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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To march ds to the police station as he's stolen a bag

105 replies

Mcdotii · 11/10/2015 20:24

Ds13 has stolen a 5p bag from the local tesco, I checked the receipt and he hadnt paid for it and it is one of the new thicker ones. He has admitted that he didn't pay for it when using the self service till. Would the police cooperate with giving him a stern telling off if we pop down there?

OP posts:
boobubsmum · 12/10/2015 01:02

I stole a bath bomb type thing as a kid (think it was about 20p) and mum marched me back to the shop to apologise, it was all very traumatic but I learnt a valuable lesson, and would do the same with my kids.

sleeponeday · 12/10/2015 01:30

Jeffrey you have so much to answer for. You sad, sad little peanut.

UncertainSmile · 12/10/2015 11:04

I used to shoplift frequently from the age of 13 to about 18. I've never stolen anything since. I remember it was a bit of a phase; all the kids on my estate used to do it.

LittleLionMansMummy · 12/10/2015 11:17

I think you'd be charged with wasting police time OP.

SeaMagic · 12/10/2015 11:28

Ditto Uncertain

Maybe it makes me a bad person but I find it very difficult to get riled about teenage shoplifting if it's a lipstick, bottle of nail polish, hairclip from Accessorise, etc.

It is a phase, I did it on occasion at that age and I have also never stolen anything as an adult. Was lucky never to get caught admittedly but it didn't turn me into a mastermind criminal by the age of 20!

I am completely gobsmacked that someone would care enough about a 5p Tesco plastic bag to check their 13 year old child's receipt for payment and actually consider marching them to the police station.

bettyberry · 12/10/2015 11:40

If you are serious his school should have a PCSO attached to it. If you really want to 'educate' him about stealing that's who you get in touch with. Not the police. Let them deal with serious crime.

However, I don't see why you are outsourcing your duties as a parent to discipline your child for a first and minor (in the grand scheme of things) offence. You are an adult and quite capable of giving your son a telling off and a punishment for theft.

Original poster
Mcdotii · 12/10/2015 11:51

I think that does make you a bad person if you don't see anything wrong with teenagers shoplifting.

What is your Cut off for what is acceptable. It seams like a few quid is ok in your book. Is there a value that is unacceptable?

OP posts:
Pyjamaramadrama · 12/10/2015 12:04

Op did he definitely realise that he was supposed to pay for the bag?

trulybadlydeeply · 12/10/2015 12:08

If this is real, and if you are really concerned about it, get him to pop some money in a charity box next time he sees one, as he hasn't stolen from Tesco, he's taken money away from whatever charities their bag money is going to.

And just make sure he reuses the bag every time he goes back!

differentnameforthis · 12/10/2015 12:18

Are your sure he intended to steal it? Perhaps he forgot that you now have to pay for them?

All tesco will say is "ok, don't worry about it"

The police will think you are mad.

Just tell him what he did & that next time he has to pay for it.

I don't get why you needed to start a thread on this, tbh

SeaMagic · 12/10/2015 13:09

I didn't say I would actively encourage teenagers to shoplift... and if I caught a child of mine doing this I would go back with them to the shop to return said item/pay for it and apologise profusely.

But I don't see it as some great moral failing, sorry but I just don't. Teenagers often do all sorts of thrill seeking and risky behaviour and I equate shoplifting with this.

I have never felt the urge to shoplift as an adult but I quite enjoyed the thrill of it on the couple of occasions I indulged in this behaviour as a teenager.

Your poor son however took a 5p bag and is being threatened with marching to the police station. Good luck with that.

Garrick · 12/10/2015 15:47

On second thoughts, Mcdot, you absolutely should take DS to task for nicking a 5p carrier bag. It was a totally unworthy risk. Next time, he should aim for something more interesting like an Xbox or a large beef fillet.

CecilyP · 12/10/2015 15:58

Of course teenagers shoplifting isn't acceptable but yours paid for his goods and then took a bag - normal cost to the customer 10p with unlimited replacements, probable cost to the supermarket 2p! For this you are proposing to waste police time to the value of ????s. Which do you think is more unacceptable?

helenahandbag · 12/10/2015 16:07

The self service tills don't even require bags to be scanned, you can simply press 0 when it asks how many bags you've taken.

Or so I've been told Grin

GhoulWithADragonTattoo · 12/10/2015 16:08

YAB insane and so was your mum over the mini jam

Drew64 · 12/10/2015 16:14

I remember my Dad doing this to my little brother years ago (40 yrs)
He had take some money, 20p, from my Mums purse without asking.

He put him in the car and drove him to the police station, and parked outside. My brother was shitting himself!

They didn't get out of the car but it was a harsh way to learn a lesson but lessons were soooo much harsher back in the 70s

Badders123 · 12/10/2015 16:19

I think perhaps you need to get a Fucking grip.

JacobFryesTopHatLackey · 12/10/2015 16:25

Well, bring back hanging.

BeverlyGoldberg · 12/10/2015 16:27

Yes take him to the police and hand yourself in at the same time for being a goady fucker.

LurcioAgain · 12/10/2015 16:29

I have seen McDotii on other threads today and suffoce it to say, his/her posts are "unusual".

Bellebella · 12/10/2015 16:31

Do not take him to the police station, what a waste of their time when they could be dealing with more important crimes.

Just tell him he needs to be paying for the carrier bags and job done.

Janeymoo50 · 12/10/2015 16:40

March him back down to Tesco - the police have better things to do.

PHANTOMnamechanger · 12/10/2015 16:44

Do it OP, but be aware they will probably report your family to SS as your child is SO out of control and DS might well end up in care

Buxtonstill · 12/10/2015 16:55

It is not the responsibility of the Police to instil morals in your child. It is your responsibility as a parent.

mrdaddypig · 12/10/2015 17:01

way over the top seriously Shock

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