A young lady (20) in Japan who had the temerity to charge her phone using a socket at a railway station has been arrested for theft of electricity, after a passerby called police to avert the robbery, having stolen 0.015 watt hours (or 54 joules), worth a shocking total of 0.03 yen ($0.0003).
The lady, a student, is suspected of charging her phone at a station whilst waiting with a friend. A passerby saw the crime in progress and dialed 110, summoning police, who came rushing the arrest the thief before she fled with her ill-gotten gains.
After being arrested the thief was repentant: “I understand now it was a bad thing to do.”
Police issued a reprimand, but did not consider her crime grievous enough to prosecute, treating it as a minor offence.
The police in charge had this to add: “Theft is theft, even three hundredths of a yen.”
This doesn’t directly address your comment; it just came to mind.
Girl Arrested for Charging Cell Phone (link Not Safe for Work)