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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Would you still from a rich person ?

100 replies

Spice22 · 06/04/2017 15:00

Just been watching one of those social experiments on Facebook and the comments were amazing. Thought I'd start a discussion about it.

The video basically shows a girl sitting at the bus stop with someone else, she then leaves a Louis Vuitton purse on the bench 'accidentally' and gets into a Ferrari when her boyfriend/husband arrives to pick her up. Most of the people steal the purse/money and deny seeing it when the owner returns looking for it.
Most people commented (under the video) with the general consensus that it was acceptable as the girl obviously had a lot of money and the people waiting for a bus don't.

Personally, I think that's a disgusting attitude. Just because someone has a lot of money doesn't entitle you to any of it.

What do you guys think?

OP posts:
WrapaholicMumma · 06/04/2017 15:41

No I wouldn't. I couldn't steal from anyone regardless of their situation

TooManyTrolls · 06/04/2017 15:41

I wouldn't dream of it and I wouldn't shoplift from 'evil' corporations or shops either. Just as I wouldn't sneak a kid in a theme park by pretending he was still a two year old or whatever. I also don't fiddle tax etc

Basically, I just don't steal. It's quite simple. I give the matter almost no thought.

I do realise that there might be a reasonable reason that someone would steal such as being unable to afford food or their DC but apart from that it's a no-no however you dress it up.

whoputthecatout · 06/04/2017 15:43

No, it's not about them, it's about you and your standards.

It's the same argument as shoplifting from a store is OK because the stores have plenty of money.

You're either a thief or you're not.

InvisibleKittenAttack · 06/04/2017 15:47

It's like people who think it's ok to steal from big chain shops because "they can afford it" - there was a thread a while ago when a lot of posters admitted to using the self scanning machines to steal goods. (or "just not put everything through properly" and then got an arse on when other posters said "you mean 'steal' things.") It was surprising how many people thought it was ok because it was a big wealthy company who could afford the loss.

noeffingidea · 06/04/2017 15:47

No I wouldn't.
I'm not rich, but I once left my purse behind it in a cafe. It did have a fair amount of cash in it, as well as my bank cards, etc. The cash may well have been a lot to the person who found it, but they handed it in behind the counter. I've never forgotten that - a reminder that there are still decent honest people around, and how important that is.

Tobolsk · 06/04/2017 15:54

HecateAntaia

You make a very good point, morales are redefined depending on the wider situation.

Would I steal from her now. No it's the wrong thing to do.

In the zombie apocalypse. Yes,

MessiIsTheBest · 06/04/2017 15:57

As someone who's lived hand to mouth all their life no I wouldn't steal it.
Someone I know once left a sports bag in a McDonalds on the A1 in Lincs which had all their money and passport and phone, keys, loads of expensive camera equipment etc in and they had a lot on their mind and didn't realize they'd left it until they got as far as Newcastle. Thanks to honest staff/customers they got the whole lot back. The sense of relief someone gets when there's a good outcome like that makes the act of kindness worth it's weight in gold I reckon

Jaysis · 06/04/2017 16:00

Nah. I remember finding a wodge of money and I handed it in - turns out it belonged to a couple I knew - their entire meagere life savings they had withdrawn to pay rent and deposit and feed themselves for a month until their benefits came through for them.

I handed in a wallet to the police station some time ago and the policewoman remarked how rare it was. It wasn't claimed so a year later I got the money back anyway.

justnowords · 06/04/2017 16:00

At the moment no. Were my children starving and about to become homeless, Im not that confident that Id be so honest. Its easy to bang on about morals when you've plenty money in the bank/not going without/not staring down the barrel of a gun.

scaryclown · 06/04/2017 16:00

I'd definitely give a designer purse back to a pimp and his girl.

Just because he's GTAed a GTO, I wouldn't disrespect the motherfo'

anon050 · 06/04/2017 16:03

No way. No matter how broke I was. If I left my bag or purse behind, I'd be sooo greatful someone handed it back to me.

I think there is a lot of hatred and jealousy towards rich people. I think people feel inadequate around people who are precieved to be doing better than them .

I'm not rich but DH and I have a better income than most in our friendship circle. DH has been very generous with them in the past, paying for meals out etc. Which has lead to people in our circle taking the piss. Never offering to pay with the expectation that DH will pay. One even paid for all her guests and DH and I were expected to pay for our own meal.

So a lot of people have this attitude, you have more than me, so, I'll just take off you. Quite frankly, I'd be embarrassed to take off anyone. So at end of the day, it's a question of morals.

LivingForHim · 06/04/2017 16:04

It doesn't matter if the person is rich or poor. Stealing is morally wrong.

I reported a woman to the manager at an ASDA because she gave her toddler one of those squeazy purees, knowing she wouldn't pay for it. I think she was taken to their back office. It didn't matter that she had a small child and I'm glad I alerted her to the store owner. Hope she got what she deserved.

TheMysteriousJackelope · 06/04/2017 16:04

No I wouldn't steal from a rich person because I am not a thief. If you meet anyone who says they would, keep a close eye on your possessions when they are around. 'Rich' is entirely subjective and how do you know when you'll have passed the bar to be considered rich and be ripe for picking as far as they are concerned?

scaryclown · 06/04/2017 16:06

Yeah, too right 'Livingforhim', Fuck The Poor! go WALMART and CORPORATE OVERLORDS.... NOTICE ME SEMPAI

DingDongtheWitchIsDangDiddlyDe · 06/04/2017 16:06

Not in general, no. But I might steal from a rich person if I knew they became rich by stealing, or by screwing people over. Kinda like a Robin Hood thing.

I've stolen before, serious shoplifter as a kid. I don't feel bad about it.

puddingpen · 06/04/2017 16:08

It's like when people say (of men) 'you shouldn't hit a woman'. No. You shouldn't hit anyone...

Atenco · 06/04/2017 16:09

I wouldn't condemn someone who was in dire poverty for doing it, but as someone said before: You can't really judge someone in a snapshot. She could have had a fake bag and be a £50 a night hooker getting in a customers car.

I find some people are very quick to label others as rich when that can often be far from true. For example people who have a bit more than them because they make economies that the jealous one doesn't or someone who live in a nice house that they bought when things were going well for them.

MusicToMyEars800 · 06/04/2017 16:09

I believe what goes around comes around, also if I lost/dropped my purse I would like to think that people would be decent enough to hand it in... i could've done something like this a few days ago, i was in Tesco when a man dropped his £20 on the floor, i said "excuse me, you've dropped you money" and he picked it up and walked off! not even a thank you. I also prevented a woman in morrisons from losing her purse when she dropped it, in return she scanned my morrisons more card so i got the points from her shopping, i was surprised and thanked her.

MycatsaPirate · 06/04/2017 16:12

No, I wouldn't keep something that clearly didn't belong to me. I would do my utmost to find the owner and hand it back or hand it into the police station (if you can find one open).

I just couldn't bear to think that someone could lose something that means something to them, never mind the money aspect. And all the hassle of cancelling bank cards etc.

You are either a thief or you aren't. It doesn't matter who the person is who has lost something. It's still theft.

PushingThru · 06/04/2017 16:14

No. My ethics are about who I am not who other people are.

EssentialHummus · 06/04/2017 16:14

No, not in the circumstances you describe. But if, for example, immediately after she got in the car I saw the woman chucking a bag of rubbish out the window or similar, I might. I'm not sure I'd even steal the bag and contents, just dump them in the nearest bin. Not palatable, but that's my honest answer.

MycatsaPirate · 06/04/2017 16:15

Oh and on our local Pets Lost and found page on facebook, an appeal went out today, a harrassed mum left her handbag and baby change bag on the bus when she got off. Purse, keys, phone, tablet, baby stuff all left behind.

Someone has handed it in, completely intact and she has had it returned to her.

DingDongtheWitchIsDangDiddlyDe · 06/04/2017 16:16

You are either a thief or you aren't

Context is everything.

Emmageddon · 06/04/2017 16:17

@LivingForHim how the hell did you KNOW the woman wouldn't pay for the puree pouch she gave to her toddler? The empty packaging can still be scanned at the checkout and the item paid for. You come across as a tad sanctimonious. Did you seriously report her to the manager? Hmm

Willow2017 · 06/04/2017 16:18

Nope. Just no.
Stealing is stealing who ever it is from. I wouldnt be able to sleep knowing I had taken someone elses stuff.

People really still believe that shoplifting isnt a big deal cos the companies can afford it? Yeah they afford it by putting the prices up for the rest of us who are honest enough not to bloody Steal! Tart it up anyway you like its STEALING.