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?

My understanding is that because you can only be prosecuted for stealing over a certain amount security will record known offenders and when they reach a certain point will arrest them. So the chances are that this bloke is a multiple offender.

He might have done it for a laugh but what if he didn't? What if he really needed the milk? What if his children hadn't eaten?

A point that's being missed here is that, once they'd got him into the security office, he could quite easily have mentioned this in privacy

Staff aren't completely stupid, and having heard it all before I expect they're pretty skilled in working out what's a well-rehearsed sob story and what isn't. Who knows, they might even be prepared to signpost the truly desperate to a few sources of help

I wonder how many of those who would turn a blind eye to a pint of milk being stolen are the same people who put lines on the bottle in the office fridge.

@Calmate

"Milk/milkshake theft is very common with smack (heroin) addicts."

Oh, my goodness, the plot thickens. There's a whole underworld out there.

To posters who have commented on my previous comment, I suppose you have a point. My local newspaper chronicles the exploits of habitual shoplifters, they receive a suspended sentence or unpaid (community) service, and days later they are back out going from shop to shop, and stolen items are often alcohol or electrical items. Their defence solicitor always states how hard their lives have been, detailing addiction, etc.

It's really not Underworld .. I do so love Mumsnet..that's a whole lot of people reading this thinking "when did Coronation Street Knicker Factory get involved "

Cant say I ever had a craving for milk when I was a smackhead. I was short of food a shit load of the time but 1. services I went for methadone gave me loads and 2. I didnt really feel hunger cos of the drugs.

@DdraigGoch

I wonder how many of those who would turn a blind eye to a pint of milk being stolen are the same people who put lines on the bottle in the office fridge.

I also suspect they'd be pretty pissed off if their car or home was broken into by someone "desperate".

But when it happens to a big business, we're all supposed to have loads of sympathy and turn a blind eye

Yeh, heroin addicts supposedly live off milk.
See it is a whole can of worms, like just what trauma led to the person being an addict and it is genuinely hard not to feel sorry for them. However, in the same breath, I'm sure many mumsnetters know that addiction is horrible and makes an addict pretty horrible too. They just need a fix and don't care who from or how they get the money. I'd probably have run away very quickly because in my naivety I'd think the authorities would help.
I'm sure OP, he got his milk from the next shop.

@Branleuse

yeah, I would have turned a blind eye too, but he was just doing his job. Sad times :(

This

I agree with you, op. I’ve seen people steal food and it is very sad. They certainly don’t look like they’re doing it for the thrill, rather desperation.

The problem with things like this, is you only see a snapshot

Exactly - but as so often, what folk choose to believe becomes a "fact"

Someone nicks a low value item so they're "desperate"
An oddly behaving OH is "obviously having an affair"
A guy dies in police hands so it's insisted "they murdered him"
And the old favourite: a child behaves badly so "clearly has ADHD"

And in 99 cases out of 100 nobody actually knows

Also if food prices go up due to theft, what about the poor who have to go without their milk?

The thief might have been rich, i know a few light fingered poshos!

@ReceptacleForTheRespectable

Stealing is wrong, but the man clearly needs help rather than punishment. It would be good if, in cases like this, the police did an assessment of whether food bank support would make a difference. There is a world of difference between stealing one bottle of milk and stealing valuable goods to order.

Punishing the theft without addressing the cause is a waste of time, and wrong imo.

The police arresting him is likely to result in social work reports into his situation surely and is maybe a blessing in disguise.

@Happymum12345

I agree with you, op. I’ve seen people steal food and it is very sad. They certainly don’t look like they’re doing it for the thrill, rather desperation.

I feel the same more or less but then I think of prices being put up due to shoplifters and the poor pensioner who has to choose between eating and heating their home. It's a tricky one.

@Happymum12345

I agree with you, op. I’ve seen people steal food and it is very sad. They certainly don’t look like they’re doing it for the thrill, rather desperation.

How on earth do you know that for a fact?

Not everyone who steals food is desperate. Lots of people steal to fuel addictions, for thrills or simply because they can.

Why is there so much sympathy on this thread for thieves, but none at all for people who are only doing their jobs? Surely if they turn a blind eye, they'll lose their jobs and end up being the ones unable to buy milk.

Theft can ruin a business. It's never "just a pint of milk". What about the jobs of all the workers? Or do they do not matter?

Milk is not a nessesity... I have been homeless and flat broke and never stolen.

Many theives and beggers arent actually poor/homeless (you never see real homeless people, we hide out of sight because survival depends on finding quite safe place to sleep) but normally just chancers (who think why pay for this) or junkies/alcoholics.

Probably had a leg of lamb down his trousers

if security just turned a blind eye and let him walk home with it he might have fed himself or someone. Yes it's their job but I think sometimes humanity should be above.

If it became a thing that anyone could walk into a supermarket and walk out with a free bottle of milk, the shelves would be stripped within hours and there would be a never0eding queue installed in the milk aisle.

Presumably for such a petty thing they let him go without involving the police - unless it's something he makes a habit of.

It may have been the case that someone sent him out for milk and he just thought "fucked if I'm queueing to pay for this..."

Should someone with an obvious alcohol addiction also be let off because it’s essential to them to drink?

That thief OP won’t just be stealing milk. You only know about the milk.

My heart broke for this thief, if he wasn't desperate he wouldn't have stolen

That statement is so naive. Not all shoplifters steal through desperation. For all you know that could have been the 5th time he'd been in today or he could have had other things in his pocket. He could have been desperate or it could have been sport.

Where do security guards turning a blind eye draw the line? Is it a case by case decision or is there a cash amount? They were quite rightly doing their jobs.

If there was a sad/desperate back story the shoplifter would have their opportunity to explain once they were in the security office.

[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]
I am keeping that in mind, but having had a knife pulled on me, been shoved when I was at the top of the stairs and it would have hurt if my manager hadn't caught me, spat at, screamed at, I could go on and I didn't work in an essential shop.

And these were people from different walks of life, where do we start drawing the line.

Its ok to steal some milk from a supermarket, its ok to take some toys from Smyth toys because the kids don't have anything for Christmas, my child hasn't had a treat so I took a comic from WHSmith. My Child need new trousers, so I stole them from Primark.

I get people are struggling, especially now, when many people are losing their jobs left and right, but there are places you can go to get help and support. I don't think its right we should rely on food banks in this country but its an uncomfortable fact that they are there and can be used. Councils have funds they can give out. There are places you can get grants and in this time of google, fairly easy to be found. Trust me on this I have used all of these at one time or another, its not easy to ask for help, but its easier than getting a criminal record and while somone posted most big companies won't prosectute unless its for large amounts, corner shops probably will

I kinda agree with you op. If I was the guard I’d let a pint of milk go. He clearly desperate for it. Bags of shopping, alcohol etc ... different story. But for a pint of milk the person must have been desperate.
However, i would clearly be a rubbish guard not doing my job and would get the sack!
It’s true, stealing is stealing. And there are benefits and charities (food banks etc ...) to help people in need so they shouldn’t be stealing.
But yeah, I’d let the milk go (unless of course he could be a serial offender ... who knows?!)

Security guard,s don't earn loads they can't just make the decision to turn a blind eye ,if it then leads to them being out of work ,my Dh works for Tesco in the distribution centre theft affects employees too ,and might eventually lead to people being laid off ,some people on this thread are so naive.

YABU

I have sympathy, but milk isn't actually that necessary. You can drink water, have black tea etc if you really can't afford it.

And there are food banks, milk vouchers for kids. A lot of options other than stealing.