Mum shoplifting in Tesco

When I lived in the UK, the news, when not obsessed with overseas stuff was obsessed with something called the Food Mountain, which was literally all the food that was wasted in the UK and Europe due to production outweighing demand!

In that situation you would think, wouldn’t you, that no one would ever go hungry. Wrong! Just as governments keep benefits low to keep people dependent on them, they won’t just hand out food or even enquire as to who needs food.

Today, at a time when my understanding is that quite a lot of British people are in food poverty, the food banks rely on charity to keep them going. Meanwhile, the UK has a PM that makes the Royal Family look like beggars in the workhouse!

And yet, too many people believe that it’s okay to sit in judgement over others that do what they can to feed their children! I wonder how many of these so-called good people will be checking on their elderly neighbours over this winter to make sure they have food and are able to heat their homes? How many will offer to bring people in to their homes to ensure that they are safe?

I despair of people as the humanity has appears to have completely wrong.

As to your mum, yes she would be incandescent and would properly rightly smack your hand but then, us mums of a certain age are a bit strange like that and still see our children as, well, our children 😊

Thank you so much for being kind. I know what I did was wrong - I was brought up well, my mother would be incandescent if she knew I'd done that!
I was desperate at the time, and acted in the moment.
All these years later, I've never forgotten how dreadful that feeling was - the shame and guilt.
I'm a totally law abiding person nowadays, and I know I'm so fortunate to be in the position of being able to afford food.
I just cannot judge those who aren't.

I feel nothing but empathy for that poor lady x 😕

Nappies are essential if you have a baby or young child.
She might not be genuine but awful that people assume the worst and I have worked in retail for a number of years until recently.

Because those of us who have worked in retail recognise it's usually stuff to sell on!!

Nappies and a look are expensive items and will get her some cash!

Asda essentials brand bread/pasta being stolen might show a genuine need

My father was an assistant supermarket manager in the 70’s. They were told to always prosecute even if it was a wee old soul or single mum and you felt sorry for them. It could be they need social services involvement to check as they might be struggling and not be claiming the full amount they are entitled to in benefited/pension etc. I worked part time in a supermarket when I was at uni and was assaulted by a man trying to
pass a dodgy cheque. I put the code through my till to alert security but he realised what was happening and tried to get the cheque back. I held onto it and got a fractured eye socket from the 2 punches he gave me, (he had massive sovereign rings on). Always let the store deal with things like this,

People are saying they have no sympathy but why not? How desperate do you think she is to steal nappies and Calpol? She wasn't stealing steak or champagne.
Why don't people have empathy anymore?

I remember years ago I’d just become a single parent,on benefits and he refused to pay a penny as ‘she’ll only spend my money on herself’ (he had a good job)
i was that skint,I put jars of baby food in the hood of the buggy and walked out-I’m so ashamed to admit this
it was that or my baby would have starved-I’ve never done it before and I’ll never do it again-I swear I’m an honest person
it was a combination of things that led to it-but he’s not ashamed of never paying for his child when though legally he was meant to
that poor woman-I’ll bet she was desperate-I know I was

I was talking to a Tesco employee who covers stock control, most shoplifting is now food related .

They just ask the child's name and note down what they've had and the date. This has reminded me I need more free calpol so need to go chemist.

There's a scheme where you can get free medicine for kids under 16 from a chemist I found out when my son broke his leg. I've got free paracetamel, ibroprofen, calpol and loads more throughout the years from lots of chemists you sign up with your doctor it's not based on income it's just for all children

Given the current state of the economy and the result for people's finances, it would be very surprising if 90% were stealing champagne! I don't believe that's the picture nationally.

I worked in a well known posh supermarket for a year and it’s rife. Yes there are a few cases of people on their last legs but 90% are thieves. They come in and go to the alcohol section. Think Lanson Rose champagne and expensive whisky and then pile up normal stuff like loafs of bread, big bags of dog food and then casually walk out where a car will be waiting. Saturday evening was a prime day.

A couple of times the male staff would chase after them. One had a car driven directly at him, or they would abandon the trolley and run off.

Last week I was in M and S. A young lad walked in, took a bottle of champagne and just briskly walked out.

Plus I imagine that that shoplifter will probably be accusing the security of assault if they as much as make contact with them.

Stealing is wrong definitely. I wouldn't justify that but I do feel compassion for the fact that there was a child there.

Breaks your heart when there is a child there too.

Talking of baby milk, I noticed recently that a big tub of Cow and Gate was £10, whereas exactly the same size of Aptamil was £14. Not a special offer or anything.
Don’t know why the disparity, except perhaps that C&G is an old U.K. brand, and the other is imported.

It is bothering you because you have a moral compass. No-one should have to steal nappies and Calpol. Happens all the time and the fact that we are all talking about whether or not she is a "professional thief" somehow makes it worse. Where is the energy devoted to violent criminals, to corporate theft etc? No, let's all judge a young parent for nicking basics that in any civilised society would be available to her.

So you felt sorry for her because she had a child, should everyone with a child be allowed to steal things

Depends if they normally prosecute, having a child shouldn't make a difference or everyone would just borrow one to go shoplifting

You would be surprised, depends on how much the store’s loss prevention talks it up!

I was dragged to the back room and had police called when I shoplifted a little £1 pot of glitter gel when I was 10. Well, had clutched in my hand, hadn’t left the store or registers yet. The police officer I think was unimpressed when they showed up, I had wet myself and was severely distressed as they had told me I was going to jail and wouldn’t see my parents again. Still suffer anxiety attacks as an adult going by department stores.

I’ve never stolen anything in my life … however - I was doing my shop in Asda last week and the price of everything was just extortionate, for the first time in my life I actually thought to myself for a second whilst scanning through the self service “I could probably get away with not scanning a couple of items and if I get caught I’ll say I thought it had scanned … “

I didn’t do it but for the first time in my life I could understand why people do.

Unless we know her circumstances, no, my heart doesn’t go out to a thief.

Some people steal because they just can.

Believe it or not we are not allowed to follow them. We don't know if they have a knife or any other type weapon on them, it's just not worth the risk.

Saw a young guy in Tesco pick up a sandwich, crisps and a bottle of water he gave off a strange nervous energy when he entered the shop which attracted my attention. I ended up behind him in the self serve queue. He paid but forgot his receipt. It just had the bottle of water on the receipt!

At the railway station I went to get a hot drink and sat in the cafe to warm up. A guy came in, picked up a sandwich and a can of pop. Sat down, ate the food and walked out with the drink without paying very blatantly while the line member of staff had her back to him making some coffees for other customers.

It's rife!