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?

To think security should have let thief stole?

I presume you mean 'steal'.

Security people are employed to apprehend thieves so you cannot blame them

Personally I'd have let it go, someone must be really hard up to nick milk. However that is not what the law is about.

From the point of view of the security guard, the motive for the theft is irrelevant, because he’s paid to do a job and if he just ‘lets people off’ then he’s going to lose his job isn’t he? And then how is he going to pay for his milk OP?

Wow so many harsh people. The security guard unfortunately has to do his job but I would also agree that stealing milk is probably an act of desperation.

During this time especially it’s so easy to see how the stable life can slip away and many of us could end up desperate.

There's food banks for the desperate.

I'm really annoyed that no one on here is even entertaining the possibility that some people could be out of money and stealing for survival. I'm linking this again.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/10/pandemic-shoplifting-hunger/

Stealing milk could be an act of desperation but I can't believe the naivety of some of you, I have plenty of family that would nick the bloody milk just because they can.

If he was desperate he wouldn't have been stealing a joint of meat @Calmate, meat is a common thing for shoplifters to steal to sell on .

It's not harshness. It's usually from experience. You can usually see who was a victim and had dealings with these "poor poor despare souls" and who didn't.

No, they should let him steal but you could have offered to pay for it.

Theft is theft, this is a country that does have many systems and procedures to support people. The only ones round here that will steal a bottle of milk or milkshake are smack addicts with a craving.

[quote Lastfreakinglegs]I'm really annoyed that no one on here is even entertaining the possibility that some people could be out of money and stealing for survival. I'm linking this again.

www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/12/10/pandemic-shoplifting-hunger/[/quote]
People are entertaining it, but what happens if everyone decides it's acceptable because "it's just a pint of milk".

This is the kind of thing that can put small shops out of business if it happens too often. Or do their livelihoods not matter now?

You should have offered to start a revolution to eat the rich and take back the means of production so this would never happen again.

The security guards want to keep their jobs so will obviously stop shoplifters.

@Calmate

I know what you mean User271 I was in Morrisons in Leyland a couple of years ago, a man had stolen a joint of meat, and there were 4 security guards on him, pinning his arms up his back, he was on the floor, face to the ground and one guard was kneeling on his back until the police turned up. The force used was excessive, and I doubt it would be tolerated now in the light of the guy in the USA who mouthed "I can't breathe". I felt really bad for the poor man. Yes, theft is theft, but he may have been desperate. Also, I don't think the police attend for shoplifting now, I don't know what the procedure is, as you used to see people being led from the supermarkets into a police car.

Forstly, there is a difference between kneeeling on a neck and kneeling on a back. What you describe is normal level of restricting for someone who is already known and not in a good way. There is a very good chance he was aggressive before. And as pp said. The meat is for sale.

I thought if security just turned a blind eye

That's an oxymoron. They are paid to stop theft.

If security turn a blind eye they have to do it for everyone but i do have compssion for him taking him to court will cost more than the milk and if it is a large company they could have ti=urned a blind eye

I agree with @SchrodingersImmigrant

If you have experience in this environment, you’ll understand how insincere the general public can be.

I have seen men in business attire; middle class mums with their kids; elderly people etc steal. People can and do steal anything not anchored down just because they can, then try and pass it off as a misunderstanding/genuine situation when caught.

So this man regardless of his story needed to be stopped, he couldn’t be allowed to leave with the item, without payment.

There are some right Javert's on here :)

That's a shame, sounds like he needs the quota to show he's doing his job properly/power trip jobsworth. It's why I couldn't do that job - I would be 3 strikes on small things then the police, which wouldn't go down well with corporate.

There is no quota for catching shoplifters FFS! I love how someone doing their job is on a power trip.

For your "3 strikes" it could mean dozens of things stolen before you caught him/her three times. Customers go to buy something and there are none because the system thinks there are 5 on the shelf but you've allowed people to nick all of them, prices go up, the stock loss figure for the shop is massive, stock take is a disaster, customers stop going because there is never enough stock on the shelf. Either shop closes or manager loses his/her job for being rubbish at their job.

Ofc it's possible that the shoplifter is desperate but if the security guard doesn't stop them then they would lose their job and also be desperate. Being made redundant for being a crap security guard isn't going to look good with future employers.

Milk and milkshakes are an often stolen product by drug addicts. I remember an ex drug addict telling me why, something to do with the metabolism or helping the body metabolize the drug...I honestly can't remember what it was.

I would be 3 strikes on small things then the police, which wouldn't go down well with corporate.

Lol. And people wonder why every other retailer seems to be going into administration!

@TicTacTwo Like Mark Addy on the Full Monty!

I'm really annoyed that no one on here is even entertaining the possibility that some people could be out of money and stealing for survival

Actually, rather than not "entertaining" it, some of us are merely asking why OP assumed this guy was desperate ...

@SunshineCake

No, they should let him steal but you could have offered to pay for it.

Ffs shouldn't..