Page 8 | To wonder why shoplifters are so thick and selfish?

girlfriend44 · 2025-08-12T17:50:44+00:00

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? 🙄😪

Dancingsquirrels · 11/09/2025 10:33

taxguru · 12/08/2025 19:29

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.

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See also paying tradesmen in cash for a discount. Tax evasion costs all of us

C152 · 11/09/2025 11:23

girlfriend44 · 12/08/2025 19:40

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.

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Do you own a pharmacy that has a shoplifting problem, OP? Is that why you're so rude towards posters like @mumofoneAloneandwell and brush over lived experience? Whilst some stats suggest that it's likely shoplifting is often driven by organised gangs, there will always be some who shoplift out of a genuine need.

There's an interesting article on the myths vs reality of shoplifting in the UK here:

https://policinginsight.com/feature/analysis/whats-the-truth-behind-the-shoplifting-epidemic-six-key-questions-answered/

Are the pharmacies you are referring to using all of the measures available to help prevent theft? Because that, and lobbying the Gov to use a combination of carrot and stick approaches to encourage private organisations to put in place strategies that can help reduce shoplifting (and address the massive poverty issue) is the only thing that is going to bring about change.

C152 · 11/09/2025 11:34

taxguru · 17/08/2025 19:49

@WaryCrow

If you don’t want the black market to exist then we need to find better economic solutions in a time when there are not and never have been enough jobs, wages pay nothing like the cost of living, and essential education or training costs money we do not have, other than denial that this is happening.

Lots of people "working" in the black economy etc are certainly not on the bones of their arses and many are relatively well off. Many "could" work proper jobs (or self employment) and pay the right taxes, abide by the laws, etc if they wanted to, but they want "something for nothing", so evade tax, defraud benefits, steal, sell stolen/duty free/counterfeit goods, etc.

I don't disagree with you that some people see crime as easier than work, but I read @WaryCrow 's post to be about the societal conditions that create a black market, rather than individual sellers. Criminals fencing stolen goods are opportunistic - they see what the market needs and they deliver. If people are buying stolen meat, baby formula, medicine etc., then the answer is to look at why they are doing that rather than buying from a shop (e.g. poverty, access etc) and solve those issues.

Lincslady53 · 11/09/2025 11:41

Whenever shoplifting is discussed, there are always comments about poor single mother, starving with no options. The real problem with shoplifting, are the gangs that strip a whole rail of clothes, or a display of steaks, then intimidate and threaten any member of staff trying to stop them. I worked in high street retail for 30 years till 2018, and the gangs controlling shoplifters and beggers worsened every year. If you haven't worked in retail you have no idea what staff have to face on a daily basis

mumofoneAloneandwell · 11/09/2025 11:43

C152 · 11/09/2025 11:23

Do you own a pharmacy that has a shoplifting problem, OP? Is that why you're so rude towards posters like @mumofoneAloneandwell and brush over lived experience? Whilst some stats suggest that it's likely shoplifting is often driven by organised gangs, there will always be some who shoplift out of a genuine need.

There's an interesting article on the myths vs reality of shoplifting in the UK here:

https://policinginsight.com/feature/analysis/whats-the-truth-behind-the-shoplifting-epidemic-six-key-questions-answered/

Are the pharmacies you are referring to using all of the measures available to help prevent theft? Because that, and lobbying the Gov to use a combination of carrot and stick approaches to encourage private organisations to put in place strategies that can help reduce shoplifting (and address the massive poverty issue) is the only thing that is going to bring about change.

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Thank you, finally someone applying reasonable thinking to this thread

Some of the comments, so sad

Original poster

girlfriend44 · 11/09/2025 16:03

We had another one this week, made the local paper.
Shop showed the footage of a couple picking from an independent.
In the end due to the exposure, they returned the goods.

WHY DONT PEOPLE REALISE THERE ARE CAMERAS EVERYWHERE TODAY.

You could see in the footage they were trying to dodge being seen by the shop assistant, but the camera was filming it all.
It was like a joke watching them.

OP posts:

RobertaFirmino · 11/09/2025 17:26

I have shoplifted. One baking potato and 2 bananas. This was nearly 30 years ago. I was broke. All I had at home was half a block of cheese and some butter. Wasn't getting paid for another two days. So yes, I pinched something to eat. After having eaten plain pasta with grated cheese for the previous three days, those bananas tasted fantastic.