You know, you’ve gotta nip this kind of stuff in the bud. One minute, you’re stealing $0.89 in Mr. Pipp from a soda fountain, the next you’re trying to rob the U.S. Treasury. Gotta lock these guys up and THROW AWAY THE KEY.
Anyway, North Charleston’s Christopher Lewis faces a $525 fine for refilling a drink at his town’s VA Medical Center. That’s “theft of government property,” buddy.
The on-site construction worker says he didn’t know refills at the VA Medical Center in downtown Charleston came at a price, and Wednesday, during his lunch hour, he was slapped with federal charges.
The ticket was issued by the Federal Police Force at the VA Medical Center in downtown Charleston after Christopher Lewis refilled his soda without paying the $0.89.
“Every time I look at the ticket, it’s unbelievable to me,” says Lewis, who works construction. “I can’t fathom the fact that I made a $0.89 mistake that cost me $525.”
Lewis is now out of a job. According to a hospital spokesperson, signs are posted in the cafeteria informing patrons that refills aren’t free. Lewis says he never noticed the signs and admits he had refilled his drink without paying on other occasions. He says after he went back for seconds on Wednesday, a man who identified himself as the chief of police, stopped him.
“As I was filling my cup up, I turned to walk off and a fella grabbed me by the arm and asked me was I going to pay for that, and I told him I wasn’t aware that I had to pay for that.”
The real criminals always congregate near the soda fountains. Good work, officers. And good work, Uncle Sam.
[H/T: Fark]