text: A man has accused British Transport police of being “overzealous” and “ridiculous” after he was arrested for charging his iPhone using a socket on a London Overground train. 
   
   Robin Lee, a 45-year-old artist based in Islington, was handcuffed and taken to a British Transport Police station on Caledonian Road after his arrest for “abstracting electricity”. 
   
   Lee was then arrested on a second offence of “unacceptable behaviour” after “becoming aggressive” when objecting to his prior arrest. 
   
   A police spokesman said a “decision on further action would be made in due course”. 
   
   Speaking to the Evening Standard, Lee said he had been confronted by a police community support officer on the overground train from Hackney Wick to Camden Road on 10 July. The Overground is part of Transport For London’s wider network that also includes London Underground and the buses. 
   
   “She said I’m abstracting electricity. She kept saying it’s a crime. We were just coming into the station and there happened to be about four police officers on the platform. 
   
   “She called to them and said: ‘This guy’s been abstracting electricity, he needs to be arrested’.” 
   
   Abstracting electricity is an offence under section 13 of the Theft Act 1968. It carries a maximum custodial sentence of five years. 
   
   Lee, who tweeted about the incident and posted a picture of his arrest sheet which has since been deleted, went on to tell the Standard: “I was just incredulous. It was an overzealous community support officer. They should never have arrested me, they knew it was ridiculous. The whole thing was just ridiculous.” 
   
   The artist was later “de-arrested” for the offence. 
   
   British Transport police said in a statement: “We were called to Camden Road London Overground station on Friday 10 July to a report of a man becoming aggressive when challenged by a PCSO about his use of a plug socket onboard an Overground train. 
   
   “Shortly after 3.30pm, a 45-year-old man from Islington was arrested on suspicion of abstracting electricity, for which he was de-arrested shortly after. He was further arrested for unacceptable behaviour and has been reported for this offence.” 
   
   Electricity sockets on Overground trains are clearly marked with the words: “cleaners use only and not for public use”. 
   
   On a forum dedicated to the London Underground, members have pointed out that plug sockets on the trains are for cleaning equipment deployed when trains are in depots. They recommend not charging electronic equipment as there is a risk of power surge: “If something was directly plugged into it (for example a standard computer, or a laptop without a battery in) the equipment would probably be damaged at any section gaps where the power supply changes from one substation to another!” 
   
   Last week, 19-year-old Nick Silvestri hit the headlines in New York after jumping on stage before a Broadway play in an attempt to charge his phone – at a fake socket which was part of the set. He said his phone had 5% left as “girls were calling all day”. ||||| Shutterstock 
   
   A 45-year old man from Camden has been arrested for charging his iPhone on a London Overground train. 
   
   The incident, which took place on 10 July, saw Robin Lee arrested and then promptly "de-arrested" for the offence, which officers described as "abstracting electricity". He was then "further arrested" for unacceptable behaviour after he reportedly became aggressive towards a police community support officer (PCSO). 
   
   Sockets on London Overground trains are marked clearly as for use by cleaners only. Lee posted an image of his custody record on Twitter, with the reason for arrest stating "abstracting electricity phone charger on phone. Unacceptable behaviour". 
   
   Lee used Twitter to contact several London-based news organisations about his plight, but promptly deleted the posts earlier this afternoon. Photos Lee posted of his custody record have also now been deleted. 
   
   The amount of electricity Lee abstracted is likely to be small -- the cost of keeping an iPhone fully-charged for a year is less than £1. 
   
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   A British Transport Police spokesperson told the Evening Standard that officers were called to Camden Road station after Lee became "aggressive" towards a PCSO when challenged about his use of a plug socket on an Overground train. 
   
   Police will review Lee's behaviour before sending details to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide if charges should be brought. ||||| dw54 
   
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   Deleted Member Rules regarding power socket use on the 378s? Select Post 
   
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   Member Back to Top Post by dw54 on rincew1nd said: 
   
   
   
   AIUI they are provided for cleaners to use when cleaning trains in depots; it does surprise me a little that these sockets are energised all the time. I would expect them only to become live when the train is in a depot mode. 
   
   I have seen on a variety of stock, stickers above 13amp sockets saying "Not for public use".AIUI they are provided for cleaners to use when cleaning trains in depots; it does surprise me a little that these sockets are energised all the time. I would expect them only to become live when the train is in a depot mode. 
   
   I am surprised that 16A sockets are not used. I noticed these at stations (incl Farringdon) and assumed they were for the cleaners - not that they needed the higher power rating, but to restrict the use of the socket. I am surprised that 16A sockets are not used. I noticed these at stations (incl Farringdon) and assumed they were for the cleaners - not that they needed the higher power rating, but to restrict the use of the socket. 
   
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   Member Back to Top Post by Fahad on bassmike said: Is it correct that LUL have standarc 13 amp sockets on stations but modified with the L&N pins vertical instead of horizontal to prevent public use (unless you can get hold of a suitable plug!) I wonder why they are not used in this case. Also there are 13 amp sockets and plugs that have a T shaped earth pin for the same reason. 
   
   
   
   I've never seen this on LUL property (that's not to say that it doesn't exist), but I have at Harrow Bus Station - must get a photo next time I'm passing through 
   
   
   
   I have seen BS546 plugs on tube platforms, typically (might be always, I can't remember) at 110V. It's of course not at all implausible that someone could obtain a suitable phone charger 
   
   
   
   EDIT: I'm told that this is called 
   
   rincew1nd said: 
   
   
   
   AIUI they are provided for cleaners to use when cleaning trains in depots; it does surprise me a little that these sockets are energised all the time. I would expect them only to become live when the train is in a depot mode. 
   
   I have seen on a variety of stock, stickers above 13amp sockets saying "Not for public use".AIUI they are provided for cleaners to use when cleaning trains in depots; it does surprise me a little that these sockets are energised all the time. I would expect them only to become live when the train is in a depot mode. 
   
   
   
   I believe that this is the case on some (most? all?) stock I've never seen this on LUL property (that's not to say that it doesn't exist), but I have at Harrow Bus Station - must get a photo next time I'm passing throughI have seen BS546 plugs on tube platforms, typically (might be always, I can't remember) at 110V. It's of course not at all implausible that someone could obtain a suitable phone chargerEDIT: I'm told that this is called Walsall gauge I believe that this is the case on some (most? all?) stock
target: – A 45-year-old UK artist was arrested Friday on a London train for the dastardly crime of "abstracting electricity"—and according to arrestee Robin Lee, the crime is just as "ridiculous" as it sounds, the Evening Standard reports. Even though the outlets on the London Overground are clearly marked as being for cleaners only—a London Underground forum pointed out by the Guardian notes others using the outlets could cause a power surge—Lee decided to charge his iPhone while commuting and ended up getting nailed for it by an "overzealous community support officer," as Lee describes it. In a British Transport Police statement, Lee was "de-arrested shortly after" for the electricity transgression, but then "was further arrested for unacceptable behaviour" for getting "aggressive" with police. "They should never have arrested me, they knew it was ridiculous," he tells the Standard. "The whole thing was just ridiculous." The amount of electricity Lee ostensibly swiped? It's not clear, but Wired estimates the cost of keeping an iPhone charged for a full year runs less than $1.50. (At least he didn't plug it into an outlet on a Broadway stage.)