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THEY MAY BE HOMELESS, BUT NOT POWERLESS

Homeless charged with stealing electricity

Date published: 10/16/2008

BY KEITH EPPS

A trail of electrical cords helped explain why a Fredericksburg business had noticed an increase in its electricity usage, police said.

City police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the cords led to three tents in the woods, where three homeless people were using electricity pilfered from Superior Settlement Services.

Joy Williams, 35, Tony Colbert, 40 and Michael Taylor, 21, were all charged with larceny and released on summonses.

Bledsoe said police went to 1810 Stafford Ave. Tuesday morning after receiving a call from the business owner.

The woman reported that she'd noticed that charges on her electric bill were going up, and Tuesday she found an extension cord plugged into an outlet at the rear of the building.

An officer followed the cords into the woods and found a homeless encampment with three tents. Each of the tents had electrical extensions running into them.

It was not clear how long the tent dwellers had been using the electricity or exactly what they were using it for.

The tent occupants were arrested without incident, Bledsoe said, and were advised to pack up their belongings and leave the area.

Another electricity theft case attracted considerable attention earlier this year.

A jury in Stafford County wanted a man to serve 21/2 years in prison for stealing about $80 worth of power from Dominion Virginia Power.

A judge reduced the sentence to six months in jail and the state Court of Appeals reduced it additionally, from a felony to a misdemeanor.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com



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Date published: 10/16/2008


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puleeze (posted by OhMyAgain , Nov. 19, 2008 3:54 pm)   
NOT ALL STORES call the police...trust me, my teen stole from a Spotsy store, they called her DADDY DADDY and only threatened to press charges when DADDY DADDY demanded a copy of the video. So no, not everyone prosecutes.

YOU (posted by OhMyAgain , Nov. 19, 2008 3:51 pm)   
I hope NONE of you are ever homeless or helpless....no I don't approve of stealing, but geeze people, get your checkbooks out and help instead of being online criticizing what you apparently have NO IDEA what it is all about. Call Homelessness the NEW HOKEY POKEY.

middle ground? (posted by pfloyd , Oct. 16, 2008 7:15 pm)   
how about letting them live in your back yard?

For Wasp.... (posted by meanasasnake , Oct. 16, 2008 3:26 pm)   
You're suggesting they be allowed to stay in their tents and hook up to the business with a 100' extension cord? And one of them dies in their tents from an electrical fire, guess who is liable?

I've got an idea (posted by savedbygracealone , Oct. 16, 2008 1:51 pm)   
How about we stick to the facts: Stealing electricity is a crime. When one commits a crime in a society with laws, there are consequences. I'm so tired of hearing the bleeding hearts spew all this garbage about how we should "feel sorry" for the less fortunate. I'll help when I can on my terms. Fear not, America "The Messiah" is on the horizon and will "Spread the wealth" (YOUR MONEY) around as HE sees fit. I can't wait for the bleeding heart liberal responses to this.

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