Mum shoplifting in Tesco

[1000yellowdaisies]

Not so much an Aibu but its bothering me.
I was in tesco before, just arrived and was faffing about near the entrance getting a scan as you shop scanner thing.
A lady was leaving the shop and the alarms went off. Security took her to one side and found she was leaving with stuff she hadn't paid for. The security guard and 3 staff from the customer service kiosk went through her push chair and when they found more unpaid for stuff they took her through to the back.
Her child was roughly same age as my youngest.

I feel sorry for her. Yes I know she could be a thieving chancer with enough money but she wasn't nicking luxuries like bottles of booze, it was nappies and calpol from what i saw. What will likely happen to her? She looked so embarrassed.

@JockTamsonsBairns Thank you for sharing. It was very brave and heartwarming that under very extremely difficult circumstances, you turned things around 🌹

I used to work as a supermarket checkout assistant, I saw this numerous times. If I saw someone taking food then I'd pretend I didn't see a thing.

If the alarms went off then she must've been stealing things such as clothes, makeup or alcohol. Unless things have changed from 5 years ago then the alarms wouldn't beep for a loaf of bread or a carton of milk.

Ugh, thieves is what they are, nothing else, they cost every other honest paying customer more money ultimately. They steal big cost items, baby milk, nappies, steak, cathedral city cheese(not tescos own) usually stuffed down their pants, bacon, wash products(fabric conditioner/febrezze), all to sell on cheap for their drug habits. Horrible thieves!

I did it too. Financially abusive partner and absolutely no money. Back in 2019. I couldn’t borrow off anyone, DD was about 4 months old and I robbed quite a few of the ready

Posted too quick! Quite a few of the ready made cow and gates to see me through until I got paid. I was absolutely sweating walking out of Asda I could’ve cried. Part of me wanted to get caught just so they’d help me. I’ve never done it before and never did it since but I was ashamed to death for a long time about it. I hope one day when I’ve fully recovered from the impact of the financial abuse and am in a better position money wise I can help a mum like this. It’s so so sad

I was driving to work few months ago and a man just run in front of the car and closed the road with Tesco basket full of stuff. Tesco security guards didn’t even bother following him

Why on Earth would they give her anymore stuff?!! It would encourage more people to do it. She may be genuine, she may not be.

Saw a young guy in Tesco pick up a sandwich, crisps and a bottle of water he gave off a strange nervous energy when he entered the shop which attracted my attention. I ended up behind him in the self serve queue. He paid but forgot his receipt. It just had the bottle of water on the receipt!

At the railway station I went to get a hot drink and sat in the cafe to warm up. A guy came in, picked up a sandwich and a can of pop. Sat down, ate the food and walked out with the drink without paying very blatantly while the line member of staff had her back to him making some coffees for other customers.

It's rife!

Believe it or not we are not allowed to follow them. We don't know if they have a knife or any other type weapon on them, it's just not worth the risk.

Unless we know her circumstances, no, my heart doesn’t go out to a thief.

Some people steal because they just can.

I’ve never stolen anything in my life … however - I was doing my shop in Asda last week and the price of everything was just extortionate, for the first time in my life I actually thought to myself for a second whilst scanning through the self service “I could probably get away with not scanning a couple of items and if I get caught I’ll say I thought it had scanned … “

I didn’t do it but for the first time in my life I could understand why people do.

You would be surprised, depends on how much the store’s loss prevention talks it up!

I was dragged to the back room and had police called when I shoplifted a little £1 pot of glitter gel when I was 10. Well, had clutched in my hand, hadn’t left the store or registers yet. The police officer I think was unimpressed when they showed up, I had wet myself and was severely distressed as they had told me I was going to jail and wouldn’t see my parents again. Still suffer anxiety attacks as an adult going by department stores.

Depends if they normally prosecute, having a child shouldn't make a difference or everyone would just borrow one to go shoplifting

So you felt sorry for her because she had a child, should everyone with a child be allowed to steal things

It is bothering you because you have a moral compass. No-one should have to steal nappies and Calpol. Happens all the time and the fact that we are all talking about whether or not she is a "professional thief" somehow makes it worse. Where is the energy devoted to violent criminals, to corporate theft etc? No, let's all judge a young parent for nicking basics that in any civilised society would be available to her.

Talking of baby milk, I noticed recently that a big tub of Cow and Gate was £10, whereas exactly the same size of Aptamil was £14. Not a special offer or anything.
Don’t know why the disparity, except perhaps that C&G is an old U.K. brand, and the other is imported.

Breaks your heart when there is a child there too.

Stealing is wrong definitely. I wouldn't justify that but I do feel compassion for the fact that there was a child there.

Plus I imagine that that shoplifter will probably be accusing the security of assault if they as much as make contact with them.

I worked in a well known posh supermarket for a year and it’s rife. Yes there are a few cases of people on their last legs but 90% are thieves. They come in and go to the alcohol section. Think Lanson Rose champagne and expensive whisky and then pile up normal stuff like loafs of bread, big bags of dog food and then casually walk out where a car will be waiting. Saturday evening was a prime day.

A couple of times the male staff would chase after them. One had a car driven directly at him, or they would abandon the trolley and run off.

Last week I was in M and S. A young lad walked in, took a bottle of champagne and just briskly walked out.

Given the current state of the economy and the result for people's finances, it would be very surprising if 90% were stealing champagne! I don't believe that's the picture nationally.

There's a scheme where you can get free medicine for kids under 16 from a chemist I found out when my son broke his leg. I've got free paracetamel, ibroprofen, calpol and loads more throughout the years from lots of chemists you sign up with your doctor it's not based on income it's just for all children

They just ask the child's name and note down what they've had and the date. This has reminded me I need more free calpol so need to go chemist.

I was talking to a Tesco employee who covers stock control, most shoplifting is now food related .

I remember years ago I’d just become a single parent,on benefits and he refused to pay a penny as ‘she’ll only spend my money on herself’ (he had a good job)
i was that skint,I put jars of baby food in the hood of the buggy and walked out-I’m so ashamed to admit this
it was that or my baby would have starved-I’ve never done it before and I’ll never do it again-I swear I’m an honest person
it was a combination of things that led to it-but he’s not ashamed of never paying for his child when though legally he was meant to
that poor woman-I’ll bet she was desperate-I know I was