To ask if you’ve ever accidentally stolen something

[Sevendaysaweek]

Did you return it?

Another grabby toddler here, when dd was 2 I realised she was unusually quiet as we left asda, looked in the pushchair and she was happily cuddling a 1kg block of cheese. I immediately gave it to member of staff, luckily they found it hilarious

I once absent-mindedly walked off with two Sainsbury's bags-for-life full of shopping, including wine and meat, from the self-checkout (ear phones in). Only when I set the bags down at home did I realise I couldn't remember paying. I phoned the shop and went back straight away, rather red-faced. This was my local go-to supermarket, I knew all the people at the check-out. I could tell they couldn't make head or tail of my attempt to explain, but I continued shopping there and they kept saying hello until we moved away.
Like many pp I also found the odd pack of wipes or similar in the pram after leaving the shop. Usually went back except one time because we were in a rush. Small twinges of guilt, but I can cope.

Yes, an eyeliner and a lipstick from the supermarket. I couldn't put them in the basket as they would.fall.out so I just clutched them all the way round the place along with my.purse and then held.onto them without realising as I went through the checkout. I think probably because I was used to holding onto a thousand tiny things for a toddler at the time, and didnt even notice. Didnt realise until I got home 15 mins later as I'd just chucked my purse onto the front seat.

My bil walked past a knicker counter with a velcro fastening jacket on and picked up a few pairs by accident
Luckily my dsis stopped him from becoming a pants pincher before he left the shop.

I suppose not really stealing, but it felt like it as it was such an expensive item.

A few years ago, exH ordered himself a new iPhone. A month later, another one turned up. We called the phone shop who knew nothing about it and advised us to contact the network provider. Called the network provider, who said they had no record of it and to contact the phone shop. After a few weeks of back and forth between the two, it became clear nobody wanted this phone back. We sold it on eBay.

No but both my dc have done so when little - Dd pulled a necklace off the shelf and put it in her buggy aged about 1, Ds has pocketed sunglasses and chocolate buttons before. Everything has gone back, except the buttons which I returned to pay for.

@BillysMyBunny

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.

A run of occasions... in all seriousness did you not think to maybe stop putting the bags on your wrist after the second time? Especially if you only sometimes go back (which then means you intend to permanently deprive and it is theft)?

I really don't understand people who don't go back or call and offer to pay. Mistakes happen but once you realise, if you actively choose to keep the item it is a problem. I always go back when I'm undercharged to be fair. It doesn't sit well with me

@QuestionableMouse

I once accidentally stole a sheep

You win

I don't want to win. 😂😂😂

A supermarket shopping basket, was half way home when I realised I still had it on my arm!

I accidentally stole a cauliflower on two separate occasions. Was doing a self scan shop and couldn't find a bar code and supermarket scales weren't set up for cauliflower so just put it in my trolley and intended to pay at the checkout but completely forgot.

Years ago at the airport duty free counter. I bought a small bottle of perfume for about £20 as a treat and when I got on the plane discovered that the assistant had given me another customer's purchase, a massive bottle of Chanel No 5 parfum that retailed at more than £120 at the time

Loo roll countless times as have hung it on end of trolley and forgotten about it.
Once I put a necklace on to try and forgot to take it off - really - it was hideous actually but cost £20. Gave it to my mil for xmas years ago.

12 bottles of Prosecco 😱

Was in a big supermarket and bought quite a bit of stuff including clothes in the sale and 2 cases of Prosecco. As they were still sealed I also picked up 2 individual bottles to put through the till and save the cashier opening the cases. At the till was chatting as the guy put through the stuff, put the individual bottles on the conveyer belt and said to the guy that I also had 2 cases of them to go through (was 25% off plus another offer for buying in multiples of 6) but had left them in the trolley to save my back. Finished packing and paid using card - bill was 3 figures - then out to car to go home. Later on was asked how much a top cost so scanned down the receipt and found only the 2 single bottles of prosecco and not the cases - rang them next day and was told there was no discrepancy with their stock levels so wasn’t possible I’d not been charged for them 🤷🏼‍♀️

My sister once paid for a load of things in a branch of a national chain and handed over a cheque to pay (was that long ago), put her receipts in the bag and left. Later on found the cheque in the bottom of the bag with the purchases - don’t know what she did but I’m sure she told the cheque back in.

A couple of jars of baby food when ds2 was weaning. I put them under the pram apron for some reason

One if the DC (can't remember which) 'stole' a bag of seashells on a day trip. I didn't notice until I was folding the pushchair up to get back on the coach. We didn't have time to go back, and actually wouldn't have known which shop they were from anyway.

2 exercise bikes from argos. They were left on my neighbours doorstep by the delivery guy. 3 hours later it was raining and they were still there so I dragged them to my house. (They were heavy!) Told the dc to check if they were for Dave or Mark and write them a note to tell them we had them. They were for a name we didn't recognise who lived at next doors number but 2 streets away. I phoned argos. They refused to come and collect them from me and said I had to take them back to a store. I don't drive so that couldn't happen. I phoned again the next day and asked them to let the customer know I had them. They refused and said replacements had been sent already. I phoned a couple more times and they continued to refuse to come and collect them. So I kept them.

Some petrol. I filled the car up and drove away! The police called me. I couldn't believe it! My mother was dying at the time. My head was all over the place.

@BillyButterfly

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 don't think you can steal something accidentally. Intent is a necessary component of the crime of theft.

*I do know what you mean though, obviously. I'm just being daft!

On a busy day I accidentally left without paying for petrol. Realised when I got home and went back. By then they had a power cut so I couldn’t pay and had to go back a third time to pay.

In France every supermarket checks your plastic bags at the till. You have to open them and show they're empty.
One day my dm had finished paying and gone through the till without me, she realised I would be a while and wanted to come back into the shop.
They took her shopping from her until we'd both finished.
I'm not surprised Jean Val Jean got 19 years for stealing bread!

I'm not surprised Jean Val Jean got 19 years for stealing bread!

Technically he only got 5 years for stealing bread

loo paper, ds was holding it, aged 10 months.

something didnt go through the self scan and every time i go through co op and they play the automated voice talking about thieving i think they know

@Tillygetsit

My bil walked past a knicker counter with a velcro fastening jacket on and picked up a few pairs by accident Luckily my dsis stopped him from becoming a pants pincher before he left the shop.

ha ha that must have been a site