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?

"She tells me what she's nicked all the time lately, and seems proud. ... She really is a very, very lovely person. She's a bit cheeky and up for a laugh, ..."
Fucksake, I really could not be friends with someone like that. She is not lovely. As for cheeky and up for a laugh - maybe arrogant would be a better description. Because she really is behaving as if the law is just for other people to follow, isn't she? Proud of being a thief? No, definitely not a lovely person at all.

I once accidentally stole some tomatoes using a self service machine. I can't for the life of me remember how. It was something to do with them being lose ones and me needing to enter in how many and then it weighs it. I misunderstood the way it was phrased and it was the first time I'd bought lose veg on them. Didn't realise what had happened until I got home. I felt reLly guilty as I didn't take them back! :( sorry Sainsbury!

This really has Pi$$ed me off report her to the shop asap because you sound as bad as her by not reporting her antics its sounds like you want the people of mumsnet to say YEAH good on her.
Well I will tell you now just how these thieving Ba$$tards take money from the poor. The prices go up the shops budget gets cut/tightened this means NO overtime for US HONEST workers. if some ones off sick noone can cover the hours because the shop is trying to save money to RECOUPE STOCK LOSS via theft of high value items because the the company want profit. I have caught lable swappers red handed along with those basket thieves Blantant as day some of them.
OP I hope you sleep well at night knowing such a lowlife scumbag is helping bring this country further to its knees grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr Shame on you

It sounds like she doesnt do it for the stuff but for the rush.

In our local paper there was someone who did this by using the "not bagging" thing that pops up when you are scanning something that wont fit into a bag. She had been monitored so I suspect that they had had their eye on her for a while.

Or she could have used the system that a couple of women used in Aldi, also reported in the paper. The mum made a big thing of nicking a bottle of wine, so she was apprehended...as the (overage) daughter snuck out with whiskey! She might have gotten away with it, if she hadnt sat on the wall outside the police station opposite :o

Be fair Littlepumpkin what can the OP actually do?

Ring the store and say "btw, someone is nicking....."? She can talk to her friend, and she says she will, but apart from that there isnt much she can do and having a go at the OP is hardly fair, it isnt HER that is stealing is it?

She's stealing. That's a criminal offence. She's bragging about it. That's fucking despicable.
She's a nice person really. Really? She's clearly got no morals. It's a criminal offence. It's indefensible. You're naive. Jog on.

What actually can the op do? It's not her doing it. You can still have 'morals' and steal from huge companies who exploit thousands of people, they are the real criminals here. It's not despicable it's stupid and short sighted but not despicable.

If you really think she's addicted to it, then she needs to get caught in order to get helped.

Have you considered talking to the Tesco she goes into? I know it's extreme, but perhaps it's what she needs.

And for her information, Tesco may very well be able to afford it, but they don't. They factor in the cost of items lost through shoplifting when setting their prices. So it's people like her who are the reason my shopping costs more than it should!

Makes me laugh when people say big companies can afford it. How stupid are they?! Like a big company goes oh, lost £xxxxxx this week from the lightfingered, ho hum, never mind, let's just take it out of the profits.

I worked in Tesco on the self scan and i can tell you she might have got away with it a few times but its very unlikely she does it as much as she says.
Also if i get suspicious of someone i keep my eagle eye out and ask them if they need help.
We cant stop people and search so go to security.
Tey are keeping an eye on her but they have to be absolutley sure cause threre are blind spots in store.
Just dont go shopping with her.

If she carries on she will get caught. I'll bet the clothes off my back on it. One day one of the staff is going to get wise as to what she's up to & the next time she's in they'll be watching her like a hawk. This is how we catch shoplifters at my work because they're greedy. They'll keep coming in & coming in & eventually you catch them.

If you can't appeal to your friends moral compass then try explaining to her how humiliating it'll be being marched out of the store by the police and then spending several hours in a holding cell. Does she have kids? Might be a bit embarrassing when a custody sergeant rings the school explaining why she might be a bit late picking up the kids.

She will be caught especially if shes as brazen as you say.

Tesco aren't particularly 'zero tolerance' round my way. DH alerted a store manager when a woman was letting her son fill his pockets full of sweets. The manager sighed and said "is that all he's taken? Oh well, I suppose it's the principle that counts" and then didn't do anything. They walked out of the store laughing at him. :(

I'm glad that everyone's in agreement. I was pretty sure she was in the wrong, but she's so convinced that it's fair game; it's their fault and there's no harm done.

Your friend is an absolute moron. I would be seriously questioning my friendships if I were you.

I accidentally walked out of a supermarket the other day with a small cheap toy that DS had handed to DD to play with in her pushchair (he's only 2). I was mortified and didnt realise until I got home. Not sure what I should do really as won't be back until next week.

When using those tills I feel inherently guilty even though I'm doing nothin wrong - always make sure I'm doing it properly! How can people just be so brazen?!

Yes tescos fucks over its suppliers and probably doesn't treat its staff well but there's no need to stoop to their level or even shop there

I don't say that with admiration for her, but am confused as to why the supermarket staff aren't more on top of it, especially if this is going on all the time.

The vast majority of shoppers - thank god - are honest people. However the actions of the minority are frequent enough to have the effects that other posters have already mentioned, such as increased prices for consumers and forcing stores to relocate from undesirable areas. It also means that a significant proportion of time is spent by the police, legal services and community groups which could be far better utilised.

YANBU - however I don't claim to be entirely free from guilt. I don't illegally download now but I used to tape songs off the radio. And copy tapes from others; and then when CDs came out, I used to tape those for the car (have only recently found out that that is also illegal, even if I had bought the CDs! ) I would bet that nearly everyone has done that as well.

Physically taking something from a shop without paying for it though - no, never have, never would.

Thumbwitch - I thought the law had been changed so that you could buy music on a CD and then legally record onto a tape / put on iPod, so long as it's for your own use?

(now worrying that I've criminally copied music)

Don't know about that, lilypainter - it came up on a thread in the last month or so about it - I assumed it was ok because I had bought the CD (as did a few other posters) but was told otherwise.

Lord - she will get caught one of these days, and can you imagine the shame!?!

I often see women with prams hang things on the handles (handbags, clothes...) or put them on the hood (bottles, packs of meat...) And stalk out of shops - no, its not some sleep deprived mum forgetting (although I am sure that will be their defence).

I have too much of a bad conscience and will got To The Bad Fire.

I dont see the taping a CD thing as stealing. Its one of those laws to prevent people making and selling lots of copies. So it could be technically illegal to tape, for your own use, a CD you have bought but it isnt stealing!

It sounds to me like she gets a kick/thrill out of telling people about it.

If you think it'a wrong (which you say you do), then simply tell her you don't agree with what she is doing and that you don't want to hear about it at all. She could be doing it for shock value, or indeed making things up... Wanting to get a reaction or attention for it. Don't give it to her.

Sorry, didn't mean to imply that you think it IS ok!

I can't believe that a sane grown woman would risk getting arrested/criminal record for shoplifting for the sake of a Tesco's photo frame or a posh bottle of cooking oil. Sounds like she is lacking in other areas of her life. Even something larger surely just not worth it.

I presume she is not strolling out with flat screens in the trolly though.

The shame, oh the shame when she gets put in that police car. Please tell me she doesn't have dc with her when she does it!??

One other thing, my DH told me this as he deals with a lot of security issues at work (not shoplifting though!)...

It is all about confidence when trying to get away with something you shouldn't be doing. If you 100% look like you are doing nothing wrong they chances are people will not bat an eyelid. I should thing whist shoplifting that will involve concealing body language that suggests you are nervous/trying to hide something. I should think that actually that's a really hard thing to do. Maybe your friend is good thought and that's why so far she has got away with it.