To think security should have let thief stole?

[User271947]

Was doing my food shop earlier and happened to see the scene of a man getting caught stealing milk. Just a bottle of milk.

My heart broke for this thief, if he wasn't desperate he wouldn't have stolen... it wasn't anything he could gain money from.

I thought if security just turned a blind eye and let him walk home with it he might have fed himself or someone, or at least took away that bit of hunger. Yes it's their job but I think sometimes humanity should be above.

Would you have compassion for this or am I being naive?

It was an abusive ex I was referring to, nothing overtly sinister. Now who's making up stories?!

@BananaPop2020

You don’t know the first thing about the back story here, so yes, you are being hugely naive. Perhaps this chap just didn’t fancy paying for the milk. Not all shoplifting is borne out of desperation.

This right here. You have no idea why he did it.

Well yes that does sound like a lovely fairy tale @Seychelles98 and maybe Tom was also a prolific shop lifter ,do you always believe everything complete strangers tell you ? Or maybe it was true ,truth is you don't know and neither does anyone know wether the guy in the Op needed the milk or not .

It's funny how all these fantasies involve men turned good/with altruistic motives. Is this a specific literary genre now?

Anyone who has ever worked in the courts will confirm that one of the most common reasons for women being jailed is petty shoplifting. There's often some really genuine mitigating factors there involving actual children who live with their mother, but still the result all too often is a short jail sentence. And there's not a lot of choice in wonens' prisons, suicide rates are high for a reason.

I'm with you, OP.

I think a lot of people have never experienced true poverty where stealing essential food was the only way to survive. I haven't, but a family member did growing up. It truly was that horrific.

I think a lot of people are incredibly naive and looking at the situation from their privileged bubble .

@x2boys

I think a lot of people are incredibly naive and looking at the situation from their privileged bubble .

The bubble which bursts once it's their stuff being nicked

Quite @SchrodingersImmigrant .

It's very sad. I remember one of my friends doing something similar when we were young, because we were so poor at the time. The small business owner did catch her, but instead of calling the police she simply said, why didn't you ask. I would have happily set up a tab for you to pay when you can. So that's what happened. Friend felt so ashamed, although was very desperate, but took the offer of the tab and it all worked out well in the end. I think if people are stealing food items then things are really quite bad. I would find it very hard to judge someone in that position.

I would have probably just bought it for him Seychelles tbh.

Again some people might steal because they are starving have no money ,but that does not mean everybody does ,and nobody knows the circumstances of why the man in the op stole ,so why make up little scenarios how he must be desperate and have kids to feed ,you simply don't know .

I volunteer in a charity shop. We’re plagued by regular shoplifters. We know who they are but actually have to catch them in the act, rather than realise after they’ve left the shop. As volunteers anyway we’re not supposed to get involved in case anyone becomes aggressive etc. These thieves are not desperate- they almost always come in carrying a takeaway coffee which is not something you would be buying regularly if really desperate. And no, it hasn’t been bought for them by a kindly passer by. It’s a very small town and we see them sitting in the coffee shop regularly

@GreenlandTheMovie I’ve never seen anyone jailed for shoplifting unless they are prolific, and prolific shoplifters aren’t nicking to feed their kids, that’s for sure!

I probably should have read it more carefully. Sorry.

@x2boys

I think a lot of people are incredibly naive and looking at the situation from their privileged bubble .

So, you'd have no issues with the same man walking into your home, taking a pint of milk and walking away again?

@00100001 I think @x2boys was actually on your side of argument.

The (privileged) bubble which bursts once it's their stuff being nicked

Indeed - and predictably, many questions about "would you be quite so relaxed if they were stealing from you" go unanswered

Odd, that ...

Hey @00100001? I have repeatedly said I think people are naive in beleiving the man is starving or stealing for his kids

Oh, sorry

No worries 🤣

@x2boys

I think a lot of people are incredibly naive and looking at the situation from their privileged bubble .

Maybe some of us have been robbed or stolen from before, and know the impact it has on small businesses and innocent people?

So, I would actually argue that it's incredibly naive to assume all thieves are desperate. Some people steal because they can. For thrills. To fund drug habits. Yes, some will steal because they're desperate, but supermarkets and other businesses can't just assume that all shoplifters are desperate and turn and blind eye.

I've worked in places where we've been robbed, and I've personally been asleep upstairs while people broke into the house and stole from us. It's such an incredibly violating and terrifying feeling - so I'm afraid I don't have much sympathy for people who choose to steal.

It always makes me sad to think of people stealing food. The security guy shouldn't risk is job though