Police: Melbourne man arrested after failing to pay for cab ride home from jail

Tyler Vazquez | Florida Today

Show Caption Hide Caption Brevard County crime statistics - 2017 Crime dropped more than 4 percent in Brevard County in 2017, with northern and central cities experiencing sizable drops, according to statistics released by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. GINNY BEAGAN/FLORIDA TODAY

Charles Folk had just been released from the Brevard County Jail Complex and needed a ride to his Melbourne home, according to police.



Folk hailed a taxi to transport him on the 30-mile trip from the jail to Melbourne around 1 a.m. Thursday, telling the cab driver he would be using a credit card to pay for the fare once they arrived.

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Upon arrival, the 40-year-old Melbourne man told the cab driver neither his sister nor his roommate could help him pay the $70 fare. The cab driver would not accept a payment over the phone from Folk's sister, who was out of town at the time, according to Melbourne police reports.

Folk was arrested and charged with petty theft.

Court records show Folk had just been released from jail after being convicted of criminal mischief for ransacking his own home and destroying his roommate's belongings.

Folk was transported back to the Brevard County Jail Complex where he is being held in lieu of a $2,000 bail bond.



Contact Vazquez at tvazquez@floridatoday.com, 321-917-7491 or on Twitter @tyler_vazquez.

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