Elkhunter
New member
Lack of Any Money at All Leads to Restaurant Arrest
A New Jersey homeless man's lack of money is no impediment to fine dining, reports the Newark Star-Ledger.
Brian Patrick Cahill was arrested last Wednesday night at the Fireside Restaurant in Denville, N.J., after racking up an $88.95 bill on filet mignon, shrimp scampi, premium Canadian whiskey and a few beers — and then telling the waitress he had no way to pay it.
Charged with theft by deception and thrown in the Morris County Jail, Cahill told cops he'd pulled off the stunt dozens of times across northern New Jersey.
"I don't go to rinky-dink places, only fine restaurants," said Cahill, who while dining for free usually wore black slacks, a navy blue T-shirt and black sneakers. "I'm surprised they serve me."
The night before his arrest, Cahill had eaten a big steak and downed five beers and five shots at a Parsippany restaurant — then walked over to the owner to show him his empty wallet.
"If he would have come in like a gentleman and said he was homeless and hungry," said Harold's New York Deli owner Spiro Gizas, "I would have been more than happy to feed him and probably give him some money."
At Harold's, Cahill was arrested, charged with theft of services and released.
"I do it mainly for two reasons," he explained to the newspaper. "I'm hungry and I want to get intoxicated."
Two years ago, Cahill ate $26 of shrimp and kebabs for lunch at a Morristown restaurant, washing it down with a $30 bottle of wine. The owner declined to press charges.
Later that same day, Cahill gobbled up $46.59 worth of food and wine at another place in the same town, then was arrested and released.
Despite the culinary adventures, Cahill plans to tackle his drinking problem and admits what he's doing is wrong.
"The police are right. Theft of services is considered a crime," he said. "Crime doesn't pay. You wind up going to jail."
A New Jersey homeless man's lack of money is no impediment to fine dining, reports the Newark Star-Ledger.
Brian Patrick Cahill was arrested last Wednesday night at the Fireside Restaurant in Denville, N.J., after racking up an $88.95 bill on filet mignon, shrimp scampi, premium Canadian whiskey and a few beers — and then telling the waitress he had no way to pay it.
Charged with theft by deception and thrown in the Morris County Jail, Cahill told cops he'd pulled off the stunt dozens of times across northern New Jersey.
"I don't go to rinky-dink places, only fine restaurants," said Cahill, who while dining for free usually wore black slacks, a navy blue T-shirt and black sneakers. "I'm surprised they serve me."
The night before his arrest, Cahill had eaten a big steak and downed five beers and five shots at a Parsippany restaurant — then walked over to the owner to show him his empty wallet.
"If he would have come in like a gentleman and said he was homeless and hungry," said Harold's New York Deli owner Spiro Gizas, "I would have been more than happy to feed him and probably give him some money."
At Harold's, Cahill was arrested, charged with theft of services and released.
"I do it mainly for two reasons," he explained to the newspaper. "I'm hungry and I want to get intoxicated."
Two years ago, Cahill ate $26 of shrimp and kebabs for lunch at a Morristown restaurant, washing it down with a $30 bottle of wine. The owner declined to press charges.
Later that same day, Cahill gobbled up $46.59 worth of food and wine at another place in the same town, then was arrested and released.
Despite the culinary adventures, Cahill plans to tackle his drinking problem and admits what he's doing is wrong.
"The police are right. Theft of services is considered a crime," he said. "Crime doesn't pay. You wind up going to jail."