Crackdown On Guerilla Keitai Charging

[Mulboyne]

Have you ever recharged your phone by plugging into an empty socket you've found in public? In case you weren't certain, this report from the Asahi (Japanese) confirms that you are breaking the law if you do. Last month, a college student plugged her charger into a spare socket inside JR Sagamihara station and was spotted doing so by a passer-by who called the police on 110. The girl was waiting for a friend and so was still at the same spot when the officers arrived. They pointed out that she was engaged in an act of theft but let her off with a caution. The report says the girl probably stole electricity worth 0.03 yen leading one officer to comment "it may only be a tiny amount but it's still stealing".

Spotted here.

[American Oyaji]

Last month, a college student plugged her charger into a spare socket inside JR Sagamihara station and was spotted doing so by a passer-by who called the police on 110.

WTF? What is this world coming to?

[bolt_krank]

Thinking about the time it would of taken up.
I'm guessing there was more than one officer. So - assuming there were only 2 officers. The go there and back - spending about 1 - 2 hours. So using up 4 man hours of tax payers money to regulate 0.03 yen.

I can understand that they are "enforcing the law". But it strikes me as a case of "too much spare time".

[Greji]

Thinking about the time it would of taken up.
I'm guessing there was more than one officer. So - assuming there were only 2 officers. The go there and back - spending about 1 - 2 hours. So using up 4 man hours of tax payers money to regulate 0.03 yen.

I can understand that they are "enforcing the law". But it strikes me as a case of "too much spare time".

Right on! Do you realize how many FGs on bicycles they could have checked during that time? A total waste of man hours for the police!

[alicia454]

I am likely looking at multiple life sentences, for all of the times that I have "stolen" electricity at airports while waiting for my flights.

I always fly with my laptop, encrypted of course, and I am always hunting around the waiting/seating area by the gate for an outlet, so that I can charge as much as possible before my flights.

I can understand that it is bad to take electricity from private individuals and organizations, but seriously, they should allow ticketed passengers to recharge personal electronics at all long-duration public transportation waiting areas, including airports, rail stations, and bus terminals, as a free service, if the vehicles they are travelling on do not have AC outlets.

[GomiGirl]

Damn - I am always doing this - especially when away on camping trips. take the keitai to a restaurant for lunch and charge up while eating etc.

But just to let you know - I happen to know a bar in Shinjuku that encourages this and actually provides multiple connectors to suit all handsets. Bring all your charging to me and have a beer while you wait.

(Note I am associated with this bar)

[omae mona]

For what it's worth, virtually every Docomo shop has a free charging station. It's basically a mini-safe. You put your phone in, attach the charging cable, close the door, and choose a personal 4-digit combination to unlock it. I recently used one of these inside Narita airport.

Not sure if other providers have similar services, but I suspect they do.

[Tengu Kid]

The thing that annoys me more than the fact that its illegal is the other passenger that called the police! Friggin plank.

[sublight]

For what it's worth, virtually every Docomo shop has a free charging station. It's basically a mini-safe. You put your phone in, attach the charging cable, close the door, and choose a personal 4-digit combination to unlock it. I recently used one of these inside Narita airport.

Not sure if other providers have similar services, but I suspect they do.

I like that several movie theaters have put those out in the lobby as an encouragement to not have your phone ring in the theater.

[Kanchou]

I wonder what happens when you're foreign and male when you decide to charge your phone.

Think you can get out of it when you go from JPLT L1 to "Me no speak Japanese" .04 seconds after the cops show up?