Woman Arrested for Attempting to Pirate 'Dark Shadows'

A Plainfield woman was arrested May 23 for allegedly attempting to pirate a movie when she was found recording "Dark Shadows" on her cell phone while watching it at the at the Bridgewater Commons Mall.

Nidia Pineda-Rivas, 44, was charged with attempting to pirate a motion picture after she was arrested at 5:48 p.m.

According to Bridgewater Police Lt. Al Nicaretta, an usher was walking up the aisle in the theater and allegedly saw Pineda-Rivas holding the cell phone up in front of her with the red light on the phone indicating it was recording.

At that point, Nicaretta said, the usher told the general manager about the situation, who in turn called the police department.

"We saw on the phone as we played it from the beginning, and it was a recording of the movie being shown," he said.

According to police, Pineda-Rivas had recorded 49 minutes of the movie before she was placed under arrest.

Pineda-Rivas was charged with pirating a motion picture, and the cell phone was confiscated as evidence. She posted bail and was released.

"She didn't really make a statement because she couldn't speak English," Nicaretta said. "But she didn't know it was illegal to record the movies."

Nicaretta said the department doesn't often see these kinds of cases.

"We had one about a year ago," he said. "Someone was recording a movie that was being shown then too."

For questions about this blotter, email audreyl@patch.com.