A California man demanded $55 in gas, then refused to leave the pump. Officers warned him repeatedly before arresting him for trespassing. The bizarre standoff turned into a debate over whether money is real. A trip to the gas station is usually painful enough these days without someone deciding the whole concept of paying is optional. But that’s apparently exactly what happened in Irvine, California, where police say a man drove into a gas station, demanded $55 worth of fuel, and then refused to leave when employees declined his generous proposal. According to the Irvine Police Department, the man entered the station last week and insisted on getting gas without handing over any money. When the station employees told him no, he didn’t drive away or rethink his strategy. Instead, he parked himself at the pump and waited for the free gas that, shockingly, never came. The department shared bodycam footage of the ordeal on Instagram, describing the situation as a debate over whether money is real. “I sincerely believe that money as a unit of payment is not real,” the man told officers. That’s the kinda conversation inebriated college kids have in the middle of the night. Mid-day at a gas pump with police after making formal demands isn’t the right venue. This driver found that out the hard way. Officers spent time trying to talk the man into leaving. According to police, they repeatedly explained that the gas station was private property and that refusing to leave could result in his arrest. One officer can reportedly be heard warning him, “Do you understand that if you don’t leave right now, you’re going to be subject to arrest?” Nevertheless, he stayed for as long as it took officers to get him out of the Audi he was driving and arrest him. The man didn’t actually get any fuel. His arrest was specifically tied to a lawful trespass order and failure to leave the property. In other words, despite his wild demands and then initial attempt to dig in at the pump, he could’ve simply driven away and avoided jail altogether. I bet everyone involved in this story wishes that was the way it went down at this stage. Photos and video Irvine PD
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