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Original poster

Robbing from Tesco with impunity *edited by MNHQ*

362 replies

KatherineSwynford1403 · 11/08/2023 09:14

I just got off a bus outside a Tesco that is a short walk from where I work to buy some yogurt and fruit for breakfast. On the bus there were three horrendous guys - loud, under the influence, scruffy, swearing, F-ing and Jeffing across the aisles at each other. They got off at the same stop - well, burst off the bus laughing - and burst into Tesco. I watched them saunter up to the booze aisle laughing as they went, nick a bottle of spirits each and walk out laughing in front of all the staff (floorwalking).

I challenged one of the members of staff (a big guy who could handle himself) as to if he was going to let them get away with it. He says they come in every morning and help themselves and nobody is allowed to touch or challenge them. They've contacted the police who don't want to know.

I told him "Right, see you then, I'm helping myself to these strawberries and this yogurt, have a nice day!" and he said I was OK to do that!!! Of course I told him I was joking and I paid.

How in hell have we got to this state of affairs in this country? Or my town specifically?

OP posts:
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11
stbrandonsboat · 11/08/2023 16:27

It's a bit scary to think people won't be able to even buy their food without running the gauntlet of gangs, thieves and yobs.

dawngreen · 11/08/2023 16:26

Make them do work in the community for free. Unless you join them up to labour for the military, and they will not be soft on them.

Original poster
KatherineSwynford1403 · 11/08/2023 16:10

Speckson · 11/08/2023 15:12

In our little town thieves and shoplifters get their faces plastered all over the local Facebook page. A recent prolific shoplifter has been banned by the police from town for 6 months, though some local citizens partially took matters into their own hands...
"The Shopkeepers of Swanage are having a massive problem with a particular individual at the moment. He’s stealing thousands from us all several times a week. He lives in Poole and seems to use the 150 bus, fill up bag for life bags with expensive lines from Boots, Co-op, Nixons, The Post Office, Costcutters and likely Budgens too among others. It appears that he’s stashing the stock in recycling bins behind Humphries Kirk and potentially somewhere around the Railway Station or The Healthcentre and then collecting it before using the 150 bus to get home. I actually managed with help from a few others to get his entire stash back last night but would really appreciate people from the town letting us know if they see him out and about. The shopkeepers keep fairly good contact with each other about theft so if you are able to let someone know it would be greatly appreciated."

A boy I was at school with had his face in the Co-op and other local shops exhorting shopkeepers not to serve him and kick him out. He had ASBO after ASBO too.

Out of curiosity I just looked him up on Facebook. I can't see much but his profile picture is of him smoking weed.

OP posts:
isthismylifenow · 11/08/2023 15:56

JobMatch3000 · 11/08/2023 10:13

I wonder if we will move to a society where it is home delivery only for your groceries. Although maybe then the thieves will target the delivery vans.

I used to visit a "bottle shop" where you could see all the wine/spirits but it was behind a "cage" and the staff members selected it for you.

Is it Australia where you can't buy alcohol in a supermarket? I wonder if Tesco's UK dare take that decision.

In SA. Can only buy wine in a supermarket. Any other alcohol you have to go to a liquor store to buy.

Quite a few of our shops have items locked away and you need to ask for them. Some of these items are baby formula, razor blades and cigarettes. Not all stores though, but I did notice that formula now has a sealed security tag on the tin.

It is a bit of a pita when you are in the queue to pay for a few items, and the person in front of you asks for cigarettes. The cashier then has to leave and go get them. We do have cigarette kiosks though, but people don't want to stand in two queues to get groceries and cigarettes.

HorseyMel · 11/08/2023 15:31

50% of society conforms to the regime and works hard - and for the profit of others

The other 50% don't play the game and get benefits etc - which are paid for by the first 50%

The rulers play the groups off against one another to keep us all divided and to justify taking a load of your money in tax to "keep you safe" etc

Pinkitydrinkity · 11/08/2023 15:30

GoodChat · 11/08/2023 15:27

Maybe they worked for UberEats or Deliveroo? I don't know how their systems work but I'm guessing they dont have to queue at the checkout.

Show quote history

The shop workers pack the bags and prepare the order to be collected by the delivery driver.

GoodChat · 11/08/2023 15:27

brokenstone · 11/08/2023 14:59

I witnessed something similar in my local co op.

A couple filled baskets with food, took them out to their van which was parked right outside the entrance, then went back in and filled another few baskets and just drove off. It was literally day light robbery.

Nobody did anything.

Maybe they worked for UberEats or Deliveroo? I don't know how their systems work but I'm guessing they dont have to queue at the checkout.

Original poster
KatherineSwynford1403 · 11/08/2023 15:26

A year ago, Richard Madeley hosted a talk segment that began "The [then] Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab, has told this programme that pensioners who steal because they cannot afford the essentials should not be let off the hook."

He should know. Tesco came down on him like a ton of bricks. But a lot has changed in 30 years. I know he's not in the job any more but I'd like to see what Dom would have done this morning with these three samples.

OP posts:
Speckson · 11/08/2023 15:12

In our little town thieves and shoplifters get their faces plastered all over the local Facebook page. A recent prolific shoplifter has been banned by the police from town for 6 months, though some local citizens partially took matters into their own hands...
"The Shopkeepers of Swanage are having a massive problem with a particular individual at the moment. He’s stealing thousands from us all several times a week. He lives in Poole and seems to use the 150 bus, fill up bag for life bags with expensive lines from Boots, Co-op, Nixons, The Post Office, Costcutters and likely Budgens too among others. It appears that he’s stashing the stock in recycling bins behind Humphries Kirk and potentially somewhere around the Railway Station or The Healthcentre and then collecting it before using the 150 bus to get home. I actually managed with help from a few others to get his entire stash back last night but would really appreciate people from the town letting us know if they see him out and about. The shopkeepers keep fairly good contact with each other about theft so if you are able to let someone know it would be greatly appreciated."

brokenstone · 11/08/2023 14:59

I witnessed something similar in my local co op.

A couple filled baskets with food, took them out to their van which was parked right outside the entrance, then went back in and filled another few baskets and just drove off. It was literally day light robbery.

Nobody did anything.

misssunshine4040 · 11/08/2023 14:56

ginghamstarfish · 11/08/2023 14:52

I'm sure many of us are wondering why there are 'security guards' in shops when they do nothing, or are they just there to apprehend females?

To meet the insurance requirements I would think and provide a deterrent.

Itsnotrightbutitsok · 11/08/2023 14:55

ginghamstarfish · 11/08/2023 14:52

I'm sure many of us are wondering why there are 'security guards' in shops when they do nothing, or are they just there to apprehend females?

They’re there to deter shoplifting and to take on a shop lifter if safe to do so.

They’re not police.

I was a security guard and was told if anyone tries to steal anything try and scare them off by saying you’ll ring the police but do not put yourself in danger.
I was also told not to confront them if there were more than one.

ginghamstarfish · 11/08/2023 14:52

I'm sure many of us are wondering why there are 'security guards' in shops when they do nothing, or are they just there to apprehend females?

misssunshine4040 · 11/08/2023 14:44

@KatherineSwynford1403 this is what happens when the division between rich and poor widens constantly.

Society as a whole needs to sort itself out

Maireas · 11/08/2023 14:39

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 14:00

Stop making excuses for scumbags. Everyone has a story that could give them a reason to stop bothering. My education was terrible. One of my parents did jail time. I’ve been so fucking poor I lived on Co-Co Pops. When I met DP all I ate was carrots and drank tea. Milk and carrots were all I had in my fridge and yet I still never stole anything. It’s not compulsory. You can have morals and decide to do good deeds even when you have nothing. It’s a choice.

Exactly this. Plus kudos to you for rising above it.
Oh, and not being influenced by corrupt politicians 😊

Itsnotrightbutitsok · 11/08/2023 14:15

95% of the crime was due to the actions of about a dozen individuals who were in and out of jail (fines hadn't worked) but unfortunately they weren't all 'banged up' at the same time.

This is the trouble.

The police services are stretched enough as it is and stealing alcohol would not be high priority when there are worse crimes happening.
By the time the police actually get there they’ll be long gone. So the police will have to go to their house, arrest them, take them to the station, take them to court and lock them up for a few months - all of which they don’t care about and will reoffend the second they get out.

JudgeAnderson · 11/08/2023 14:07

@Sandra1984 I more meant the police refusal to deal with it. I definitely don't expect badly paid civilians to risk their safety.

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 14:00

Stop making excuses for scumbags. Everyone has a story that could give them a reason to stop bothering. My education was terrible. One of my parents did jail time. I’ve been so fucking poor I lived on Co-Co Pops. When I met DP all I ate was carrots and drank tea. Milk and carrots were all I had in my fridge and yet I still never stole anything. It’s not compulsory. You can have morals and decide to do good deeds even when you have nothing. It’s a choice.

Sandra1984 · 11/08/2023 13:58

JudgeAnderson · 11/08/2023 12:29

Allowing shoplifters to blatantly steal right in front of staff with no consequences must be horrible for their mental health and sense of dignity, even if they do work for a big supermarket.

As someone who's worked retail I strongly disagree. Working silly hours stacking shelves then having to chase yobs for stealing a bottle of whisky or confront dangerous individuals on drugs while putting your life in danger all for minimum wage takes a toll on anyones mental health and dignity.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 11/08/2023 13:56

tttigress · 11/08/2023 13:05

I wasn't arguing society isn't breaking down.

Amazon are doing it for automation reasons with the benefit bad customers/thieves are excluded.

I would prefer this not to happen which is why shoplifting should be addressed.

You might end up with a situation with only the best customers can use Tesco etc. which offers the cheapest best quality food. Everyone else has to use a rip off small trader, who puts up with bad customers because they can charge a high profit margin.

Show quote history

Then you'd just get well-behaved customers who can access the cheapest best quality food being mugged of their shopping by the wrong 'uns on their way home.

When it comes down to it, it is ONLY about actions and consequences.

RudsyFarmer · 11/08/2023 13:56

CurlyhairedAssassin · 11/08/2023 13:42

But even though I made that comment I agree with you. It's not ME that has a sense of entitlement. I don't my kids designer stuff and give them all sorts just because it's the latest trend amongst influencers or footballers or whatever. My kids know that if they want that stuff they need to go out and earn the money for it. But they are also privileged in that they have a decent family behind them who has equipped them with a moral compass. They are also academic and hard workers who will no doubt get a decent job after university, so if they WANT the Nike stuff they could buy it legitimately. Doubt they would go for that type of thing though because we don't glorify it or buy it.

But kids without the privileges that mine have had, with a chaotic family background, maybe struggling academically at school, surrounded by relatives and friends who don't work or see the point of it, they are still bombarded daily by this status symbol shit and want it for themselves because then at least it would give them some kind of feeling of having "made it", even if the rest of their lives are fucked up. Only now we have structured society so that it really is very hard for some people to ever work their way out of poverty. And THIS is where you get this entitled behaviour: I want that, I can't ever have it legitimately, so I'm just going to take it.

How you change society so that materialism and capitalism is less of a thing I don't know.

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You do whatever you can to build solid family units. Where men don’t get to disappear out of children’s life and contribute zero to their lives and education. Support socio-economically disadvantaged families. Not by throwing money at them but by having strong role models who work. At the moment the role models are the influencers and the local gang members who have wade off cash and flash cars. It has to come from society and parenting.

floribunda18 · 11/08/2023 13:49

I used to work in a perfume and cosmetics shop in holidays from university and some lads used to nick high value items, this was in 1996 or so. My boss wanted us to chase after them but we all refused. Certainly more than your job is worth.