Arrested for eating grapes
April 1988: Albert Culberth of Miami ate a few grapes as he and his wife were doing their grocery shopping. An off-duty cop saw him, put him in cuffs, and took him to jail, despite Culberth's insistence that he had every intention of paying for the grapes during checkout.
If the grapes were charged by weight, then yes, he would have been stealing. But from what I can gather, the grapes were part of a set-price pack in his cart. So if he had been given the chance to pay during checkout, the store would have had no loss. The charges were eventually dropped for that reason.
If the grapes were charged by weight, then yes, he would have been stealing. But from what I can gather, the grapes were part of a set-price pack in his cart. So if he had been given the chance to pay during checkout, the store would have had no loss. The charges were eventually dropped for that reason.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - Apr 26, 1988
Comments
Pay first, then eat it. If you've so little self-control you can't even wait twenty minutes before you begin stuffing the food you're buying into your disgusting maw, then jail is a perfect place for you.
Posted by A Nonny Mouse on 02/05/16 at 09:51 AM
Jean Valjean?
Posted by BMN on 02/05/16 at 04:06 PM
Either the cop's nuts, the store manager is an ass, or we're not getting the whole story here.
Now, far be it from me to even think of suggesting that the staunchly upright and forthcoming individuals that make up the most powerful voice for truth, justice and the American way in our great nation would be so low, crass, careless, self centered, and/or capitalistic as to omit, change, or even invent important and prudent data or information on or from ANY story (even one that deals with a, relatively, minor offence such as this) just to fill columns, boost sales, or, simply, appease the boss.
Now, far be it from me to even think of suggesting that the staunchly upright and forthcoming individuals that make up the most powerful voice for truth, justice and the American way in our great nation would be so low, crass, careless, self centered, and/or capitalistic as to omit, change, or even invent important and prudent data or information on or from ANY story (even one that deals with a, relatively, minor offence such as this) just to fill columns, boost sales, or, simply, appease the boss.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 02/05/16 at 11:25 PM
I thought it wasn't shoplifting/theft until you left the store without paying.
I once saw someone go through a checkout line with only a wrapper from something (a candy bar?). I later learned it was store policy to allow such things because the customer might be diabetic and needed to eat something quickly. It was easier for them to put up with idiots who did such things if it meant avoiding embarrassing situations with the few people who had legitimate reasons.
I once saw someone go through a checkout line with only a wrapper from something (a candy bar?). I later learned it was store policy to allow such things because the customer might be diabetic and needed to eat something quickly. It was easier for them to put up with idiots who did such things if it meant avoiding embarrassing situations with the few people who had legitimate reasons.
Posted by Phideaux on 02/06/16 at 12:22 AM
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Category: Crime