Is movie hopping illegal?

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: Xiety

Originally posted by: FleshLight

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: MikePanic
i doubt you would get charged w/ a criminal anything... but you will prob get banned from the theater

Yes it is illegal, it's petty theft. Many theatres do prosecute, btw (having worked at one a long time ago, I remember our manager called the police for anyone he caught)

Bill

Hmmm. Well can't you just leave the theater when they call the cops? And can't you just say you lost your ticket so that the cops have to prove that you didn't buy a ticket for that movie? And yes I practice this immoral practice . I'm a bad person.

They can detain you, and most likely will. Businesses are often confronted with suits for false imprisonment after they have attempted to confine a suspected shoplifter for questioning. Under the priviledge to detain granted to merchants in some states, a merchant can use the defense of probable cause to justify delaying a suspected shoplifter. Probable cause exists when the evidence to support the belief that a person is guilty outweighs the evidence against that belief. The detention, however, must be conducted in a reasonable manner and for only a reasonable length of time.

It is a tricky issue. Legally the business can ask you to stay, but if they touch you in an attempt to detain you then they can be held liable for battery and in some cases i've read, kidnapping, which by definition is forcibly detaining and moving a person against their will.

When i worked at a Major Computer retailer as part of the loss prevention i was told offically to not go after anyone or try and stop them, thou if i were to recover any of the stores product it would favor better for me.

You are right about battery but they can always lock doors without touching him. Where is he gonna go? He can go hide in the restroom

 

[thatsright]

Well sure it's Illegal, but about as horrible as Jaywalking in my mind.

Here in Boston, the big movie theaters only have 1 ticket taker booth to serve like 20-30 theaters. So once you get past the ticket taker, you can really go into ANY movie you want. And it doesn't help that the ticket taker is down a long hall, and by the theaters are bathrooms so you can go inside and 'hang out' till the next 'free' movie you want to see.

Just being honest, even if it is juvenile to do this.

 

[PoPPeR]

I've never done it, because I don't think there's ever been a time when I went to the movie theatre and wanted to watch more then one movie. I go to the movies about once a year, sometimes less.

My friends usually do it though. Hell some of them sneak in, and then movie hop lol

 

[waggy]

when i was younger friends and i would go see the early show and stay and watch until they threw us out. heh

we did this every saturday. heck the manager really didnt care either since we usually baught a bunch of junk food and didnt bother other people.

but then again that was ohh 12+ years ago. bah.

 

[CrazyDe1]

We used to plan Sundays around this. I've seen so many movies I have no desire to see or would have never had any desire to see. I think we'd start at 3 and go until 10...it's not easy to watch that many movies.

By the way, it's not legal. It's called theft of service.

 

[sillymofo]

So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

they are not forcing you to buy it. they just dont want outside merchandise in their property. i don't see anything wrong with it as thats the only way they can make money.

 

[rh71]

Heh... a couple girls came into our theatre when Troy was already halfway done. I think it's pretty obvious they were hopping... (is there another reason - they went straight to the very front and sat down)... but nobody said anything... we just all thought it though...

 

[FleshLight]

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

Yeah they need to make a killing of the concession stand because it is their primary source of income.

If they "detain" you against your will, can you legally "fight back" (ie: Claymore mines)? Or start fighting with them?

 

[konakona]

last time i checked jaywalking is also illegal

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: FleshLight

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

Yeah they need to make a killing of the concession stand because it is their primary source of income.

If they "detain" you against your will, can you legally "fight back" (ie: Claymore mines)? Or start fighting with them?

No, you will be in serious trouble then. A judge or jury isn't going to find the theater guilty of battery on you for keeping you from getting away with a crime until the police arrive. But you hit one of them, and you're going to be in serious trouble, since that act of violence was in an attempt to flee the scene of a crime. Not to mention you would get dog piled by many many employees.

A friend of mine clotheslined some dude who tried a grab and run in a Ross store. The dude was running when he got hit, his feet flew out in front of him, knocked out a window, his head hit a crossbar in the window, and he landed on broken glass. He went to the hospital, and then jail. Ross gave my friend a $300 gift certificate. He was in the paper.

 

[Imdmn04]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: MikePanic
i doubt you would get charged w/ a criminal anything... but you will prob get banned from the theater

Yes it is illegal, it's petty theft. Many theatres do prosecute, btw (having worked at one a long time ago, I remember our manager called the police for anyone he caught)

Bill

Theaters cannot prosecute anybody, only prosecutors can prosecute. Theaters can call the police, the police can then show the prosectutor the story, its up to the prosectutors whether he wants to prosecute or not. Most of times, given the system's limited resources, the prosecutor will not prosecute petty thefts like these.

 

[SilentZero]

Yup...sure is. Im pretty sure the police treat it like theft.

 

[Vertimus]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: FleshLight

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

Yeah they need to make a killing of the concession stand because it is their primary source of income.

If they "detain" you against your will, can you legally "fight back" (ie: Claymore mines)? Or start fighting with them?

No, you will be in serious trouble then. A judge or jury isn't going to find the theater guilty of battery on you for keeping you from getting away with a crime until the police arrive. But you hit one of them, and you're going to be in serious trouble, since that act of violence was in an attempt to flee the scene of a crime. Not to mention you would get dog piled by many many employees.

A friend of mine clotheslined some dude who tried a grab and run in a Ross store. The dude was running when he got hit, his feet flew out in front of him, knocked out a window, his head hit a crossbar in the window, and he landed on broken glass. He went to the hospital, and then jail. Ross gave my friend a $300 gift certificate. He was in the paper.

:beer: to your friend

 

[Turkish]

Originally posted by: Imdmn04

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: MikePanic
i doubt you would get charged w/ a criminal anything... but you will prob get banned from the theater

Yes it is illegal, it's petty theft. Many theatres do prosecute, btw (having worked at one a long time ago, I remember our manager called the police for anyone he caught)

Bill

Theaters cannot prosecute anybody, only prosecutors can prosecute. Theaters can call the police, the police can then show the prosectutor the story, its up to the prosectutors whether he wants to prosecute or not. Most of times, given the system's limited resources, the prosecutor will not prosecute petty thefts like these.

Hmmm I think you are wrong. Theaters cannot prosecute (the term), but they can take the thief to court given they have enough evidence.

 

[911paramedic]

If you go to a restaurant do you go around the place eating other peoples meals?

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: FleshLight

Originally posted by: cr4zymofo
So is it highway robbery when they sell a small coke for $4.50, a small popcorn for $4.00? And not allow you to bring your own shiets in? Isn't that "monopoly"? :roll:

Card carrying member of the movie hoppin' theme and proud of it!

Yeah they need to make a killing of the concession stand because it is their primary source of income.

If they "detain" you against your will, can you legally "fight back" (ie: Claymore mines)? Or start fighting with them?

No, you will be in serious trouble then. A judge or jury isn't going to find the theater guilty of battery on you for keeping you from getting away with a crime until the police arrive. But you hit one of them, and you're going to be in serious trouble, since that act of violence was in an attempt to flee the scene of a crime. Not to mention you would get dog piled by many many employees.

A friend of mine clotheslined some dude who tried a grab and run in a Ross store. The dude was running when he got hit, his feet flew out in front of him, knocked out a window, his head hit a crossbar in the window, and he landed on broken glass. He went to the hospital, and then jail. Ross gave my friend a $300 gift certificate. He was in the paper.

Hell, I'd buy him a :beer: myself if he lived near Seattle!