Community | August 26, 2009 | 30 comments

Bangor, Maine homeless man charged with a felony for a meal theft

source: http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/115005.html

A transient from Bangor was arrested Tuesday afternoon by an Old Town police officer after an alleged “dine and dash” incident at an Old Town pizzeria.

Less than 12 hours later, after he was released on bail, Elias Elias, 58, was summoned by a Bangor police officer for the same crime, namely eating a meal at a restaurant and skipping out without paying the tab.

The first incident occurred around lunchtime, when Elias reportedly had lunch at Johnny’s Pizza in Old Town and left without paying for his meal, Old Town police Sgt. Travis Roy said. He said Officer Lee Miller arrested Elias and charged him with felony theft and took him to Penobscot County Jail in Bangor. He was released on bail shortly thereafter.

At about 11 p.m. that night, Elias was summoned for theft by Bangor police Officer Rob Angelo after he ordered a meal at a downtown eatery and left without paying, Bangor police Sgt. James Hodges said in a news release.

“From the description given, Officer Angelo suspected Mr. Elias has a history of similar activities,” Hodges said. (Dawn Gagnon, BDN)
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30 comments // Bangor, Maine homeless man charged with a felony for a meal theft

  • regjoeschmo
    • 0
      regjoeschmo  

    • Released on bail could also be a ROR wich needs no money..... not something I would think would be so far fetched for such a minor crime.....

    • 2 years ago
  • annelor
    • 0
      annelor  

    • first of all, my father is from Bangor, Manine. The people there are very trusting and nice. It is also a very "slow" place. OK, the residents there are slow and easy going. This is not the sort of thing that happens in Bangor, Maine.!!!
      This man obviously took advantage of the good nature of the people there, and decided to "walk out on a meal". He could have made it right by letting them know he had no money. They might have allowed him to do something for his meal.!!
      It's just the way people seem to be these days!! No respect for the fellow man. Bangor, Maine is a very easy going place. The people are nice and trusting. People like him deserve what he got. Oh Well... It seems we better do something for those who become New Parent~~!! AS parents there should be lessons on being parents!! It's not easy, which makes it much more important, " Just like driving a car "" YOu get a LICENSE!!!!

    • 2 years ago
  • annelor
    • 0
      annelor  
    • annelor:

      If you don't understand where I'm going with this, I will explain.

      Good People === Good Upbringing

      Bad People ==== Bad Upbringing

      GET IT~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • 2 years ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  

    • We really do not know the whole story. In our country mentally ill become homeless. I believe a man would steal a meal if he is hungry and has no way to pay for it or he believes he has no way to pay for it. Either way he does not belong in prison.

    • 2 years ago
  • spacemikey
  • 2helenahandbasket
    • 0
      2helenahandbasket  

    • I have a problem with the fact that the guy was able to post bail to get himself out of jail. Wouldn't it have made more sense to just pay for his food? And if he has enough money for bail why would he choose steal the food? Did he just want to keep his money and have a free meal?

      Gee. I'd like to do that, myself. I HATE to spend my money on stuff I need. I way rather spend on stuff I WANT instead and let someone else provide what I need.....

    • 2 years ago
  • dariusvons
  • regjoeschmo
    • 0
      regjoeschmo  

    • Homeless do this on purpose, its called three hots and a cot... and these "police" officers are just buying into it.... let em do some work around town for some food, anyone who is truly down and out will appreciate the opportunity....

    • 2 years ago
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
  • samthesixth
  • spacemikey
    • 0
      spacemikey [removed]  

    • Deut. 23:25 clearly stated, "When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbor, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thin hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle into they neighbor’s standing corn."

      Luke 6:1-5; And it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat*, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

      *I don't think they owned the corn field in a legal sense...
      (I'm just saying that what Jesus did...)

    • 2 years ago
  • MotherForTruth
  • Steward2
    • 0
      Steward2  

    • The article link says he is a transient,not homeless,
      and posted bond,which one could assume even free meals in jail won't please him. It appears He must have the money(bond) or at least some money to pay for his meals.
      Could it be he is addicted to(stealing) trying to get away with free meals aka a free lunch ,at the expenses of others.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Steward2
    • 0
      Steward2  
    • Steward2:

      The trouble is/was being caused by himself .

      When I owned a restaurant in Ma.,all any one needed to do was ask any waitress/waiter if there was any way they could work off a payment for their meal.They would contact either me or the mgr. and 99.9% of the time we would say go ahead and leave, it will be taken care of.
      Any one in need of a meal all they have to do is go to the back door,which leads to the kitchen area and 99.999% of the time,they can have a free meal,it's out of respect one asks,not take and run.

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Steward2
    • 0
      Steward2  
    • Steward2:

      Nope, I was not at the location,Maine ,nor do I know of any one who was or is reporting from the place of the incident,or within reach of the incident,(other than what I read from it) where I can speak for the restaurants involved,thus it is speculation as to what did/should occur or did/should not occur ,
      But related restaurant owners of which I have had numerous association with many,will and in fact do provide free meals when Asked .Not Take and Run,
      I'm sure Jesus and his followers did not take and run
      it points to that He had a conversation with the owner of the corn field.
      And would not any one back then, who did take and run be stoned as a theif

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
  • Steward2
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  
    • Steward2:

      That is what the religious leaders wanted. They wanted to do with him as they pleased. Roman had every right to keep Jesus and tell them they are wrong...they were the rulers. But he did not want to cave. He did not want to stand up for what he KNEW was right...so he handed him over and released the murderer.

      They were vindictive and hateful.

      Much like people in the Ted Kennedy death thread.

      Had he grazed some grain who was going to know? There was no cameras.

    • 2 years ago
  • Steward2
    • 0
      Steward2  
    • Steward2:

      I don't know how this has gone from a guy taking meals in Maine and being in trouble for it to Religious passages,to Rome, to Ted Kennedy (RIP) .
      The guy who took the meal and ran,should face up to what he did not once but twice,he should have asked first.
      This is the end of any reply from me.

      Judea was ruled by Roman procurators, whose chief responsibility was to collect and deliver an annual tax to the empire.

      Whatever the procurators raised beyond the quota assigned, they could keep. Not surprisingly, they often imposed confiscatory taxes.

      Equally infuriating to the Judeans, Rome took over the appointment of the High Priest (a turn of events that the ancient Jews appreciated as much as modern Catholics would have appreciated Mussolini appointing the popes).

      As a result, the High Priests, who represented the Jews before God on their most sacred occasions, increasingly came from the ranks of Jews who collaborated with Rome.

      procurators which means 'to take care'. Rich Romans have always employed caretakers to administer large amounts of money or agricultural domains; usually, these procurators were freedmen.

    • 2 years ago
  • spacemikey
    • 0
      spacemikey [removed]  
    • Steward2:

      If ownership of the field was implied to anyone it was the Pharisees ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharisee ), still it didn't specifically imply they owned it, it implied a certain of the Pharisees witnessed it. Pharisees could mean a few things; Rabi, political party, scribe, or sage. From the chastising nature of the comment it would "seem" to be a Rabi, maybe one overseeing the land that belonged to the Pharisees, but it's not clear enough to assume given the lack of detail.

      (then again you could argue by the response from Jesus that that was the case, still it's debatable)

    • 2 years ago
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  

    • What has happen to America? We send our sons to die in foreign lands to free the disadvantaged but we jail our own citizens who are starving and homeless?

      Our government and corporations with their policies and greed helping working Americans loose their jobs and homes.

      And we, fellow Americans, actually believe a homeless and hungry man will be happy to loose his freedom?

      Is this not America I used to know!

    • 2 years ago
  • nanac
    • 0
      nanac  

    • Desperate times calls for desperate measures! Hopefully, his punishment will involve community service to pay his restitution...He should be given some sort of public assistance.

    • 2 years ago
  • lj111
  • Prijedor
  • MotherForTruth
    • 0
      MotherForTruth  

    • Bangor, Maine prosecution handed out a felony charge for a hungry homeless man for refusing to die of hunger. How much did his meal cost?
      What is going on in Bangor, Maine?

    • 2 years ago
  • J_Jammer
    • 0
      J_Jammer [removed]  

    • Just pay for for him and punish him how? What are you going to do to him that isn't up from where he is?

      If they put him in jail they then have to use tax payer money to feed him. Might as well pay for the food he ate and release him....punish him by telling him that was bad and not to do it again and if he does do it again....make him work for the money by picking up trash on the side of the road and make him do it without being fed first. He'd have to pay off what he ate and then work for some more food.

      Stealing is stealing no matter if it's to feed yourself. You are essentially stealing from someone else's food for their family via money.

    • 2 years ago
  • allIknowis
MotherForTruth
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