In theft of service, the service is provided only for compensation. True or false?

• A. The service is provided only for compensation.
• B. The service is provided free of charge to certain individuals.
• C. The service is provided without any expectation of payment.
• D. The service is only for emergency use.

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is that theft of services hinges on a service that is ordinarily provided for compensation and a person obtaining that service with the intent to avoid paying. Saying the service is provided only for compensation matches that essential element: payment is expected for the service, and taking the service without paying (or intending not to pay) constitutes theft. If the service is free to certain people or provided without any expectation of payment, there’s no theft because there’s no expectation of compensation. The fact that a service is for emergency use doesn’t define theft; the defining factor is whether payment is expected and whether it was avoided. So the statement is true.