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?

Sorry as this is such a mumsnet trope but could she have dementia ? Raking through others cupboards and stealing charcoal from a shop display are not norma, behaviours.

Yes, car booth is pretty cryptic, what can it possibly mean?

@Russell19

Did you really not know that she meant car boot? You really couldn't work that out? Because you said "what on earth is that" as if you really didn't understand.

If you want to correct someone, then correct them. Just say "Its a car boot, not booth".
But dont pretend not to understand something which is really obvious just so you can point out a mistake and then act all innocent with the "I just didn't know what she meant" crap.

Shes not a thief in disguise. Shes a plain straight forward thief. Dont try and call it anything else

I'm really concerned about these perishable kittens!!

Place marking for a perishable kitten.

@Russell19 yes it is a typo. I was on my phone sorry

I would find out when she is next going to Asda and call them to let them know their charcoal thief is on the way (not entirely joking)!

Out and out Tea Leaf, no disguising that.

@Lulualla my god, a whole leg of lamb😂 are you serious? Was it a cooked or uncooked leg of lamb? Some people just take "help yourself" to a whole new level. It's insane how anyone can think taking large amounts of food from someone's home to be ok, unless obviously the host said you can take some food home.

If you want to correct someone, then correct them. Just say "Its a car boot, not booth"

Agree with this comment - it was an obvious typo. And autocorrect goes into overdrive sometimes (I expect it's the time of the month )

Lulualia

Thank Christ you didn't leave your banking details out . . .

What a cheek! Did you get the money back for it? (I doubt you'd want the lamb leg back after that)

@cuppaanyday

Yup. It was Easter time, so the legs of lamb where half price! I was really looking forward to that roast. It was uncooked, so it's not like it could be mistaken for a slicing joint or something.
He was a proper dick; luckily she broke up with him so I didn't need to ban him from my house.

I can sort of forgive taking the wine. We were drinking wine that night, but he took a bottle of dessert wine out of my fridge. We weren't even drinking that wine!

Oh, I've just worked out that kittens should be items. I preferred the poor perishable kittens though.

@Lulualla did you make the idiot bring it back?

About people bartering in shops, I saw that at my local supermarket! Woman at the till was trying to barter on a cheap item, holding up a queue. The shop worker at the till kept trying to tell her, we don't barter in the supermarket but the woman just went on and on.

No; I wasnt gonna get involved in a fight over it. He lost his gf over it, so that was punishment enough!

Everyone has a story for when they've encountered staggering cheekyness; some people just really dont think about anything outside of themselves.

She's a thief and its only a matter of time before she nicked by Asda. I wouldn't have her in my house at all.

@myohmywhatawonderfulday

Interesting thoughts but don't they punish thieves very severely in some Islamic countries so thieving is not very acceptable.

Is this to do,with the caste system "lowly shopworker"

she cray cray

@anxioussue she IS stealing. There's no debate about that.

Sorry no free kittens - it should have read items.

I really don't know how auto-correct got it that wrong.

Car booth befuddled me too. Not sure there is a need for any sort of virtue or intelligence signalling towards those such as me who don't have the sorts of minds which easily translate this to booth!

I agree with others. The 'helping herself' could potentially be explained in other ways but supermarkets don't say 'help yourself' to charcoal. That's just plain old illegal and immoral theft.

OP said she puts the charcoal into the boot of her car because she can't be bothered to go into the shop with it but then she goes into the shop to get the rest of her shopping.
Could she be saying to the cashier "can you take payment for a bag of charcoal too as I've just lifted one from your display and put it in the car"?

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

If you can’t work out a one-letter typo from that context sunglasses then I worry for you ... also, I think you need to look up what “virtue signalling” actually means because this is not an example of it. The irony is, you’ve made the same autocorrect yourself in your message!