To ask if you’ve ever accidentally stolen something

[Sevendaysaweek]

Did you return it?

Accidentally stole a sweet potato under my baby’s blanket (car seat was in the trolley!)

No I didn’t return it!

I've gone back with stuff, iff I've only just walked outside. But have never returned later on. I would if it was a smaller shop, but too many security guards in the supermarkets are power mad.

The only time I didn't go back was when I realised I'd walked out with femfresh wipes. I was too embarrassed.

Weirdly I also accidentally stole a sweet potato.

Ds1 was just a baby and I had put a sweet potato in one of those clear bags and looped it into my wrist while I pushed the pram and at the till I didn’t realise it was there, I paid for my other, walked home and only noticed it when I went to get ds out of the pram. No I didn't return it.

Yes some sweets by genuine accident.
It troubled me so much. I did something really weird. I went back in, bought the same sweets, then snuck it back on the shelf. I must have looked like an utter loon on the security cameras, buying sweets, walking back into the shop, sneaking a box of sweets out of my handbag and onto the shelf then walking back out again without “buying” anything.

Yes helped by a thieveing toddler without my knowledge who put various toys under the pushchair and I didn't realise until we had left the store. Returned them all.

My son stole a bra once when he was in his buggy - picked it off the shelf and was chewing it when we got back to the car - not my size! I sheepishly returned it.

I’ve also got family members that had a slap up meal and left without paying.

They realised about an hour after they’d got home and the place had closed until after the weekend. One of my relatives was sobbing and really inconsolable. She phoned as soon as it opened and explained in floods of tears. They didn’t seem that bothered and said it happens quite a lot and it’s a genuine mistake. They just said to stop in and pay next time they were in town...no rush or anything.

Yes, in IKEA as a student. Went with a housemate (who had a very old, very small xar)
Bought a few bits and bobs like plates and cutlery, as well as a bookcase. At the till you have to put the little things on the band and they scan the big boxes on your trolley. Only they didn't scan the big box. I only realised when we got home. I couldn't take it back- it was too big for public transport and my housemate's car broke down (true story) during the journey back from IKEA- it completely died and he was without a car.
I've bought so many things there over the years that I don't feel guilty, AND when I opened the box the bookcase was slightly damaged.

I accidentally stole something from a supermarket recently. Was looking at two different brands and chose one and scanned it and put it in my bag. Then teenage daughter asked me about the brands and we stood together looking at them then I put the one I had scanned in my bag. But when I got home I realised that it wasn't the one I had scanned, it was one I had taken from the shelf to show her. As supermarkets products go it was quite an expensive one too

I'd just had a stressful move as well as other stuff going on. went into Wilko's for some cheap emergency bedding as had none. Got lost in the store, realised it was upstairs. Then realised there were no tills upstairs. The store was a strange layout in that the escalators led right to where the doors were, so when I got to the bottom, clutching armfuls of stuff, I absentmindedly just carried on walking, right out of the store. Got about 20 feet before I froze and ran back to pay. Damn near shat myself but no one even noticed

I went into a local clothes shop with my 18 month old in a stroller , she must of unhooked a boys ( ugly ) sweater , when I got home she proudly handed it to me .
I did take it back the chap that I returned it to didn't find it too funny .

Yep - walked off with a fridge magnet with my name on it when I was about 7. I was so chuffed to find my name for once and was meaning to show my mum. Forgot I had it until we were about 10 minutes' walk from the shop. My mum insisted on going back, bless her.

I’ve accidentally stolen bakery/ fruit items where I’ve only gone in for a couple of things so haven’t taken a basket and have looped the little plastic bag on my arm and then forgotten about it at the self- checkout. I seemed to have a run of occasions where I did this last year - if I noticed when I was still in or near the shop I went back and out it through the checkout but didn’t go back if I’d made it home without paying for the sake of under £1z Were it a higher value item or something non-perishable I think I probably would have made the effort to return it though.

When DS was a toddler in a pushchair, he picked up an expensive (and large enough that I should have noticed it) toy from the Disney Store. We all made it well out of the shop before I saw it and took it back.

Leggings from primark. Put them on top of the pushchair and meant to put them back later. Paid for other stuff and walked out of shop. Realised ten minutes later and just took them back. No one bothered at all!

Dts stole two pairs of pjs from primark, were out of the buggy and must have shoved them in the bottom when I wasn't looking. Found them the next morning.

I didn't take them back they were £3 a pair. Might make me a bad person but I wasn't going back to town with two two year olds for £6

Yes a can of Coke by accident. No didn't return it. Shoot me.

Some earrings. Can't even remember where from it's that long ago. I can remember picking them up to look at them and putting them back on the hook and then turning to look at something else. Must've knocked the stand with my bags as I turned round. It wasn't until I got home and Un packed my shopping that I found them inside the bag. I was only about 13-14 at the time and I was so scared the shop would phone the police and I'd be arrested for it. Couldn't return them because I live about 40 miles away from the shop.

I stole a box of 6 eggs from Waitrose once, put them in the kids seat bit of the trolley to keep them safe. Then must have put a coat or something on top. Only found them when packing the car. Didn't take them back - still feel guilty to this day

I came home from the Disney store with an Elsa doll last year, the cashier hadn’t rung it through but she’d removed the tags and I didn’t clock that the bill was £20 cheaper than it should have been.

I phoned them up when I realised and was told not to bring it back, it was on the mouse house

I preach some times and have gone home still wearing the tie mic on more than one occasion. I always bring it back.

I have stolen 2 carrots because I tried to weigh then 3 times at self scan in Morrisons and it just wasn't working and couldn't get the attention of the check out person. Got fed up and just stuffed them in my handbag.

I do feel bad about it because as a preacher, I really shouldn't be stealing.

Yes, over the years I’ve come home with some small items that I put in my cart, but that didn’t get scanned so didn’t make it to the bill. Maybe 3-4 times in my life and I’m middle aged. None of them have ever been worth very much and always from stores where I spend a small fortune on a regular basis so I’ve never worried about it. If anything, it balances out the many times I have paid for expensive items that didn’t end up in my bag.

Oldest son was a total klepto as a toddler. He isedto take stiff off shelves everywhere. He became very wise to me frisking him and unbeknown to me started to hide his stash. One day i got home, having been in probably every shop in oxford street yo find eventually a giant talking Nemo book secreted under the seat oart of the cosy toes in his buggy. It yad no label and vould have come ftom any of about 10 shops. We kept it.
I discoveted that returning his haul didnt always go well. Lots of stores instantly accuse you of shoplifting despite the fact ypu are teturning items your child has in their grasp. The worst were Zara (stolen diamante belt) and Debenhams. He helped himself yo an array of Fashion Flair testers (make up for black skin) which he put in his pocket whilst i eas trying stuff at the adjoining counter. I am ghostly white! Outside i saw him fidfling and discovered the stash so promptly reurned it (it was ckearly not for me given my skin colour). The assistants sharted yelling "shoplifters" "security" and loads of guards came running. I pointed out they were insane and marched out. You have to question if its worth it.

Yes, only yesterday! I bought a pack of three pairs of toddlers mittens from a supermarket. They were all together on one mini plastic hanger/hook. I self scanned them. When I got home I realised there was another pack of three attached to the back. They were only £3 but I feel guilty and have been having a debate about whether I should take them back after lockdown. (I did buy some meat from there a while ago that was off and it cost more than £3. I didn't take it back so perhaps shouldn't feel guilty about the mittens)!

Yes, a £4 or so umbrella from Primark.

I picked it up and hooked it on my wrist, then got distracted buying other stuff. Got to the till, paid for my goods then left and got the bus home. I didn't end up returning it - by the time I'd realised I'd "stolen" it I'd already got on the bus.

In my defence I was a teenager (poor excuse) and felt too embarrassed to go back. Aside from that discrepancy, I have a clean slate!