Be careful about Web surfing in coffee shops without buying anything

Posted Jun 22nd 2006 9:19PM by Michael Sciannamea
Filed under: WiFi, Business

It still is considered chic to hang out in a coffee shop that features a WiFi hotspot and surf the Web, but you better make sure you buy something while you're there or you may end up in handcuffs or at least in the newspapers.

A coffee shop in Vancouver, Washington called the police after a local man used the shop's free wireless Internet service for over three months without buying a single cup of cofeee, a muffin, or even a cookie. The police charged the man with "theft of services" and the local prosecutors are reviewing the case.

Apparently, the guy parked his truck in the shop's parking lot and surfed the Web from there. Why did it take so long for the shop keepers to act? You'd think that after a couple of days somebody would take action. Doesn't caffeine make you more alert?

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. Evidently, the people in the coffee shop never checked to see if anyone else was using their network outside the coffee shoppe!

Posted at 12:47AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by webmetricsguru

2. I wonder what would happen if someone used a WIFI phone.

Neal Saferstein

Posted at 11:01PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Neal Saferstein

3. i think this is stupid. i mean they way it should be handled is just asking the guy to leave or buy something. not having him arrested for this

Posted at 10:22AM on Jun 24th 2006 by chris

4. I wonder if the coffee shop in question would have had the guy arrested for parking under the glow of the cafe's outdoor lighting and reading a book. It's the same thing. "Sorry, the light from these lamps is for paying customers only."

Posted at 4:45PM on Jun 26th 2006 by Bill Simmon

5. Coffee shops are just about as Evil as Cell Phone companies...

I wonder what would happen if you are using a neighbor's open wifi ... if they can call and "have you arrested"?

I mean realy.. if they DIDNT want people to use it without "permission" or paying for something.. then CLOSE IT UP!! Its pretty easy to drive around, even in a very small town, and fine people with open Wifi to leach off.

Posted at 6:59PM on Jul 17th 2006 by AudioPandemicShow.com

6. WiFi signal could have come from next door and not the coffee shop. This call for an investigation on his defense. If he was in his car, he was on his property and not trespassing even though he pick up a wifi signal in a public place. Nothing wrong with that. Don't buy coffee at that shop.

Posted at 10:38PM on Aug 16th 2006 by Dack

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