Is it ever ok to steal?

[Kayem458]

Went to do my food shopping early yesterday morning to get it out of the way. Arrived at 7, left at 7.30. Checked my bank this morning, my card was used twice in the shop, I’d paid for my shopping and gone home. My amount was showing as pending and a second amount for £21.35, called the bank first thing both were contactless payments (I’ve obviously left my card accidentally on the machine it was a self serve checkout). Bank confirmed card was used at 7.39 so whoever went to that self serve after me used it. Bank we’re fine and raised it as fraud however I spoke to two advisors, both were lovely and helpful might I add, but the first one said ‘well times are hard for people with cost of living crisis’ and the second said ‘at least it was only 20 quid could have been more’.

I’m going to the store today to give them the exact time for their cctv and I’m also calling 101. Is it just me or does anyone else agree that stealing is stealing no matter the amount? I have really struggled financially in the past and not been able to afford food, heating, bills etc that ‘20 quid’ would have needed to last me a good few weeks, the nights I’ve gone to bed hungry and stealing never crossed my mind! I’m pretty annoyed that the attitude to this is quite throw away, or is this just life now and it’s me overreacting?

what a silly comment of her to make.

People will steal whether times are hard or not because they are theives and they cant resist the chance to spend someone elses money.

Pull her up on it>

Should add these two places anyone can go and get food from without a referral as its main aim is about keeping food from landfill.

Thank you for everyone in the know who has commented re refunds and cards handed in. Just been back to the shop (first opportunity I had) unfortunately it hasn’t been refunded. They are checking cctv for me.

Of course they're to blame, they are also responsible for their action, I'd question the morals of whoever felt differently. Cost of living crisis or not no it's never right to use someone else's bank card to pay for your shopping.

Do people from younger demographics not do that too?

Supermarkets don’t reduce their profits as a result of shoplifting. They just put the prices up to account for it. So, the rich businessman doesn’t have less money from that, but every honest shopper does.

I made this point before but was told it’s not true, that supermarkets allow for thefts and damage so they don’t need to put prices up.

I hope so, but so many on here justify stealing. Even some mothers saying their DD was justifying stealing when she witnessed it. Odd imo not to teach the difference between right and wrong.

This is true. Shrinkage is already built in because it's anticipated that a percentage will be stolen.

That doesn't mean that in theory prices couldn't come down if no one stole (obviously never gonna happen) but I can't retroactively put the price of something up in our store because people steal from us, because we need to keep our prices broadly aligned with competition

Yea, not everything is black and white, I hope the youth of today generally have the emotional intelligence to understand that.

I don't think it is ok to steal. However 3 weeks ago I was shopping at Morrisons and I noticed a lady with a pushchair pick up a net of baby Bel's and put them straight into her pocket. She had a basket with bread, small carton of milk and a couple of tins and some apples in. She saw me looking at her and turned and walked off. I didn't report her but I wondered if I should. I thought she must not have much money for food and felt really bad for her.

It's not about shoplifting as a crime for me. It's more about the injustice of it all that forces some people to do it who otherwise would not that rankles.
When you read on here how people can't afford chicken nuggets for their children's tea it is wholly and morally wrong especially given the profits supermarkets make. I will say this over and over again.

The person who used OPs bank card is stealing from another individual which for me is the lowest of the low. It's the shark feeding mentality that I despise.

I'm guessing this was a chancer rather than someone in desperate need which is never ok, and if I'd seen the card I would have gone to customer services with it.. But last week I saw an older lady put a couple of cans of dog food into her carrier bag and I did turn a blind eye, and thought of her dog

I have cried buckets when I was broke as a young graduate and landlords decided to keep a few hundred pounds from my deposit for absolute bullshit reasons, one example being they said I had been keeping cats inside and there was damage which was 100% made up. I had no pets. Another, that I had lost a bedroom door key so locks had to be changed, again 100% made up. I had left the key in the bedroom lock.

That was also stealing, but nobody was bothered by it and it wasn't as if there was anything I could do.

Stealing is wrong, but lets not forget that in certain areas it is basically legitimised as fine to do. I know that tenants have more protection now due to the new schemes thank goodness.

So I can see why people who are in very hopeless situations with no realistic route out of them might just say fuck it.

Many scammers only spend in small amounts at first to work out how much they can get away with before the victim notices or the bank triggers a freeze. So the bank employee's comment was pure speculaton.

Stealing's fine when it's a question of survival. Otherwise, nope.

No. It is always wrong, even if the reasons are upsetting and difficult.

I have never stole from a shop and am not about to start now. But I am certainly no angel; once picked up £20 in a bank, short of money, didn't hand it in. Two weeks later I lost £20 when I needed it most. Definitely felt like I couldn't moan, I could have taken that £20 from someone desperate too. But was gutted but a lesson. That happened 12 years ago. I literally saw a £10 caught on a paving slab outside Boots a few months later and didn't want anything to do with it. Also handed in 5 £1 coins, found on the floor, in my local corner shop. Assistant just laughed and put them in the till.

One time I was walking out a Tesco Express and my friend was just making friendly chat with a random bloke and when we were further away from the store (walking same way home) he showed me two ready meals that he'd just stolen. He said 'me and my girlfriend get to eat tonight'. Absolutely wouldn't dob him in but didn't approve.

I am on disability benefits and despite the press (particularly right wing material) thinking the disabled and those suffering from long term illness are living it up, it is a low income and hard choices are made. I still don't think I could steal though. It is wrong but wouldn't draw attention if I thought someone was stealing. I am not paid for that.

Stealing from a supermarket when completely desperate, no food in the house, no money etc I can’t get het up about. It’s sad people in a first world country get to that point but they do.

Taking someone else’s card and using it I wouldn’t condone.

I've read your update but just to say this this happened to me, I was the person who went next after someone forgot their card on the reader. Took me a second to figure out when happened because as I went to touch my phone on the reader I heard the beep and looked down and saw the card.

I told staff straight away and coincidentally it happened to be a staff member's who was still there so all was well.

I'm guessing that wasn't the case here as when you eventually went back to the shop no one told you a card had been handed in, but your assumption initially that it was theft may have been a similar situation.

Hope you get your refund

Yes they are. The definition of stealing is to take another person's or business's property without permission.

Unless you've specifically sought permission from your work, the hotel or a restaurant to take those things without paying you're stealing them.

But you've proved the point that stealing is subjective.

Up until recently I’d have said no - but DD and I were in the supermarket recently and there was a couple in there trying to steal baby food. They noticed that I’d looked at them, and when I mentioned it to DD she said “if it’s baby food they’re stealing then I’d have just left them to do it to be honest

I'd bet they were stealing it to sell rather than feed a starving child

Why?

Because its easy to sell on. Baby food, cheese & meat are favourites for shoplifters for resale

At my local supermarket a man was caught by security with a backpack full of smoked salmon. What was astonishing was his anger, there was no shame or remorse, and when the security guard told this isn’t your dad’s shop and you can’t just take stuff, the man became incandescent with rage and screamed in his face and ran off.

I’ve also seen people leave the self check out with out paying. A couple of times I tell them your transaction hasn’t gone through, and then they’ve given me an evil look and paid properly 😂

IMO stealing is not OK.
There really isn't a need even in these times.
There are so many organisations that will help out, many where a referral isn't needed...ie Church food bank, community fridge, OLIO, helping hands, not to mention Acts of kindness type forums.

Saying it can be justified is a slippy slope for it to become normal everyday behaviour in future.

There's no shame in keeping food from landfill no matter which establishment you go to to obtain it.
By stealing all you're doing is becoming a common thief and to me that is shameful.

As I say Just my opinion though.

You're not under duress. There are literally thousands of shops or online stores to choose from for any conceivable item.

No matter what YOUR personal situation there will be people worse off than you. I assume you will have no issue with such people coming in to your home and helping themselves to your stuff? After all they are worse off than you. I hope this does happen, see how you like it.

This