![[Home]](/graphics/button-home.gif)
![[About Me]](/graphics/button-about_me.gif)
![[Video Game Law]](/graphics/button-vgl.gif)
![[iMedia Law]](/graphics/button-imedia_law.gif)
![[wishhh.com]](/graphics/button_wishhh.gif)
![[The Daleisphere]](/graphics/button-the-daleisphere-new.gif)
![[Filler Bar]](/graphics/button_filler.gif)
Another WiFi Arrest - this time in Vancouver Washington
Categories: Police Actions, WiFi Access
Alexander Eric Smith was arrested after a three-month stretch where he periodically parked in front of a coffee shop off-and-on with a laptop and used its wireless Internet connection.
Sources: ars technica | Engadget | San Francisco Chronicle | techsearch | EETimes | iTnews.com.au | katu.com
Dale’s Comment: Still another arrest for another victimless crime. See my comments to a similar story on March 23, 2006. In this particular case, if the coffee shop wanted to ensure against external users, then they should have used password access control. Otherwise, if people make their wireless access available without protection, passers-by should be entitled to use it.
Related Stories:
- Another WiFi Arrest - This time in Vancouver Washington (June 22, 2006)
- Illinois WiFi ‘Freeloader’ fined $US$250 (March 23, 2006)
- Paramount Sues Man for Piracy - But Can’t Find any Evidence (December 14, 2005) - a man cleverly used his unsecured wireless connection as an affirmative defense to allegations that he was pirating movies from Paramount Pictures.
- ‘Stealing’ Your Neighbor’s Net (August 10, 2005)
- Florida Man Charged with Felony for Accessing Third-party WiFi (July 7, 2005)
Digg 
Del.icio.us 
1 comment
Assuming the coffee shop was giving WiFi access to its customers free of charge, its hard to see how this was any sort of theft of service on his behalf. Securing a WiFi connection takes about 30 seconds if the coffee shop wanted to, its not like this guy is some serious criminal that should be charged with a crime.
Leave a Comment