Have you ever stolen anything?

[inthislight]

This is I guess sparked by the thread about the friend taking glasses but I don't want to derail it! All of the responses have been so shocked and severe... all cut her off this is unthinkable.

But it just reminds me of an incident when I was 17-18 where I did steal £30 from a friend. I of course accept now that it was unjustifiable but I had ways to justify it in my head at the time - I was annoyed at her, she was much richer and flash with her money, she was careless and wouldn't even notice the money was missing, she'd messed up my evening (she'd got into a state on a night out and I'd taken her home - which I now realise makes it even worse in that I took advantage of her vulnerability, god that bit still makes me feel a bit sick that she was probably grateful the next morning I was there to look after her), she'd been a bit lax in paying me back for something else because money just wasn't a big deal to her. I felt really bad in the aftermath - I probably spent most of it buying her drinks! And even now when I treat her to something I think about it sometimes.

I've grown into an adult who is scrupulously honest (I think actually more so than some people I know). I wouldn't dream of doing something similar now. But then again I also have plenty of money now so I'm not tested in the same way - I feel confident that I wouldn't do something like it though even if I was on my uppers. I'm so grateful that she never found out as 15 years on I feel confident in saying it was a momentary lapse. We've got such a close friendship and been there for each other through thick and thin. I always had less money than my peer group and I had a moment of weakness after a few drinks.

So, I'd be interested to know if anyone has anyone done similar? I guess I'm struggling to believe that I'm the absolute minority in having done something so utterly shameful like that... maybe I am?!

Yes, clothes and jewellery, in my late teens. From shops, never from people I knew. I haven't done so now though for decades.

It was mental health related. I read an interview with a celeb the other day - can't remember who - who described how she used to be a 'prolific thief' and it was because the emotion of stealing overpowered the depression so it made the pain less for a little while. That rang true for me.

What did you say to her?

I can just picture thieves starting to blame stealing on their MH.

Stealing can very much be a sign of mental health problems @armyofmice

Once upon a time I was in a total financial mess. I had £15.00 per week for petrol and food, I was actually counting pennies. I worked in a department store, so I started off stealing toilet roll, progressed to stealing toiletries (couldn't afford anything besides soap) and finally the odd fiver out of the till.

CCTV wasn't as prevalent and we didn't have store detectives either. I'd clocked when the managers would do bag searches so avoided stealing on those days.

It was a survival thing, I think I stole around £200 in total over 4 or 5 months so not a vast amount, but enough to shock me into doing something about being in such a mess.

Not stolen anything since.

Yeah I know. I am very sure it is in many cases. But most steal because they don’t think they shouldn’t have to pay for it. They want it so they take it, shops make so much money anyway. It’s those people I can imagine crying wolf and blame it on their MH. It does somewhat seem to be the way forward now.

When I was a teen, I admit I did pinch the odd quid off my mum. Normally to buy cigarettes. And I did used to pinch her cigarettes. She knew about that though. I feel awful for doing that now.

I've never knowingly stolen from a shop or anywhere like that. In fact, if the cashier forgets to scan then I'll remind them or if, like other posters, I've left something on top/under the pram I'll go back in and pay for it.

I accidentally stole something as a teen - I thought a scarf and something else was attached to it (can't even remember what it was now - think crappy jewellery or a keyring.) I never used the item because I felt bad that I'd accidentally stolen it!!

How did you manage to get yourself out of your situation? Well done to turn things around.

Went through a stage when a teenager. No guilt and don't know why . Things like ice pops . Coins shook out of charity box at school which I now feel terrible about. And ashamed to think that some students remember it . Think it was a desire to feel daring as part of the bad girls group. Nowadays I am so generous to charities or people who need it . And very very honest.

It sounds like you were not being paid enough.

Thank you 😊

I broke down in the bank begging them to let me have £10 so I could buy some tampons, pads and pain killers. They suggested I spoke to Stepchange who were absolutely brilliant, and sorted out a realistic repayment plan. All the interest on loans etc stopped accruing, no nasty letters or phone calls. It really was life changing.

The thing I remember most about that day was that the cashier I spoke to initially, came into one of the little bank offices with an Asda gift voucher - I sobbed even more. She said that from today everything will get easier.

I still get a lump in my throat when I think about it.

Yes, but only once that I can remember. Maybe I did as a little child but I really don't think so. I've definitely never shop lifted, even as a kid, I know that much.

But about 8 years ago I'd spent hours and hours on the phone (lots of it on hold) to Microsoft to get a warranty repair/replacement of a dead power supply for our Xbox One. Eventually they agreed for me to send it back and they'd either repair or replace it, once they'd checked it over. So I did, and waited.

A package arrived a few days later, but it was actually a whole brand new Xbox One.

I called them back immediately - was on hold again for ages, being passed from person to person - and eventually they agreed to send me out a new power supply and a per-paid shipping box, for returning the sealed Xbox One.

Neither ever arrived.

About 6 months later I decided to risk selling our original used console (with a new power supply I'd since purchased) and started using the brand new one instead. I could have got a lot more money if I'd sold the unopened one but I was worried in case it even got flagged as "stolen" and stopped working for the new owner, since the device serial number gets associated with your Microsoft account.

pre-paid shipping box

My heart breaks for you. How desperate you must have felt.

There are so many good people out there, like the cashier. You did so well!

My sister and I once stole a teeny tiny pen from a gift shop (I think it cost 15p to buy) when we were primary school age. We were so riddled with guilt and fear that we buried it in the park on the way home!!!

Some have a conscience like a fishing net and some not even like a small sieve. 😂

A life size cardboard cut out from Tesco as a student, I think it was a butcher or fishmonger, he had a name in the ads but can't remember it.

@armyofmice she didn't tell me directly, I overheard her telling other people we were with and a family gathering. I had a word with her guardian who didn't bat an eyelid. My husband has since mentioned it to her DM who I hope has tried to intervene!

A paper napkin from the house of commons, I went for a drinks reception and I wanted a clean momento so I took an extra one.

Make up from Woolworths when I was about 13. It was pretty much a rite of passage where I grew up.
I can't remember ever stealing anything else.

Ohhh I've just seen the pub glasses 🫣 I've taken 1 pint glass and 1 cocktail jug from Wetherspoons because it was closing time and everyone was told to leave but we hadn't finished our drinks 😂 we put two straws in the jug and left with it.
I also vaguely remember my friend taking a traffic cone that night and wearing it as a hat 😂
I miss my twenties!

Sort of, i was buying some stuff at a newsagent, and shoved a newspaper under my arm. Got to the till paid, walked out of the shop, and realised aforementioned newspaper was still under my arm....I went back in and paid! So I'm not sure if that really counts?
But I'd never deliberately steal.

EVERYONE used to steal from 7/11 as teenagers where I grew up. After a night of underaged drinking in the local pub. Just can't even imagine that happening now. Ever.

My dad treated us quite cruelly as children - spent many hours in a spooky cellar with the lights out. Truly terrified!

That cellar happened to house his safe which he never bothered locking. Used to steal money from there. The odd £20 here and there but eventually I think we just took a few hundred which looking back the majority was spent on penny sweets at the local shop 😂 We used to call it ‘compensation’.

Got caught eventually - and the punishment? More time in the cellar with access to the safe which even after been caught remained open….

I'm in the painfully honest camp. I don't know why but it's just the way I am. Im not religious and I can't think of anything that's happened to me that's made me think this way. I think it's easiest and means I don't have to think about things. I never stole as a kid either. I had very chilled hippie parents so it wasn't as though they were influencing me in a bad way.
If ever I've been overcharged or received something I shouldn't have in an order I'd go out my way to pay it back. (It's not exactly hard to make a quick phone call) I've never lied about my kids ages to get something cheaper. Basically, I just don't steal stuff. I pay all my taxes too.
What I really dislike is when people know they've got something that doesn't belong to them but make up excuses why they are keeping it. I feel that's weak behaviour. If you are happy to take or keep things that don't belong to you then at least acknowledge what you are doing. I find people being hypercritical about stealing really pathetic and something I'd really not want to do.

I don't believe in Karma at all but I feel like I get rewarded for being honest. For example when we used to go into attractions and I was honest about my kids ages the staff would still only charge the reduced price.