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Original poster

Shoplifted by accident, should I take it back?

199 replies

guiltymind · 18/02/2017 16:49

Been on holiday for half term with kids. We went to a shop that is unique (there isn't one near us for about 100 miles). We were looking at some things, and I put something on the buggy (about 10 pounds). I was fully intending to pay for it but then 2 year old DD started to have a tantrum and I had to rush out of the store. It was only when I got back that I emptied the buggy and found that I still had it! I feel incredibly guilty, someone please tell me what to do....Blush

OP posts:
QuackDuckQuack · 19/02/2017 16:18

I went on a big shopping trip with DD1 to buy a bridesmaid outfit for her and DD2. I handed everything over to the person at the checkout and paid. Everything was carefully wrapped and bagged up with a security sticker closing the bags. It wasn't until I got home and looked at the receipt that I realised that only about half of the stuff had been scanned, so I'd paid about £100 less than I should have. Whilst the mistake was on their part not mine, I obviously did phone them to sort it out. They asked me to go back in to pay for the rest when I was next in town. When I said that wouldn't be for months they miraculously discovered how to take payment over the phone. I hope that the checkout person didn't get into too much trouble and I was concerned that my call might actually make things worse for them rather than better.

BonnieF · 19/02/2017 16:32

If it was an independent shop, I would definitely return or pay for the item. No question.

If it was a big supermarket, I would do nothing. I'm not advocating theft, but I have lost count of the number of times multi buy deals have not registered at the checkout and I haven't noticed until I got home, so I would regard the accidentally shoplifted item as payback.

PutTheBunnyBackInTheBox · 19/02/2017 16:41

I wasn't singling you out limitedperiodonly and yes I agree, if Tesco have overcharged customers on that big a scale they should be repaying it. This is one of the many reasons I never shop in TescoSmile

Onthecouchagain · 19/02/2017 16:47

If its a chain then keep it. If it's an independent take it back.

limitedperiodonly · 19/02/2017 16:58

It's not 'if' Tesco overcharged customers on that big a scale PutTheBunnyBackInTheBox, they did do it and have admitted it. They haven't said they will be repaying though.

I don't expect that and don't think anyone else would either. Most people would regard Tesco as a reputable retailer. So why do you say that's one of the many reasons you don't shop there. Are you just saying that or do you know something we don't?

KidLorneRoll · 19/02/2017 17:08

"If its a chain then keep it. If it's an independent take it back."

Bonkers logic.

Knowingly holding onto something you know you haven't paid for is theft, and it's a shitty, arsehole, cunty thing to do regardless of who you steal from.

People who work for chains rely on them for their living as much as Ma and Pa's bakery. How many big names have disappeared, taking all those jobs with them over the last few years? Yeah, fuck those guys.

CaraAspen · 19/02/2017 18:43

PutTheBunnyBackInTheBox

I'm a bit hmm by the '2 wrongs make a right' mentality going on here. Tesco have overcharged people so it's ok to steal from them? If Tesco charged you twice for something would you shrug and walk on or go back in to get what is rightfully yours?

And yes, taking a pack of oranges and not paying for them is theft.

Well, of course it is. How odd one should see it in any other way. I was beginning to think I was in a parallel universe...

CaraAspen · 19/02/2017 18:49

limitedperiodonly

I don't think it's me who's missing the point or doesn't understand philosophical debate CaraAspen.*

Someone on this thread talked about not paying Tesco for some oranges she'd accidentally taken and you called her a thief for not paying Tesco back

It IS stealing. How difficult is that to understand?

CaraAspen · 19/02/2017 18:54

limitedperiodonly

Then YOU are a thief. I hope you're proud of yourself.

This may not be hysterical but is a slightly heightened response that made me snigger a bit.

I'm imagining CaraAspen with an outstretched finger surrounded by shocked ladies in a Victorian melodrama

Stealing is stealing is stealing. Taking something deliberately without paying for it is stealing, as is accidentally taking something you do not intend to pay for.

The end.

CaraAspen · 19/02/2017 18:55

It would have been stealing in Victorian times, also.

rolls eyes

teenagetantrums · 19/02/2017 19:03

Oh keep it. I work in a shop. Would be a nightmare if someone tried to pay over phone for an accidentally taken item. We cant do that on a till. But l work n a major high-street store maybe a small independent would be different. We have a,weekly budget for loss please don't worry

IamRonnieBriggs · 19/02/2017 19:23

Stealing is stealing is stealing. Taking something deliberately without paying for it is stealing, as is accidentally taking something you do not intend to pay for.

Actually I did intend to pay for it....
I wasn't willing to spend £3.50 and over an hour to return something that was 80p.

I also haven't gone back to shops (like Tesco) to ask for money back when I have been overcharged when it really hasn't be worth it either

It's a grey area - life isn't black and white.

IamRonnieBiggs · 19/02/2017 19:24

I noticed I spelt my mastermind criminal name incorrectly too!

limitedperiodonly · 19/02/2017 19:26

It would have been stealing in Victorian times, also. rolls eyes

Oh God! CaraAspen. I didn't realise you were spoofing me. I can be so humourless sometimes. Blush Great joke. Grin

MontePulciana · 19/02/2017 19:45

Our passengers used to try and nick salt and pepper pots from their business class meal trays. Huge airline. Was it ok for them to do that? No. Which is why I used to ask them where the salt and pepper pots had magically disappeared to. They think we didn't notice. We did. They'd magically find them after we pointed out they weren't there. People have no shame!

BrianCoxWithBellsOn · 19/02/2017 19:47

I once bought a brand new tv in Tesco. My old one had died and I'd decided to take advantage of a new credit card deal of 0% interest, plus - Club card points.

So I went, chose, took to the til and paid with my new card .

The cashier made an error and put the transaction through twice. So she deleted the transactions and put it through as a fresh sale.

My receipt in hand, I left the store.

A month later my credit card bill arrived and it had a zero balance. I was really confused.

Checked my receipt.
She'd firstly put through the correct amount, £400, but must have thought she'd done it twice...only she hadn't. She then deleted the "correct" amount taking the balance on my card to 0, and deleted again taking it to -£400, before starting afresh and putting the £400 on, taking my credit card balance back to 0.

The credit card company (Tesco Bank) actually laughed at my honesty and said that as it was over a month, there was nothing could be done. The store weren't interested either.

I paid for it ultimately as that credit card spiralled out of control, lost my job through illness and ended up with a CCJ.

So not really a free Tele after all ;)

limitedperiodonly · 19/02/2017 20:24

I used to ask them where the salt and pepper pots had magically disappeared to. They think we didn't notice. We did. They'd magically find them after we pointed out they weren't there. People have no shame!

Your employer told you to do this to their customers did they MontePulciana? Or did you take it upon yourself? Did you get a bounty for this, or was the warm glow of apprehending airborne comestible miscreants enough? Did you think this a good use of your time?

Most importantly, would you name the airline?

I've never had the urge to steal anything from an airline, so that embarrassing confrontation with you would never arise. It's more that when I'm paying any price for a seat, let alone a business class seat, I'd like to know which carrier was so petty as to authorise their staff to police the cruet sets rather than getting on with the serious business of ensuring safety and comfort on the plane.

That's what most aircrew are concerned with, isn't it?

I'd avoid your employer like the plague. Because with the sort of airline who is so worried about profit margins I'd check before take off to see if there really was a life jacket under my seat like they promised. I'd probably look twice to see if the plane had wings.

Hisstory · 19/02/2017 20:32

LimitedPeriod
That's a really weird and rather pompous response to MontePulciana post. I don't nick stuff when I'm flying business and I'm glad others are dissuaded from doing so. MontePulcian sounds like she dealt with it tactfully.

limitedperiodonly · 19/02/2017 20:43

Hisstory. I'm comforted that flight crew notice all kinds of behaviour from passengers. I find it weird that they'd take a proprietorial interest over the cruet sets though.

F1GI · 19/02/2017 20:47

Personally, I'd put a £10 in a card and put a note saying you were shopping and accidentally had this on the buggy whilst distracted.

I wouldn't sign it in case they accused me of being a shoplifter. But at least they'd get the money owed and your conscience would be clear.

MontePulciana · 19/02/2017 20:54

They told us to try to retrieve all business class trays complete with fancy pepper pots yes. They didn't say how. They cost the company a fortune in replacing and people nicked them to sell on eBay to collectors. You notice everything and anything with business passengers because the ratio of staff to passenger is much smaller.

Sallystyle · 19/02/2017 20:59

I would do nothing.

Amoral me!

NormHonal · 19/02/2017 21:00

Were those the salt and pepper pots that were updated so they said "Stolen from " underneath? Always made me giggle. I never stole any but they were very cute/collectible so I get why people did, especially after getting tanked up on the free champagne. Even if it was wrong.

meganorks · 19/02/2017 21:03

I'd forget about it. And most of my friends would too. We also all love a wedding. I think maybe me and my friends aren't typical mumsnetters!

honeyroar · 19/02/2017 21:05

Limited of course airlines expect crews to collect in and store away all the items needed to be used on future flights. And it doesn't mean that they're not also getting on with the serious business of safety and comfort onboard! Would you believe that a fair few passengers actually try to steal the life jackets - imagine that not being on the flight home because staff didn't say anything.. And I would say that all airlines are concerned about profit margins just as much as safety!