To wonder why shoplifters are so thick and selfish?

[girlfriend44]

Pharmacies have today revealed they are suffering from increased shoplifting too.
Where us this all going to end

If people keep stealing there won't be any ships left will there?
Have they ever tried running a business?
What would they do if people kept stealing?
How low as well stealing from an independent pharmacy. It's hard enough for them as it is.

They are there for people in the community as well to help them?
Makes no sense.
People are thick and selfish.
Are they trying to ose everyone down?

🙄😪

Selfish - usually but it does depend on circumstances
Thick - only if they're getting caught

Most shoplifters are not desperate mothers/ parents who are destitute and struggling to feed themselves or children.

Most shoplifters are "professional shoplifters", they steal to order multiple times a day/ week across multiple stores. These "professional shoplifters" are usually shoplifting to fund an addictive habit (drugs/ alcohol/ gambling). Some shoplift to order to pay directly for their habit- baby milk is a common ask for drug dealers. Others sell what they shop lift (such as meat/ cheese/ electrical goods) for cash to fund their habits.

Those people won't know that though. I live somewhere shit and a lot of people are obvious to stuff that most of MN would know.

I appreciate that there are desperate people out there. My DH stole food in his 20s when he was unemployed a d squatting. However, I see plenty of people stealing (nearly daily where i live) who are clearly just doing it because they know they can get away with it. I've even had conversations with people before who admit to it.

Direct your anger to the supermarkets. They've decided not to bother enforcing shoplifting policies and instead passing on the cost to the paying consumer (suckers like us). It's called shrinkage and it's an accounting line in every supermarket supplier's P&L and it's built into the price of the goods.

Nail on the head. Same with people buying duty free cigarettes and alcohol from a "bloke in the pub". If people stopped buying stuff from criminals, we'd be able to start shrinking the black economy.

I also live in a shit place

I would say those on lower incomes probably know more of what they are entitled to than the average mumsnetter.

Why would I blame a shop for someone else's crime? I saw an article this week blaming Saddiq Khan for crime on the underground. Erm not, it's the perpetrator.

I don't buy clothes with a label on anymore from vinted in case it is stolen.

If all people were stealing out of desperation pharmacies would not be making this statement, the reality is people steal to sell on, for the thrill and because they want to spend the money they do have on other things. I’ve seen calpol for sale in weird places, knock down prices … where do you think it’s from? Baby formula is stolen and sold in pubs (saw it happening). Meat being openly sold in a pub car park out of a normal car boot … all marked Sainsburys. Criminals steal, desperate people just need to ask, no pharmacy would let a parent go without needed medication for their baby

Yes they do. Saw a poster at the supermarket about them today.

Is it even medication that's being stolen? A lot of pharmacies stock some expensive beauty products and I think these are often targeted as they're desirable and easy to sell on.

1. You haven't understood what I've said - I haven't mentioned blame at all.
2. Sadiq Khan is responsible for TFL - and the crime that takes place on the underground.

Many people will steal if they're given an opportunity. It's a systemic issue - not just about individual criminals.

Gaviscon liquid and pills are extortionate, as are Nexium and shop's own brand

I witnessed someone stealing Pepto-Bismol

If they can steal branded products they will - Laundry pods, off the shelf medicines, cleaning products and personal care items

Colgate and Sensodyne products are popular

Give over, that's not why people are doing it.
They are doing shoplifting in general because they've got no.moral compass and because there is no deterrent.
Things aren't free.

People aren't stealing out of desperation? With the price of food and essentials? Really??

The trouble is, unless they steal goods of a certain high value, they know nothing’s going to happen to them, barely even a slap on the wrist. Until the govt. make sure the police take it seriously, nothing is going to change. Gangs from abroad come specifically to shoplift (don’t anyone accuse me of racism, this is a fact) - they know we are so bloody stupidly soft, nothing will happen to them.

Yes they still exist. I've got some.

Blaming shoplifting on hypothetical penniless friendless single mothers as a way to excuse nothing being done about it only drives up prices, which disproportionately hurts the poor.

The whole "they only do crime because they're poor" thing is also really disrespectful to the millions of poor people who manage to obey the law perfectly well.

The majority of shoplifting is to find a habit. Especially cosmetics

This speaks loud and clear and very true.

Well it hugely depends on circumstances. It's never right but I feel differently about a lone parent in dire straits stealing Calpol than I do to some cocky git who thinks it's a game.

The police have had numbers reduced (starting in London when Boris Johnson was Mayor, shortly afterwards elsewhere), the courts have been mismanaged by a succession of poor Justice Secretaries (remember Liz Truss, Chris Grayling and Dominic Raab?) and so the chances of being caught and justice are almost as low for theft from shops as for sex offences against women.

Some of it might be less if there were no self service tills, though that does not apply to pharmacies.

This with bells on,