Shoplifting Epidemic - we are a lawless society.

[SilverGlitterBaubles]

I have a witnessed a few instances of shoplifting over the past few weeks. This is not shoplifting in a covert way but people just blatantly walking into shops taking what they want and walking out unchallenged. We are not talking someone stealing to feed their hungry children, this is groups of teens taking booze and whatever else they fancy. Shops don’t challenge for fear of staff safety, which completely understandable. It’s so bad some stores don’t even have stock on the shelves, they just have empty shelves and a picture so you have to ask at the till for it. Where does it all stop? It feels like we are a lawless society.

Why 12? I believe the age of criminal responsibility is 10 in the UK!

Unless really serious they won’t get involved till secondary aged really. Because it looks bad to be arresting primary aged children.

Well, I was taught to respect other people and not steal, so that part yes.
I do believe in free will, you're right. Obviously breaking the law starts somewhere along the line. What I don't agree with is that any government has made people steal...again that's free will.

Shoplifters should always be punished to the full extent of the law. Even if it is just a sweet or a grape. They should also have a chip implanted that sets of security alarms in all stores when they try to enter.

@Bloodylovecheese

I was referring to the OP saying it was a bunch of teenagers I don’t want to have a big argument about it but you said it when quoting else someone saying it was the price we paid for the Tories spending money on Police and Crime Commissioners rather than real policing. You didn’t mention teens, or the OP, or anything the OP said, and I’m not psychic.

I'm aware that all types of people shoplift. The 'middle class mums' the 'butter wouldn't melt in your mouth old ladies' and the 'want it, so I'll have it' kind of person Ok. Great. So your answer to my question is ‘no’ then.

I taught my child not to steal and have respect for everyone. It wasn't hard Yeah, that’s a parenting basic. And I’m pretty sure that it’s something that most parents, including the parents of the middle class mums, the butter wouldn’t melt old ladies and the I want it, adults, taught their children. It’s almost as though upbringing doesn’t really impact on sticky fingers, isn’t it?

You seem to have the assumption that I think vaping teens, addicts and shaven headed people are shoplifters ... that's quite a stereotypical range of people Your words not mine Well, not exactly my words, you’ve misquoted me a bit; I don’t think that those with shaven heads alone have an increased tendency to shoplift, for instance. A lot of addicts do steal, as do a lot of the aforementioned shaven headed, vaping teens who ride their scooters around the supermarket and hang around the energy drinks. There’s no point in pretending it’s a lazy stereotype when we both know it’s true.

By the way, I earn minimum wage in retail, and not as you have assumed 'some of you middle aged mums' I said middle class, not middle aged, but I wasn’t assuming anything about you personally; after my first comment, the rest was in response to the general thread.

It's Sunday, I'm tired. Can't be arguing any more. I don't want a bun fight either.
I don't agree with some of your points, and you mine, on that we agree.
I'm not wealthy, am not middle aged or class but have decent values.
I believe most people want and do have them too.
Happy Sunday..onwards and upwards !

The incidents have witnessed were young teens helping themselves to alcohol. Two issues here that they are 1/ underage for alcohol and 2/ stealing so them not having an income is irrelevant both of these things are against the law and no one is bothered. Meanwhile I have to go to work to earn money to pay for the same things that they just help themselves to. We are all paying for this through price increases in shops. I get shoplifting was always a thing but the extent it is so blatant and unchecked now is beyond a joke.

I'm in Aus and it's the same, but it's all ages. At the supermarket on Saturday and a staff member was calling out to a teen telling her to bring items back. She had obvious bulges in her shirt. Teen was strutting around showing off. Security came and told her to give items back. She just.... wandered off.... they can't do anything and she knew it. I see it regularly at my local supermarket at well. I even reported a full grown man to staff as I saw him steal (chocolate blocks so not essential, not sure who'd eat that after it's been down the back of his pants 🤢). They did nothing. I don't blame staff. I wouldn't risk myself for a shop either, but there has to be consequences and all the high tech, intrusive security they employ now is useless. They just.... walk out.

And what was it that happened between those years ;)

My teen DD is in her 2nd job in a high street shop. The first one they had a staff member in the make up aisle because so much got stolen, apparently a staff presence was supposedly meant to put people off. She was a petite, shy 18 year old in her first job, I don't think anyone planning to shoplift would feel remotely intimidated or threatened. She was told to ask people if they needed help, but not confront if she saw anyone shoplifting.

Her current job they are told not to confront people they see stealing stuff. Although she was on the fitting room and asked some girls she suspected of stealing clothes, are you keeping <insert item of clothing they had neither returned to her, or were holding to pay> ? The girl then alleged she must have left it in the changing room and after a period of time, came out with it. She had probably been wearing it under her clothes.

In a Boots store local to my work there is a tiny sign, about as big as a postcard, saying shop, dont shoplift. I literally can not imagine anything more pointless....but realise it must be pretty soul destroying for retail workers seeing people nick stuff day in day out

What do you think she was going to say, oh yes of course, silly me

I’m not going to be surprised that in 10 years we’ll have those Amazon shops everywhere where you have to provide payment before you enter.

It’s disgusting and a massive change from
about 15 years ago. I have seen a shop assistant challenge. It was a young woman challenging a man in Superdrug and I thought kudos to her.

I would absolutely support much stiffer penalties for shop lifters. It’s disgusting.

That’s said to hear. I was living in Oz till a few years ago and when I left it was not that bad for shoplifting where I was. I guess it’s caught up now.

Shoplifters should always be punished to the full extent of the law. Even if it is just a sweet or a grape. They should also have a chip implanted that sets of security alarms in all stores when they try to enter.

Fuck..... I'd hate to live in your world......

And no, I don't have a solution but absolutely understand staff not wanting to confront aggressive shoppers.

Horrible people around.
Just ask them how they would like it if they were in business and people stole from them. See what they say.

I watched two people casually swipe two cold drinks from the fridge in Morrisons the other day.
I wasn’t going to say anything, they looked rough and I didn’t want any problems.

I understand people are frustrated by the huge cuts to policing and the capacity to respond to crime, and I am not minimising the impact on store staff. However, it is pretty sensationalist to state we are 'lawless'.

As anyone with any basic level of understanding of sociology, social policy and law knows, the law works because most people are too scared of getting caught and the consequences. It is a social contract. If we all decided 'fuck it' at the same time and just did what we wanted, that is when things become lawless, the policing and legal establishments just could not cope. This has always been how it works and why we do not arm our police in the UK.

I think a lot more people are thinking fuck it, and just shoplifting because they can (as in not addicts, not stealing to sell, not because they need to feed their kids, just because they can)

Obviously thats not everyone but it certainly seems a lot more prevalent than say 10 years ago.

It’s nothing to do with Police and Crime Commissioners. It’s to do with the fact there are absolutely zero consequences of this kind of conduct. If you do it, literally nothing happens, you won’t get caught, if you do, nothing will really be done. So why not?

We really need to have a zero tolerance approach to this kind of stuff.

Didn't expect her to do anything. Just wanted her to know she was a thieving piece of crap . Though thinking of it she probably knows that anyway.

There are solutions but people keep making excuses for shoplifters and saying they shouldn't be punished. Jail them. Cut off their fingers and/or hands. Sterilised them and take their children away from them if they have any. People will wail about "human rights" but if it works, it works.