Brooklyn IHOP waiter a ‘modern day Robin Hood’

Man accused of doling out $3,000 worth of free drinks

An IHOP waiter claiming to be a “modern day Robin Hood” has been charged with giving away more than $3,000 in beverages to customers in New York.

William Powell, 27, was arrested earlier this month and charged with larceny, petit larceny and possession of stolen property for handing out free coffee, tea and soda to customers at an IHOP restaurant in Brooklyn, N.Y., according to court documents.

“I am a modern day Robin Hood; I am not stealing,” Powell said, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kings County in Brooklyn, N.Y. “I am serving the ones in need. I take from the rich and give to the poor.

“What’s the big deal? I’ve been do- ing this since I started here.”

The owner said he saw on surveillance video that Powell was serving “a typical amount of beverages” to customers, but looking at IHOP records, he realized that Powell was not charging them for the drinks, according to the documents.

Powell told the Washington Post that he was not trying to earn extra tips; he noticed customers were sometimes hesitant to buy beverages and he wanted to help.

“I kind of told them, ‘This is not supposed to happen, but here you guys go,’ ” he said.

Powell is to appear in court May 11.

William Powell, a 27-year-old waiter accused of theft, says he “takes from the rich and gives to the poor.”