Couple face felony charges for sneaking into movie

[The Straight Story]

PORTAGE | A Gary couple were arrested early Sunday and charged with a felony count of theft for sneaking into a movie.

Lendsey Harbin, 49, and Delilah Harbin, 40, were arrested just after midnight Sunday morning at the Portage 16 Imax theater, 6550 U.S. 6.

According to the police report, the couple were spotted by an off-duty Portage officer working security at the theater.

The officer spotted the Harbins exit one of the theaters and walk down the hallway. Lendsey Harbin's attire, described by police as "very colorful clothing, white vest, white dress pants and a bright red shirt under the vest" is what drew the officer's attention to the couple.

Police watched for the couple and found them sitting in another theater. The couple continued to sit in the theater as the previews ran and the movie — "Warm Bodies" — started to play. Police approached them and asked for their ticket stubs.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/portage/couple-face-felony-charges-for-sneaking-into-movie/article_9cc924b4-20e7-53fb-b83d-d1044094ab39.html

From the smoking gun, the police report:

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/file/movie-theater-sneaks

[dballance]

1. So the Fashion Police Collared Some Real Criminals

Felony charges? That's a bit ridiculous given the quality of most movies these days. I hope the judge has the good sense to knock the charges down to something more fitting of the crime that's a misdemeanor.

BTW, who actually keeps their ticket stubs after entering the movie complex these days? I generally throw mine into the nearest trash can in order to not accumulate just another piece of useless paper in my pockets or wallet.

[Politicalboi]

2. Wow, a big bust

Their punishment should be to watch some of the crummy movies, the same one ALL day.

[pediatricmedic]

3. Death Penalty then?

Why does if feel like merely existing will become a felony offense?

[lonestarnot]

4. At least fucking life!

It is a felony if one is not richie rich.

[Iggo]

5. Sneaking into the movies? A felony? Really?

Jeez.

[Recursion]

7. All "theft" is technically a felony in IN.

But it's a class D, which is usually punished less than an aggravated misdemeanor. It's a kind of strange system.

[Gorp]

6. When I was in Jr. High, a single ticket was an all day pass.

It wasn't INTENDED to be, but we frequently used it that way. Mostly we used it to sneak into R-rated movies by getting a ticket for a G-rated one and "mistakenly" walk into the wrong theater, but we also theater-jumped to get more than one movie out of one ticket. Statute of limitations has expired on that. We didn't kill anyone or something like that.

But seriously, a felony? That's just silly.

[Recursion]

8. That's why Disney and Pixar put their movies out in the summer

Lion King sold so well partly because kids bought a ticket to it to sneak in to see Terminator 2.

[Gorp]

11. LOL! That's probably true!

[MrScorpio]

10. Whatever happened to all day flicks?

Multiplexes, that's what happened.

Instead of sitting in a single theater to watch a string of flicks, like you and I used to do, they replaced those old movie houses with multiplexes to spread out the movies, each with their own venue, for more profit.

That's how they took the fun away.

[Gorp]

12. They also turned those huge theaters into closets so they could cram in more movies.

"Sleeping cheaply on the all night show. It's the same old ending, 'time to go - get out'."

I remember seeing Star Wars for the first time on a screen larger than my house. It even had a roman curtain. They later carved that theater up into eight dinky ones. I'd rather watch a movie on a large TV now than sit in a cramped theater, not being able to hit pause, and having to squeeze past legs to get to the aisle when I've got to pee.

Besides, the ticket prices are rediculous now. It's easier to just wait until the movie hits Red Box and watch it when I want to, not when it is scheduled. I always liked drive-in movies, but they're rare now (although we still have one in the area). The switch from the squak boxes to FM radio made a huge difference, especially since most cars come equipped with a decent sound system these days.

[MrScorpio]

13. Shameful nt

[Logical]

9. Good, not a felony but should be arrested. Pure fucking stealing. n-t

[reflection]

14. Ha!

When I was 12 or so, I actually pulled off the walking-backwards-into-the-theater move as people were exiting. To this day I have no idea if I performed it successfully or if the ushers figured I was the most pathetic loser ever and just let me do it.

[Baitball Blogger]

17. LOL!

[OceanEcosystem]

15. It is indeed a form of theft. n/t.

[Baitball Blogger]

16. Maybe it's time to stop sneaking in water bottles.

[reflection]

18. And skittles.

[gollygee]

19. They should absolutely get fined BUT

but a felony? Isn't there a minimum amount of damage (or dollar amount of theft) for something to be a felony?

I see Gary couple = black, and Portage theater = white. So white town gives black couple a felony arrest over something that should be a fine.