self checkout stealing

[starshipsweremeanttofly]

Yes IABU.
I started this around 2 weeks ago, a shop I visit several times per week. The first time, I can't remember if it was an accident or a conscious choice. I put through most of the items and threw one in my bag unscanned. This shop doesn't weigh the items on self scanner and doesn't have security bleep things on the exit. I have been maybe once since where I paid for everything.
Has anyone else done this sort of thing? It's partly a rush I guess, sounds cringey to say it. Partly driven by money worries. I'm not in a great place mentally.
It's a big chain, not excusing it, just I'm sure someone will say I'm stealing from a small independent shop.
I'm just trying to understand myself and try to bloody stop.

I was humiliated the other day st the self checkout. Dh was ringing my phone harassing me about being stuck in
The car with the kids. I was about four items into scanning and bagging and it stopped working because the scales had registered an item not not scanned. I thought it was just the last item that hadn't scanned but the young girl who came to assist pointed out I'd put three things in the bag not scanned. It was really embarrassing. I think I was hearing the bleep of the next till and distracted but I really felt like a thief. You need to stop op. It would be awful to be caught.

@TitsOutForHarambe

I've done it once or twice over the years, but it was always a genuine mistake, and never anything of much value. Once it was chewing gum that I thought I'd put through but I checked my receipt at home and it hadn't scanned, and once I grabbed a bottle of water to drink on the way round the shop, and without even thinking I threw the finished bottle in the bin by the counter. I realised later on. Both times I felt embarrassed when I realised what I'd done. Stealing from supermarkets is embarrassing.

This is about the extent of my criminal career. What you're describing, ie doing it on purpose every time you go, is something that you will get caught for eventually and that will be VERY embarrassing.

I had something similar when I got stopped on the way out of a shop - my card hadn't gone through. I wanted to dig a big hole and jump into it. It was so embarrassing.

I done this accidentally when self scanners where first introduced. It was a book 🤷‍♀️

There's a difference between accidently not scanning something correctly (I have done this without realising) and intentionally taking things. I am sure many people do it and get away with it but if you get caught... you could end up with a record over a few quids worth of things. Times are really tough at the moment for many people but shops have camera everywhere and they can soon get good at identifying certain patterns. There's only so long you get away with things

Gosh how thrilling. Another light blue touch paper thread and step back and watch the show.

I once put a birthday card in the seat part of the trolley so it didn’t get bent along with my big shop. Completely forgot until loading shopping into car and spotted it. I went back in and paid for it. Customer Services were amazed by my honesty. It didn’t even occur to me that I wouldn’t pay for it. I’d far rather have a clear conscience!

I think this is very common . Tesco apparently sell far more carrots than they ever have in stock so assume avocados are weighed as carrots . I have some tricks , but not telling

Those of you mortified when you do it accidentally, why exactly? It’s just an accident, could happen to anyone...probably does happen to everyone in a lifetime...a card not going through...why the embarrassment?

I've done it many times accidentally on purpose

Don't worry about it OP. They'll live.

Well then England is no longer a nation of shopkeepers, but a nation of shoplifters:(

How very sad..

Oh starships, anyone can make a mistake but if you are now consciously stealing it will become a habit and you will be caught eventually. Imagine the humiliation of that.

Please don't, it's really not worth it.

I am so sorry about your money worries, I've been there years ago and it is horrible.

@Tealeafs

I've done it many times accidentally on purpose

Don't worry about it OP. They'll live.

You do realise surely that the rest of us who don't steal pay for that within the pricing model of anything from a supermarket or a corner shop. Cheers for that.

What I find sad is the inflation of products such as hand sanitizer. What used to cost £1 now costs £4 upwards and that's without mentioning the off licences who had the nerve to charge £6-£10 a small bottle.

A single parent on UC could seldom afford to budget for such things.

Bin bags are another thing that take the mick. £3 for literal garbage.

I will never condemn people who shop lift out of desperation and financial hardship.

Oh and the also pay for it because it decreases the shop's profit and in larger stores mean bonuses aren't awarded for keeping theft below a certain level. God people are wankers sometimes, thinking it's ok to fuck other people over to put a few extra items in their shopping as some sort of faux noble anarchist statement. I'm not talking about doing it accidentally obviously. People who do it on purpose - it's indicative of not giving a shit about other people. Grim.

The staff also pay for it that was meant to say

So what about the people who do it out of necessity? Contrary to what MN would have you believe, food banks aren't always full to bursting and able to help most of the people in need.

If I'm ever going hungry (touch wood that doesn't happen) damn right I'm going to shop lift food.

I think it’s a brave thing to do, reaching out and asking for help.
Because if you understand the psychology of why you want to steal, then you can break the habit. It’s like any addiction, drug, habit, gambling etc.

I would breath into the feeling you have when you think about it, and how you’re feeling right now reading these responses. How is it making you feel? This feeling is you self sabotaging your life.

Now you have to stop and ask yourself what is it you’re running away from?
Is there a deep rotted feeling underneath such a loneliness, fear, anxiety??

Once you have that feeling, start breathing into it.
Sense whereabouts it is in the body, give it a shape, texture, colour.
Then keep breathing golden light and healing into that feeling, surrounding it until it meant a away.

Now every time you feel sensations or emotions in your body you don’t like, you can try just pausing and breathing into them. Or chase a feeling, or an incident etc this way.

Hope that helps, this is an emotional energy healing exercise

This smacks of lazy journalism tbh. Big chain, not a local independent. Checking reactions from folks for a quick, idle article methinks.

@Tealeafs

So what about the people who do it out of necessity? Contrary to what MN would have you believe, food banks aren't always full to bursting and able to help most of the people in need.

If I'm ever going hungry (touch wood that doesn't happen) damn right I'm going to shop lift food.

I totally sympathise with people who do things like that out of necessity. Precious poster who said they do it accidentally on purpose showed no hint of it being for that reason, more a jokey tone as if they don't care. My comments are about people who do it just because they can get away with it. Maybe I should have made that clearer but I don't think many people would fail to sympathise with anyone who does it out of genuine desperation.

Yabu but these harsh responses are a bit ott

No, they real,y are not. Many people are in poverty or have anxiety, depression or other m h issues and have never stolen in their life.

The op needs to get a grip. People defending her need to do the same as defending her really takes the hopefully paid for

I cried at the bit in. ‘I, Daniel Blake’ where the young woman was caught stealing sanitary towels when she had no money. In that case, she was literately desperate.

What the OP is doing is wrong. However all those saying ‘get help’, where do you think she would get that shop? Honestly, there is no help for a shoplifter. GPs won’t be interested. Where else could she turn? Why don’t you offer some suggestions!

I'm ashamed to admit I get it OP. I was in an extremely abusive relationship especially financially and DC3 was a baby and often times I didn't have enough food for him and me and other DC.despote living in a nice home, nice card, kids having nice activities. exDH spent £140 on the monthly shop and that was it. No more. If we ran out of food that was it. Be transferred all my money ti his account and would leave me with at most £10 a month.

I spent months not eating so they could have enough. Then I made a mistake accidentally and walked away with extra carrots one day.

I did it again and again. I excused it by being hungry and starving and not having access to a food bank as well as being scared 2hat exH would say if I came back with food from a food bamk- an unnecessary criticism and battle in his eyes

I stopped because I was scared to get arrested and lose my babies. My conscious coulnt take it anymore. I left exH and an with family now. I am okay. I remember living in a gilded cage and basically starving despite having "everything".

I couldn't take it anymore and I didn't understand why I was being forced to do it so I realised I needed to walk away from my relationship. ( Also been donating as much as I can to food banks to square up.).

I'm glad i did.

@KatherineParr4

What the OP is doing is wrong. However all those saying ‘get help’, where do you think she would get that shop? Honestly, there is no help for a shoplifter. GPs won’t be interested. Where else could she turn? Why don’t you offer some suggestions!

Get that help not shop!