WIBU to speak to these girls?

[ohtowinthelottery]

Just visited a supermarket to pick up a single item that I wasn't even sure they'd have. I went to the appropriate aisle where there were 2 young girls (approx 10/11) standing very close to the stock on the shelves. As I approached, I thought I saw one put something from the shelf into her coat pocket. As I browsed for the item I wanted, I most definitely saw one girl pick up a 2nd item, hand it to her friend and whisper to her. Girl 2 put it in her pocket. At this point, I said to the girls "I don't think you should be doing that!". They initially looked stunned that I'd spoken to them then girl 1 said " why, what have we done ?". I said I've seen you putting things in your pockets from the shelf. There will be cameras watching you". At this point, she clearly knew she'd been caught, shuffled a bit further away from me, then I heard her whisper to girl 2 "put it back", at which point they put the 2nd item back and left the aisle but walked further into the store. The 1st item was, as far as I could tell, still in girl 2's pocket. I will hasten to add that the item in question was 1) cheap and 2) not a necessity and both girls looked well turned out not destitute.

I was not threatening, didn't get in their space any more than I was as an ordinary shopper looking for something, and didn't pursue them beyond pointing out the error of their ways.
But it has left me wondering what others would have done in that situation.
Would you
a) have turned a blind eye
b) have spoken to them as I did purely out of concern that they could get into trouble or
c) gone and reported them to a staff member knowing they hadn't left the store.

I think you did the right thing. Proportionate and kindly. It might be just enough to stop them doing something more stupid in future.

I would have acted just as you did.

I would've told them off and stood there while they put it back.

It's not exactly a dilemma.

You did the right thing. Behaviour like this needs to be challenged more often 👍🏻

I think you handled that well. Shoplifting is not a right of passage, it's theft and they know that.

You did the right thing.

I wouldn't have said anything but mostly because I couldn't be bothered with any back chat. I certainly wouldn't have reported them though.

Well done you OP.

That was the right thing to do imo.

Well done.

One time in the wee co-op a few doors away from me, I saw a teenager shoving sweets in his pocket. He and his pals paid for a couple of small items at the till, but he clearly intended to walk out with the rest.

I plucked up the courage to ask "Are you going to pay for the sweets in your pocket?"

Of course, he claimed that paying had always been his intention...

So glad to hear that others would have challenged them too. I really hope that it has been enough to stop them doing it again. It made me really quite sad as they were so young and innocent looking.

You did the right thing and they'll think twice about doing it again. More people should tackle stuff like this. Well done.

I’d have done the same!
good for you for speaking up

I’d have either spoken to them or told a staff member.

B and c for me. I've reported to staff before, but nothing was done 🤔

Just out of interest, if they had been boys would it have changed your reaction?

YANBU and it’s a shame you even feel you have to ask. Adults should be able to challenge children on poor behaviour without worrying. Unfortunately lots of parents don’t feel this way. If that was my child I would totally support you telling them to put it back. Hopefully mine wouldn’t do that but you never know 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’d have done what you did, though probably told them to come and put back the other item to.

I think you did the right thing, but it might not have been all it seemed.

At Christmas and near my birthday, my son and his brother (similar ages to the girls) walked around Tesco looking for presents for me. I was in another part of the store. They put the presents in their pockets when they came back to see me in the store. They took them to the checkout in their pockets too. I'm sure it looked very dodgy but was entirely innocent! Just trying to buy me cheap rubbish as a present and didn't want me to see. It would never have occured to my son that people would have thought he was stealing. That would be the furthest thing from his mind!

I have no idea why the girl put the item in her pocket and it may have been to steal it. But not all kids have ill intent and there may well have been an innocent explanation...

It does kids no harm to know that yes, people ( and cameras!) are watching what they do, and are proactive in telling them. They sound as though they were at the beginning of their shop lifting days, so with any luck you will have persuaded them to go no further.

Yeah you did the right thing.. I remember my grandma telling off some kids decades ago who were shoplifting in Woolworths!

@BeachRide Young boys of the same age - absolutely. Teenagers, probably not!
@DriveMeCrazyRoadRageI don't think the items they were secreting were likely to be a surprise gift for parents.

A couple of days ago I saw a woman my age, mid-50s, take an item off the shelf in a pharmacy and put it in her pocket. I walked out of the shop behind her and she turned around and froze when she saw me. I didn’t say anything. She looked down on her luck, maybe even malnourished. It made me grateful for my luck in life.

This.

@Overtheatlantic Totally different situation though. If these girls had been pocketing food or sanitary wear then I'd have ignored or even offered to buy them for them. There's no way they were desperate for the items in question. Down on their luck or not they could managed without what they were stealing and I doubt it would have had a resale market except possibly for pence on the school playground - and they've got another week off school here yet!

I think you did the right thing and should have raised your voice, too. It's not good for them to get away with this. One of my friends used to make me steal things for her - she would choose something but I'd have to put it in my pocket - it was a horrible relationship and I wish someone had picked up on it.