AIBU to think this is stealing and she's a thief in disguise?

[cuppaanyday]

This happened last Eid, but it has always been on my mind so would love to hear your opinions on this. On Eid late afternoon we got invited to DHs friends house, it was me, DH, our children, MIL/SIL, friends wife and baby in the house. DH and his friend went out for a bit to sort something out. We’re all sitting in the living room nibbling on food DHs friend has brought out to us. MIL goes into the kitchen to make tea, a bit later I go to use the bathroom and I can see MIL taking things out from the cupboard and putting in her bag, I ask her what’s she’s doing and she goes ‘ it’s fine, he said we could help ourselves’ AIBU to think this does not mean putting several chocolate blocks and other treats in your bag? Her argument is that what difference does it make if I eat it here or take it home? Friend lives in a big house, and had a lot of food/treats in the kitchen so I think this is why she did it. He ‘wouldn’t notice’.

She also does weird things like going to Asda and taking the bbq charcoal that’s sitting outside and putting it in the booth of her car, because she can’t be bothered to carry it inside and it’s only charcoal . After putting it in the booth, she goes inside to do her shopping like normal. I don’t really have a relationship with her, and stay away as much as I can. But on occasions like Eid I have to see her.

AIBU this is stealing and she’s just a thief in disguise?

What on earth was kitten meant to say?

What does a thief look like then?

Yes she's a thief, there is no disguise about it. They don't dress in black and white striped tops and carry swag bags

I don't even like looking in my friends’ cupboards when they've asked me to! Feels like I’m prying so yes, she is a thief.

I really hope the wee kittens aren’t perishable, wee souls 😻

Yes that is stealing and she knows that isn't what DH's friend meant. The fact that she was invited to someone else's house and started stealing things out of the cupboards like that is disgusting. Random question, does she struggle for money? Not that it excuses her actions at all.

Yep! thieves don't wear a striped vest and black mask. Some shifty looking people are really, honest; and some honest looking people are shifty. Found that out early on in business. I doubt she's polite either, probably piles the plate at a wedding, takes the last sausage roll. Having said that I believe most people are honest, and fortunately so far it has proved to be the case. YANBU

Immagine if you had a tradesman in your house, and as you went out, you said help yourself to tea & coffee, then when you got home the whole box of tea was gone and the whole jar of coffee was gone. Agggh

She's just a plain and simple thief!

Just because she's unhappy doesn't mean she'd steal

I also would like to know what you think a thief looks like.

To be honest, I'd report her.
She's a common thief

If she celebrates Eid, @Notodontidae, I doubt she would touch the sausage rolls at a wedding buffet😊😉
I asked the cultural question as I have a friend who is married to a lovely Egyptian man.
He still finds it odd that she buys things in shops and pays the price displayed.
In his culture, the price displayed is the starting point for haggling.
He is getting better but she still tries to keep him away from any tradesmen in the home as in that situation, his haggling goes into overdrive!

She is a thief.

Watch your things when she visits.

Well kittens are technically perishable when you think about it.

I mean, they don't exactly come with an expiry date, but they do have an (unknown) one.

He still finds it odd that she buys things in shops and pays the price displayed
In his culture, the price displayed is the starting point for haggling

To be fair, the price tag is not a contract. It is an "invitation to treat" ie it is inviting the customer to make an offer to purchase and the retailer doesn't have to accept that offer.

I appreciate that @JigsawsAreInPieces but, in the UK, the cultural norm here is when we go shopping, the customer expects to pay the price displayed, not enter into a bartering situation.
Imagine the queues ar the supermarket tills if everyone started this.😁

I just finished a book (so I am relaying the sentiment not giving an expert opinion) and he was trying to communicate the differences between an eastern way of thinking and a western way of thinking. As he was trying to explain how there are great divides between first and second-generation immigrants and the second generation have to straddle two cultures.

He relayed a story to explain the difference when he stole something. There was no shame in the stealing. The shame was because he was caught by a 'lowly shop worker'.

stands in growing queue with hands out waiting for a perishable kitten

What on earth is a car booth?

A garage? - (said in a manner to rhyme with Farrage)🤔

Can you really not figure out how to knock the last letter off a typo Russel?

Perishable kittens on the other hand 😂😂😂

@instatwat a typo done twice?

@Russel19 autocorrect, I assume. I mean, surely the context makes it obvious?

I can beat chocolate biscuits! I had friends over and said "I've put loads of food out so grab a plate and hemp yourself whenever you like". All just nibbles, and cheese, pate... that sort of thing.
Anyway, I cleaned up once they had left and when I opened the fridge, the leg of lamb I had in there was gone, along with a bottle of wine. It was the boyfriend of my friend. His defence was that I had told them to help themselves.

Some people really are cockwombles.

She is not only a THIEF, she is the worst sort of thief.

She is STEALING FROM A FRIEND.

From someone who TRUSTS HER and has INVITED HER INTO THEIR HOME.

That is bloody disgusting!