Arrest of elderly woman for unpaid restaurant bill

[Bay_Kat]

...sparks protests

WINTER HAVEN --

A 78-year-old woman and her daughter were arrested after a local restaurant claimed they didn't pay for their bill.

Winter Haven police said Willie Nell Lewis and her daughter, Ruththena Lewis, racked up a bill at A&G restaurant and didn’t pay for it.

The charges were enough to spark a protest on Wednesday morning outside the restaurant. Protestors belonging to Lewis' church held up signs asking people not to eat at the restaurant because they had the elderly woman arrested.

According to arrest reports, the women left behind an unpaid bill of less than $20.

“I just didn’t understand why it had to go to all of this,” Lewis said.

Arrest of elderly woman for unpaid restaurant bill sparks protest

Should they have just let them go and not call the police for a bill less than 20 bucks or were they right in calling the police? I'm torn on this one. If this happens often, that 20 bucks could add up.

 

[GURPS]

was it Alzheimer's or intentional fraud / Theft

 

[Bay_Kat]

was it Alzheimer's or intentional fraud / Theft

Did you read the article? she was with her daughter and according to the employee, the daughter refused to pay.

 

[aps45819]

Bad credit card and rude behavior

F- them, off to the slammer

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Good on the restaurant.

 

[Freefaller]

The entitlement mentality...

...is on full display here. Not only by the two theives whole stole a meal from the retaurant, but by their church group that is protesting. Members of that church should be ashamed but their entitlement mentality will not allow them to be. What a sad commentary on that church and its pastor!

 

[vraiblonde]

Bad credit card and rude behavior

F- them, off to the slammer

This ^^

 

[slotpuppy]

Restaurant did the right thing.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I wonder if the "protestors" even know what they are protesting.

The woman is a thief.

 

[Hessian]

New Testament church...

Would have collected money, perhaps twice the loss, and cheerfully turned it over to the Restaurant, with an apology.

THIS...from the age of the apostles. So, why don't churches READ the Bible any more? & follow the behavior?

That church would have drawn praise,...if they had followed the NT example.

 

[luvmygdaughters]

What the big deal? They didn't pay for a meal, they get arrested. If it had been a younger person, would the press have made such a big deal about it.

Some senior citizens think they are entitled to everything just because they made it to their "Golden" years.

 

[b23hqb]

Would have collected money, perhaps twice the loss, and cheerfully turned it over to the Restaurant, with an apology.

THIS...from the age of the apostles. So, why don't churches READ the Bible any more? & follow the behavior?

That church would have drawn praise,...if they had followed the NT example.

So right.

The attitude today is a bad testimony for Christianity - way too many churches today rarely, if ever, read or preach, much less follow, scripture. They are more interested in feeling good about themselves and raking in cash from those they make feel good.

Being told one is a sinner by nature = bad attendance and income for those type churches.

Obviously, it was the attitude of the daughter that prompted the whole issue. I wonder if she sings in the choir.....

 

[libby]

The article says the restaurant ran the daughter's credit card. Well, how did they get her card if she didn't give it to them? Was it declined?
I also didn't see any reason given for not paying; were they somehow dissatisfied with their meal? What am I missing?