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Shop lifting - With mitigating circumstances

17 replies

Disappointed9446 · 28/12/2022 18:05

So. What’s your thoughts as I feel terrible.

I was released from a stay in hosp yesterday after being dosed up with what seemed a copious amount of Morphine, anyhow, I got home with a bottle of Morphine solution to take as required, the pain was going with me for a bit longer.

Anyhow, today I’ve taken a short walk, a stumble to a well known freezer shop chain and after studying my list I’d made on my phone, which only had five items but I needed a reminder, says how messed up I was, am. So I grabbed a bottle of fizzy drink, item one, items two and three were the same, two small bags of
piri piri rice, then after standing there composing myself, yes, I was struggling at this stage, so checking the phone once more I head to get a chocolate bar and bag of wine gums.

Then I realised I couldn’t find my drink, at this stage I’m beyond confused! Checking the shelves in front of me, no it wasn’t with the sweets so I assumed I left it in a freezer, so back to the rice, not there either, I gave up and got another. Heading to the check out I go to the check out, grabbed my walker and paid, not from the wallet which had around £400 in cash credit and debit cards. But the change in my pocket covered what I had, which was a bottle of lucazade.

I put in my bag and walked out, next thing I know I have two guys standing there saying you’ve not paid for the contents on of my bag, definitely I opened the bad and showed them and pointed to the girl at the till that served me, whereupon the fella said yes, you paid for the drink but not the other stuff so I walked back in the store and emptied the bag, in it was, yes, you’ve guessed, the bottle of drink I lost, plus two bags of rice, now totally confused, so started to point out I had paid, yes, he said for the drink! 1 bottle. Exhaling deeply I let them take the rice and the drink, although I would’ve paid had I been asked.

Offering an excuse about the meds I apologised and left, unfazed which was odd but clearly I wasn’t in my right mind, two things that stuck me is this, there was a used bottle of the fizzy drink I wanted filled with with water in my bag, clearly it was meant to act as a mental note to self, quite why I can’t even fathom why I’d do such a thing. Now the kicker.

I got home, and felt fairly emotionless, that was until I take my coat off and find one large bar of chocolate and a packet of wine gums in the pocket, maybe £3 worth.

So. Here’s the thing, I feel terrible, I know it’s only a couple of quid but I feel bad, part of me wants to take them back, another part wants to write an apology to the company and inclose a cheque for said amount, another is telling me to stay clear and give £50 to a charity, maybe a food bank.

I’ve never stolen anything in my life so I thought being there are a cross section of society on here I thought I’d ask for opinions and will do an Elon and abide by the results of the poll.

To confirm. This message has taken three hours to write so it should indicate how off I am, but more importantly how I feel, mainly because I’ve gone from Ho Ho Ho to Oh Oh Oh.

OP posts:
TrentCrimm · 28/12/2022 18:09

Put your device down and rest up. Think about it when you're feeling more like yourself.

LearnerCook · 28/12/2022 18:20

Stop beating yourself up about it. I know what Oramorph can do to you, especially if you aren't used to it.

Chalk this up to experience, out it behind you and just be extra careful if you go shopping under the influence, so to speak.

Acronymsandinitialisms · 28/12/2022 18:28

I'm not a lawyer but I'm fairly sure that it's not stealing unless you did it on purpose. You had absolutely no intention of taking anything without paying for it so that's not theft. If it were me, I'd probably go back to the shop when feeling better and return or pay for the stuff.

DuplicateUserName · 28/12/2022 18:32

3 hours to type?

Log out and relax.

Mumsnet can wait for another day.

ShadowPuppets · 28/12/2022 18:35

Yeah, this is one for when you’re off the meds. Go and sleep.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 28/12/2022 18:37

Go to sleep.

Tell the doctors about your reaction to morphine, and see if there's another med you can take instead or a lower dose. It's affecting you massively.

Leave everything to do with this alone for now, have a sleep; and don't go anywhere unaccompanied until you're off the meds.

pastayeti · 28/12/2022 18:38

If you feel that bad contact the store. They’ll probably say to keep it. Or as you say, make a donation to a food bank at another time. Try and rest

Disappointed9446 · 28/12/2022 18:51

To add.

The reason for my hosp. stay was because I was out Christmas Eve and came across three early twenty somethings verbally assaulting two young girls, circa 13/14, and they were saying disgusting stuff, I have two girls myself, so I stepped in and a tussle broke out, I went to hosp with a suspected of having a broken jaw whereas two of the attackers attended for other treatment.

Purely self defence, so no police follow up. I don’t regret a moment for doing what I did, but I do with the implications. Phew! I’m done writing, but please do add comments as I’d like to get some peace of mind.
Thank you kind people.

OP posts:
glittermoomoo · 28/12/2022 19:10

Please log off and rest up

Annabananna1 · 28/12/2022 19:17

Never mind. These things happen. Hope you feel better soon

Stomacharmeleon · 28/12/2022 19:21

Follow up statement is overegging it.
Am out.

Vallmo47 · 28/12/2022 19:21

Hope you feel better soon OP.

Sugarfree23 · 28/12/2022 19:25

Op rest up and forget about it. I agree there needs to be an element of intent to be convicted of theft.

The one thing I would say is don't drive. Being absent minded in a shop and accidentally nicking something is nothing. Being absent minded behind the wheel could be disastrous.

SequinsandStilettos · 28/12/2022 19:28

Why the drink, the rice, the chocolate, the sweets and the three duplicate items weren't all in a basket, God knows. Shoving half in your bag and half in your pocket is weird, even if off your tits. I'd count myself lucky they took back some items and let you go. Shoplifting charge would have been a slam dunk.

ACynicalDad · 28/12/2022 19:29

Did they take your details in the shop, small chance they will review the video and spot this, but very unlikely. If not I suspect it’s over.

ThisGirlNever · 28/12/2022 19:54

When I push my buggy round Aldi, I tend to use the bottom basket for shopping.

On this occasion I was with DH and he was carrying a basket. We needed toilet paper and I put a large 9 roll pack in the bottom of the buggy. When I got home I realised we'd shoplifted the toilet paper.

The next time we went in, I picked up another pack of toilet paper. After it had been scanned, I passed it to the checkout person and tried to explain what had happened (their English wasn't great, but I think we got there in the end). It was only a few quid, but I didn't want the stress of knowing I'd stolen something.

I'd suggest waiting until you're fully recovered and then returning to the shop and doing something similar.

AriettyHomily · 28/12/2022 22:29

I went to the mini Tesco the other day, walked in, forgot what I wanted, walked out. Got home and put a 2l bottle of coke on the fridge. Peri has a lot to answer for.

I know them well, went back and paid for it.

Tbh if it wasn't my local shop I wouldn't have bothered.

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