to disapprove of shoplifting in any store?

[BodenBoredom]

A good friend regularly shoplifts in supermarkets, through the self-serve checkouts. She shows-off about getting all sorts of things, including clothing, home things, garden stuff, toys, DVDs, loads of food and wine etc, past the eyes of the assistants. She said it's easy and it's their fault for never checking her bags.

She says she wouldn't do it in a small shop, but big stores like Tesco can afford it.

She's a female Worral-Thompson! She also thinks that "everybody's" up to it, and that's why supermarkets are losing money through the self-checkouts.

I know that every now and then mistakes are made. I've accidentally not paid for items in the self-serve, but this is different. I think she even plans what she's going to take.

I know the law's on my side, but am I being up-tight in thinking that shoplifting's wrong, even if it's a giant retailer?

Do us a favour, OP - don't go shopping with her, otherwise when she is caught you risk being banged up as well, but go shopping at the same time and take your phone so that you can film her getting caught. Oh and send us the link. It'll happen any day now, so don't forget!

God - I am extra careful on the self scan checkouts(ex-checkout girl so I know how to do it quickly.. ) - as I would be mortified if I got it wrong and was accused of shoplifting.

Yes, your friend is stealing - and if she were my friend I would have to let her know I disapproved.

I'm astounded you had to ask whether shoplifting was wrong, to be honest. Wasn't that drummed into you as a child? Have you no moral sense, woman??

Downloading illegally may also be morally wrong but it is different

No, it's illegal and just because it is not tangible property it is still illegal. Not just morally wrong.

She's naive if she thinks she won't get found out. People are watching on security cameras or in store for this sort of thing. It will catch up with her and when it does it will be so embarrasing. A friend of a friend was caught doing this, she claims it was a mistake, and her photo is in all the regional Sainsburys banning her from the store. A magistrate told me that the amount of otherwise 'respectable' people shoplifting is unbelievable.

Hmmm.... from the sounds of it with her showing off, YANBU, but if she actually needed the food and was properly struggling then I would come down on her side.

Also bertiebotts the stuff downloaded isn't valuable because of the physical CD it's downloaded onto it's the intellectual property which is of value. The loaf of bread however isn't a new idea, so it's the physical loaf which is of value so your argument is kind of bollocks.

I saw a friend of mine do this in Boots with make-up, completely changed the way I thought of her. She seems to think it's ok "because I'm skint", but so am I and to be honest it doesn't even occur to me to try it. If I can't afford it I don't get it, it's just wrong.

Your friend (and others) seems to think she's some kind of modern day Robin Hood, redistributing cards cakes eyeliner wealth. In reality she's just fucking the rest of us over by backing retailers into funding security systems and store detectives with higher prices for customers.

Anthony worrell Thompson wasn't let off was he?

Tesco will heave heard all the lies and excuses before and it won't wash. I think they're quite zero tolerance. They will catch her at some point.

A lot of those self-service checkout areas are weighted so they trigger if you put something in that weighs too much for what you have scanned.

It's a matter of time before she gets busted.

Shoplifting is a weasel word for stealing that people use to try and pretend they are not thieves.

Just the same as pretending it is not so bad from big stores makes it OK. It doesn't.

Thieving does not stop being thieving depending who you steal from. It is the act of stealing that makes you a thief, not who you steal from, or whether you call it shoplifting.

I do have a moral sense. That why I said I disapprove. I just wondered if others disagreed with me and why.

From what she says, it isn't the necessaries that she nicks. It's things like picture frames, bedding, posh and expensive cooking oils, wines, dresses, pot plants and flowers, DVDs, toys and household electrical items. All through the self-checkout.

I know it's still wrong, but I'd be more understanding and accepting if she was living in poverty and thieving to feed a hungry family.

OP do you really want to be a "good friend" of a thief?

Right, so I'm not an economist, but surely shops charge the maximum that the market will bear whether or not there are shoplifters? So if they can charge £1.50 for a loaf of bread, they will, they won't wait until they have to out of politeness? I just don't feel especially sorry for these huge companies who are invariably taking advantage of people, especially with the 'welfare to work' crap - surely they're technically stealing from the taxpayer who is funding JSA claimants to work for them? And if the prices were as responsive as earlier posters have suggested then surely this would result in prices being lowered???

*Oh sorry, just saw your post about what she's nicking.

Yeah, she sounds like a bit of a fruit loop. Other issues maybe? But looking at the shoplifting in isolation, seriously, potplants??? Blimey. It's not a game...

I don't think she thinks she's in dire need. From what I can make out, she thinks she's done well by getting these nice things. She tells me what she's nicked all the time lately, and seems proud. She works out how much she's saved by not paying for them.

She really is a very, very lovely person. She's a bit cheeky and up for a laugh, but I really don't like the idea that she's a thief. I know posters are incredulous that I'm friends with her, but there is a lot more to her than the shoplifting.

I'm going to express my disapproval to her tomorrow. Yes, I think she'll be caught soon. From what I can tell, she only does it in a couple of shops, so they'll be wise to her soon.

Re the argument that shops can bear it...

Should we really let other people/institutions dictate our morals? Since when did two wrongs = one right?

YANBU because it's breaking the damn law! Your friend would royally piss me off...

I cannot stand the arrogance of some people when it comes to the wealthy - whether corporate or individual. They think taking from the rich means fuck all; that they can just shrug off theft because they have money.

I could never! I just couldn't and had no idea people do this so frequently. I don't illegally download.

Do people actually really do that? Really? Grown ups? Not 'rebeling' teenagers or kids who haven't learned better yet?

Gobsmacked

Ironically she had a problem with all the looters during the riots. Lots of those thefts were from big chain stores too.

Feel free to point out to her that when she's caught she'll be in a cell and the arrest referral team will test her for Class A drugs.

She's a thief - end of.