With sky-high gas prices, 42 cents wont get you very far nowadays.
However, it will get you a trip to jail.
A 43-year-old Bonita Springs man was arrested Monday morning after Naples police say he stole 42 cents from a mall fountain.
Laslo Mujzer, 43, 26801 Silverado East Drive, was charged with petty theft under $100, a misdemeanor.
Around 11:15 a.m. Monday, a customer at the Coastland Center mall approached a mall security guard, and told her that a man was stealing money from a fountain outside, police reported. The security guard, Heather Watson, found the man, later identified as Mujzer, and detained him until police arrived.
A sign attached to each fountain at the mall reads: All coins donated to Habitat for Humanity of Collier County.
A Naples police officer who arrived at the scene found Mujzer in possession of 42 cents just enough to purchase one first class stamp.
The mall security guard pressed charges and Mujzer was arrested and booked into the Collier County jail. Collier County Sheriffs Office logs report that Mujzer was booked into the jail on a $500 bond.
Attempts to reach Mujzer on Tuesday were unsuccessful.
If we have a complaint and a complainant that is going to sign a sworn statement, then we will make an arrest, said Naples police Capt. John Adams.
In an e-mail Tuesday, mall Senior General Manager Glen D. Harrell, said there was more to the story than what was reported in the arrest log. He said he would provide more information after meeting with police at 4 p.m., but never did.
I am not going to comment, except to say we continue to look at the details of the incident, Harrell wrote in a follow-up e-mail.
It is not unusual for police officers to arrest people who steal small items from local retail stores, Adams said. Police officers have arrested people for stealing change from fountains before, Adams said.
He shouldnt be taking change out of the mall fountain, Adams said. Its not found money. Its money thats destined for charity.
Adams said reports in other media that Mujzer was charged with having fake identification are incorrect.
Theres some confusion. He did not possess positive ID, Adams said. I think it was misreported that it was a fake ID. He was identified on the scene by the officer. ... He had something with his name on it, a document, but you would not be able to positively identify him with that document.
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2008/jul/22/bonita-man-arrested-after-allegedly-stealing-42-ce/Wow, they only caught him with 42 cents. Not a very good theif or there is more to the story.
