Caught shoplifting

[Oioisavaloy]

Today my brother has told me he got caught shoplifting in a supermarket over the weekend. He's told me that he's been doing it for awhile by not scanning some items through the self scan. I don't understand why he would do it when he can clearly afford the items! When he got caught the security guard told him he had been watching him do it for weeks but only pulled him up on it this weekend. He was very lucky as the police wasn't called and he got away with just being barred from there. What I don't understand is why would the guard watch him for weeks but not pull him up as soon as he realised what was going on?
I can not believe how stupid my brother has been because he's ok for money and if he was ever in trouble for money he knows he has us to turn to, I don't understand it.

The will probably have been watching a couple of times to see if it was intentional or accidentally just not scanning. Then they would have clocked him when he came in the next few times and zoomed in on his basket and on what he was scanning to check to get video evidence in case they were going to prosecute.
Maybe he did it for the thrill, got away with it once then it all became a game. He is lucky they aren’t prosecuting really.

I would be the same OP. There's a big difference between what your brother has done and, say, a parent with no money who steals food to feed their children.

Has he explained why? Does it give him a thrill? I also find it difficult to understand why the security guard has been watching for weeks. Seems bizarre. I think your DB is lucky they didn't call the police. What a really stupid thing to do.

They probably watched because they wanted to be sure he was doing it

OP I’m sure your brother feels humiliated, stupid, embarrassed. I think it’s your role to support him, not judge him or tell him off

I think it's a case of he did it once got away with it so carried on - I just don't know. I'm so disappointed in him to be honest I just cant believe he had been doing that. I think it's scared him now because he said he's going to lay low from the other local supermarkets for awhile dnd go elsewhere for shopping incase the other supermarkets have been notified of him.

Well he’s learned his lesson if he’s lying low and going to go shopping elsewhere. They probably have informed other local stores tbh. At least he has been caught now and been shocked into realisation rather than carrying on and chancing more and more expensive items and ending up with a criminal record. Mid life crisis? Boredom? Doesn’t matter the reason, it’s done, he’s been caught- maybe a letter of apology to the store & paying for what he’s already taken would help him draw a line under it? I’m sure knowing you feel so disappointed in him is quite painful, he must feel quite ashamed.