Arrested for "Stealing" Beer

A 30-year-old Sparta, Illinois man has been charged with stealing a beer from the Citgo Station on Highway 51 North early last Friday morning, even though he tried to pay for it.

According to the Perry County Sheriff's report, Vincent D. Boston entered the Citgo Station went to the cooler and picked up a 24-ounce can of Budweiser beer. However, when he went to the counter to pay for it, the clerk told him she couldn't sell it to him because it was after 1 a.m. and the company policy is not to sell beer after that hour. She picked up the can of beer and placed it on a side counter.

The man placed a dollar bill and two quarters on the counter and then went outside to his car. He came back inside and told the clerk it wasn't yet 1 a.m. by his clock.

The man went back to the cooler and picked up another 24 ounce can of beer and left with it.

The clerk took down the license plate number on the man's car and called the sheriff's department.

A Perry County sheriff's deputy arrived on the scene and seized the dollar bill and two quarters as evidence.

Link.

We have a hard time believing this guy was charged with stealing. He was probably charged with a violation of the liquor laws, which would probably be a misdemeanor.

This whole thing raises the issue of why we have all these jackboot liquor restrictions in the first place.