft, and when people blatantly abuse things, heck I used to work in retail and even in cstore situations (while never actually a cafe) where people who weren't buying anything thought they could just roll in and grab straws/silverware whenever it pleased them, the difference in that place and the Cafeteria, is that it was a for-profit industry, and they typically did better by trying to get repeat business.

The fact that he's label as a habitual thief for snaggin some 'free refills' boggles my mind.

What's next, arresting people who steal electricity from an outlet that's attached to a government building?

If there's a sign indicating not to use it to charge your cell phone, then yes.

I'd ask what's so hard to understand about following posted and clear rules, but I know that in virtually every case it was lackadaisical parenting that never instilled any respect for consequences.

How do you expect the average citizen to follow the rules, at all, when the government violates its own constitution?

Where's the line between electric car and a cell phone?

In between 6 W·h and 20 kW·h I'd guess.

Next thing: People getting arrested in walmart parking lot for stealing electricity from the outside parking plugs.

2 wrongs do not make a right. Stop making excuses for breaking the rules.

Any way I could convince you that not paying for soda refills at a VA hospital was this guy's way of protesting the government?

He works in construction, so no.

I wonder... would I also be a criminal if I decided to forgo ice and simply fill my cup with soda instead? I'd probably end up with as much or more soda than free refill guy for the same price.

I wonder... have you missed that this wasn't an isolated incident with this guy?

Most businesses and certainly the law are nothing like as black-and-white unreasonable as seems to be the perception. They're still run by human beings. An honest mistake is quite one thing, but this kind of response is not how anyone (much less a hospital of all places) reacts to a first-time problem.

quote]

I've never stolen anything. Your info provided nothing we didn't know and it's irrelevant. Theft is theft.[/quote]

I call *** lmao and I dun care if you think it's relevant or not. Hell you put a plate of cookies in the middle of a crowded place put a sign up behind it saying go pay at the counter and not expect that people wont even bother looking at a sign and just walk off with one, half your tray will be gone unpaid for. They are HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE for not having the damn thing behind the counter.

/yawn. So, whats new?

Exactly, I agree. They said he got bent outa shape, hell ya I bet he did. You come at me sideways over soda refill and wont let me pay and move on, bet your *** I'm gonna get bent too. and then a 525 ticket, is damn HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE, I'm gonna be real bent then, ticket me 10 bucks ok np I deserve it. I'm honest enough to tell you I didn't realize and Ive done this before (hey that's called being honest) I'll pay a restitution for my mistake but dun be a dumbass about it mr officer, screw you and your high horse too. I've NEVER seen a squeaky clean cop and as far as freebies, I've worked at a gas station and they expected free stuff and never tried to pay for sodas from fountain they would just walk right out. Stealing is stealing? How many of you talking that crap have ever stiffed someone on a tip? You just stole that persons time, regardless if you felt valid of the reason you did so. We can back and forth this all day, I love to debate. 525 and a lost job (bet you the guy has family, he dun look like no spring chicken fresh outa school) is absolutely over kill.

oh I'm here to entertain and meet your standards? screw off buddy lol

Yes, and you are coming up short. Try harder.

Nah, I'm good thinking your an egotistical twit. No one cares to make you happy, your just an average person like the rest of us.

Much better.

The war on soda pop has gone on too long. I suggest a long slow switch to iced tea.

Instead of Snapple, I recommend this guy cause they use real sugar as well:

Yeah, it's a pretty dumb idea to charge for refills when you let people doing the refill themselves. Lawyers can probably argue that the customer thought there would be no refill charges cause he can't read or didn't notice.

I don't think the arrest is about the $0.95 refill. Imagine you were the person working in there and there is a guy to keeps taking your $1 stuff. Once, it might be a mistake. Twice, the guy is a jerk or thief, better have a talk with him. 3 times and you really need to catch him or just call the cops on him.

This is not because you're missing your $3 but because other people will copy the guy. Kids and other jerks will probably start 1st then other people.

Same thing with the electricity. It's not the current costs. It's to stop people from copying it. "hey, he's doing it, the other guy is doing it, even his mom is doing it so I can do it too if I want!"

I'm still confused why they made this seem like a sting operation for refills. Why didn't they just report him the first time they noticed?

Me too. I looked, couldn't find any updates yet.

He was ticketed, not arrested. There won't be any lawyers.

This is Uh-MER-ika, gobdammit! The rule is: "Don't (GET CAUGHT) steal(ing)."

This is the motto that should be on the dollar bill!

What is the deal in this thread? The guy habitually got free refills while there were signs that said refills were not free.

The price has nothing to do with this. It doesn't matter if you think you're being gouged for soda. Simple solution, don't do business there. If you're going to frequent an establishment, you follow their rules. If you disagree with their rules, you don't go there. You do not just take matters into your own hands and decide to take what you please.

This is as dumb as people saying, "Walmart charges too much for televisions, so I put two hundred dollars on the counter and walked out with a five hundred dollar tv."

That is shoplifting, regardless of whether you think you paid sufficiently or not.

Don't like the prices? Go somewhere that is more suitable to your budget.

Despite what people think about hospitals, they usually are not just rolling in money. Most money paid is to pay for supplies, insurance crap, wages, and equipment. Cafeterias and gift shops are a rather large (percentage wise) way for them to stay afloat.

Having worked in a hospital, and having to still pay for my meals there (20% discount, oh god so much cheaper on a $10 meal...)I can fully understand where the hospital stands. It pissed me off when co-workers would go take supplies like boxes of gloves or get free refills. Why? Because those people are why the base prices are so high to begin with. If people would use common sense and follow a business' rules, prices would be cheaper for everyone. If you think it's unfair, then go somewhere else like an intelligent person instead of trying to justify your petty thefts.