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Brevard County Sheriff's Office
Robin Hall was arrested because she shoplifted cigarettes from a Wal-Mart back in 1991.
For one Connecticut woman in Florida, the saying "better late than never" doesn't apply.
Robin Hall was arrested because of a bill she didn't pay 22 years ago and to make matters worse, she's also been stuck in jail for the last four days.
"I just want it to be all over so I can go home," Hall said from her Brevard County Jail, Florida. She shoplifted cigarettes from a Wal-Mart back in 1991.
For that Hall owes the state $85.
The 22-year-old crime followed the Connecticut native to Port Canaveral, Florida Thursday where she, her husband and two kids were wrapping up a vacation.
The family had been aboard the Disney Dream cruise ship and Brevard County police officers were waiting for her as she left the boat.
"I was pulled to the side and told that I had a warrant," Hall added.
Police said Hall failed to pay the $85 in court costs when she was 18 and when they checked the ship's passenger list for terrorists, they found a warrant for Hall.
Since the incident she has put herself through college and now helps design jet engines for Pratt & Whitney.
Read more news on NBCConnecticut.com
"I take full responsibility for what I did but I do not believe I deserve this," Hall said.
The Brevard County Jail won't let her post bail because it's a charge from a different county and she has to be transferred there. Yet with the long holiday weekend that might not be until Thursday.
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In twenty two years they could have notified her by collection bearues, they did not or a simple mailing 18 year olds for get things. To the many who think this is a deserved punishment I say this when an old ticket or childhood crime of any sort causes you the same shame embarressment and pain ; shame on you. and remember it really was brought to you for your own safty and security. now does she lose her job? her kids? her respect? anyone cheering is a sadist and deserves to be where this poor woman is bad move Wal Mart....
What I'd like to know is how she got out of the Court WITHOUT PAYING THE FEES FIRST! I know the Government's screwed up....but come on.... they always make everyone pay BEFORE they let you go.
Gloria Allred will swoop in & solve this if there's any money to be made!
I would agree...the statute of limitations should have been up years ago. And for a minimal amount ($85) they would, normally, just send it to collections and be done with it. The warrant, though, makes it appear that she had a court date and failed to show up for it. Either way what a waste of time. Florida will throw her in jail but the Casey Anthony case (dismissed) and the Trayvon Martin case drags on. All I can say is WOW...what a bunch of derelicts Florida must have running their (in)justice system.
Yeahh screw the law and the people we steal from...This was done in 1991, with a good job as she has and with all that time she should have made an effort to pay that back. Im sorry for her kids but as parent we need to take responsability
Gawd! I'm just glad they finally caught her!! Raise your hands if YOU'll sleep better tonight!
laws are for the working class......the elitist always have-an angel
What angel do elitists have? Is the angel white and with wings?
What's the statute of limitations on shoplifting charge?
This reminds me of a quote from Aesop. "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office".
Common sense in our country is vanishing more and more every day.
Inspector Javert is alive and well!!
the police at there best just a bunch of moron's how much money is being wasted on this 85 dollar fine... there should be charges agaist these cops for waisting tax payer dollars....... i agree she should have paid the fine years ago but if i was here i get a lawyer and see if i could sue them on something for this......................... esp all the days she spend in jail.......the wrecked vacation ...
Where are all of the bigots claiming she should get life. Oh never mind she is white.
Harassment and leniency is needed here. She put herself through school, has contributed to society by not being burden,has no other outstanding "crimes". Florida is desperate for Money. This is way out of control. Real sorry state, especially a state that has such high incidence of HUMAN TRAFFICKING. Do something about that.
cigarettes kill, they have been in court and paid millions denying it. Drop the charges. Don't shop at "walmart".Its not smart to shop at walmart. don't go to Disney or Florida, don't spend your vacations in the land of scam and scum con artists.
It states she changed her life around, couldn't it be possible in the process she thought the fine was paid. I know I'm not the only one that's forgotten to pay a bill before the due date thinking it was taken care of. Example I went to pay the town taxes and dog lincese, after paying the taxes it became apparent I used the last check, I was on my way to work so, I'll due it tomorrow. Tomorrow came and went two months later instead of twelve dollars the bill came to seventy-five dollars.
If there was a thinking person among the state legislators perhaps one could introduce a bill setting a statute of limitations on minor offenses. Just a common sense thought, thank you!
Are you serious?!!
If there's even the slightest chance that they can 'recover' the $85...you can safely bet your last dollar they'll try to do it. They don't care that it cost thousands, turned a family's life upside down in doing it and made them look like the fools they are..... they just want to show their constituents that The Mighty Keeper of Truth, Justice and The American Way is ever on the job seeking out revenue from the low lifes that are bleeding their State dry. (However....don't look too closely at who is having lunch and dinner with him/her)
The real
It sounds like invasion of privacy to me. What authority does the government have to look at passenger lists and run background checks on people.
The 'Fight Against 'Terrorism' gives them all the authority they need. A bigger tent was never made than the one that covers all things needed to 'Prevent Terrorism'. I can just about imagine that those chip making plants in China are working overtime to produce enough digital equipment necessary to process all the data needed in this 'War on Terror'.
Soon, I fear, we'll all have to subject ourselves to the new stuff coming out that can read our thoughts, except Government Officials natually....all for the sake of Security so we can prove we are 'Good Americans'.
Statute of limitations. Illegal arrest.
It sounds like invasion of privacy to me. What authority does the government have to look at passenger lists and run background checks on people.
If you had taken full responsibility then the fine would have been paid...so yes you do deserve all of this! Kiss your job good bey to.
Are you happy that she can kiss her job 'good bey to'? You sound like it.
I love it when dead beat parents wind up on their "terrorist list". They can't afford to pay child support but they can afford a 7 day cruise? Yeah, they deserve to sit in jail.
I feel so much safer knowing this kind of vicious criminal is off the street. BTW, how much has it cost to keep her detained for 4 days? Not sure this is a good Return on Investment to collect an $85 charge!
I believe she will end up paying for almost all of this, at least the charges for her return to CT and why not? She was caught commiting a crime and could have settled it in 1991. No, to whatever degree she avoided the fine and ran from her responsibility. Her apprehension could have occured as a result of a traffic stop. If she would have really turned her life around she would have contacted the court in CT to resolve this long before her cruise.
$85.00 was probably for the cost of the toner the court printed the warrant out of...
Of all the crooked politicians that have come and gone and those that are still here filling their pockets and they go after a woman for $85.00. How Stupid can government get. Absolutely Nuts. The first judge that she goes before should throw this out and fast. Their are statuet of limitations for child molesting and other crimes but not for stealing a pack of cigarettes. Good work government. I think the country will fall sooner than I expected.
It's not the cigarettes...it's because of court fees. I still don't know how someone gets out of court without paying what they owe first. It's never worked that way with me...ever!
Since ILLEGAL immigration is not looked upon as a CRIME I thought each LEGAL citizen could then pick a law they would like to ignore. After all fair is fair.
wal mart is the devel and is taking over the world,,it needs to be stoped and the day they go under will be a great day to all consumers. I hate wal mart, and their CEO'S suck, nothing but a rip off..if you steal 5.00 dollars from them it will follow you for life..first you go to jail and that cost you money then you go to court and that cost you money and community service, and even if you did not get out of the store with the merchandise that was not even damaged and they recover, they have some jack ass lawyer send you a bill for 200.00 dollars for distruction of property they got back undamaged..wal mart gets everthing they deserve and i applause anyone that gets out of their store with anything they can,,hopefully it adds up to 200.00 cause they screw everone that gets cought steeling called the wal mart law and 200.00 fine...seems to me they got their @!$%# back you pay fine and cout cost and do public service it should be over and lesson learned but no wal mart sends a extra bill for 200.00..I SAY SCREW WAL MART AND ALL THIER ASS HOLE CEO'S AND LAWYERS