Are we allowed to report a crime? Please help! - Page 2

FYI - the expiration date on most food is a "sell-by" date, after which it cannot be sold, but it can be donated, and is often perfectly fine to eat. It's not uncommon at all for soup kitchens and shelters to receive donations from grocery stores of a lot of this "expired" food. (I know folks who work at a shelter in Phoenix; they receive donated "expired" food a few times/week.)

Giving away the food outside the store was perfectly legal, unless the store wanted to arrest him for trespassing or interfering with their business. (Why buy food if you can get it for free right outside, right?)

The only criminal activity here was the guy's threat to shoot you. Even that, though, is pretty iffy - especially if it was more "fighting words" than anything he could demonstrably back up.

(Now - as a pastor, saying that was pretty idiotic. Unfortunately, being an idiot is not criminal. )


(not a DREAMer - but an ally.)

You know, I live in Arizona too, and if you are watching the Spanish news all day, then it makes sense you're scared. The police can't do anything to you yet, specially if you live in the Phoenix area, or nearby area--they are more friendlier than chandler or mesa police. But if you are scared, you can just call and report it, they will ask you for a name but you can just give any other name, and if you are scared that they will trace your phone number, then call from a public phone. But they won't, they will just go down to the church and tell the pastor they got a couple of calls about him giving expired food and many people said that there was also an incident involving a youngster getting thread by him.

Also, some food doesn't go bad right away, that's why it says "best by: (date)" and that's why you can ask for discounts on the food that is supposed to expire the day you buy it because it doesn't go bad right away, specially on canned food. And well, dairies are easy to know if they have expired or not.