To think that it is not acceptable to steal under any circumstances?

[electra]

Recently when I visited a friend of mine he had a very nice, expensive looking clock on his wall. He told me that he had stolen it when drunk - it had been delivered to a shop but was outside in its packaging. I thought this was truly awful but because he was drunk he seems to think that reduces the whole thing to a joke.

He went on to say 'well it's ok to steal to protect your family' er, no it isn't!!

Cammelia - you're right. I think people who do this are getting a buzz out of getting something they didn't pay for, and that seems to override a sense of it being wrong.

No, I haven't - but that's not good.

kitstwins that is bad. Although in the office where I worked, I was near the main door and reception, and people constantly just helped themselves to things off my desk - often they needed a pen/stapler/calculator and just grabbed mine. Even my bloody chair used to get nicked if they were short in meetings. Drove me insane. My department's stationery bill was huge!

I've also had baby blankets, cups and bits go missing at playgroups but have seen toddlers (including my own!) grabbing things out of people's bags so they may have been genuine accidents.

Can't justify the rest though and agree that stealing just isn't on. I know when I was a student my housemates used to nick anything which wasn't nailed down. We had a house full of crap including the entire fake veg display from some country themed pub near our house. I used to panic every time the doorbell went that someone was coming to arrest us all.

kettlechip - seems to be a 'student' thing. Another one is people stealing glasses from pubs until they have a little collection at home.

Yes, Bubba, I would. I'd report it as stolen and get my money back. I have bigger things to get worked up about than 'stuff'.

and no, there's no such thing as karma anymore as there is such a thing as fairies or God or any of that bunk, IMO.

Oh yes there is! You clearly haven't been watching, 'My Name is Earl!'

Having had my own things stolen I am afraid I do get upset about "stuff."

I have had my house broken into - I felt dreadful for the rest of the time I was there. Someone had been through my house, taken my stuff out of my drawers and cupbaords, etc. they didm't actually mange to take anything but the meer fact they tried upset me dreadfully. By the size of the footprints chances are it was likely kids "having a laugh" or maybe youths who were after a kick - who knows, but they were wrong to do it and it was definitely not funny.

I have had my digital camera stolen - taken out of my fastened top pocket of my coat, which I was wearing at the time. I was in a railway station abroad. The only thing we can work out is I was distracted by a couple of children playing about around us - the police thought they were the deliberate distraction. I never felt a thing when they took it. I do feel upset it had happened though and they had stolen my stuff, my camera - along with all the photos I had taken on my holiday.

I had my purse and wallet stolen in a shop in town. They were at the very bottom of my pram bag, attached to my pram. I was holding the handles. The CCTV saw how they did it to others. One woman got in the way so I had to stop and negotiate my way run, whilst the man rifled int he bag very discreetly - very quick, again not noticed. they had done a few ina very short period of time, laughing and joking on CCTV as they planned it. OK, it was only stuff and very little money but it was my stuff, not theirs. And they took my wallet - it had photos of DD as a baby in there, ones I didn't have copies of. It had all my cards in - it caused me a whole load of hassle o sort out. It was the wee before Christmas. As out cards are linked neither DH or I had access to our cards right over Chritsmas and had to borrow money from parents to tide us over.

It may only be stuff but it is my stuff. And it is really really simple - it ain't yours, don't take it!!!

Expat - report it to whom and get your money back from whom? Not everything that is stolen is under some sort of gurantee surely?

Well, I've been burgled twice, mugged three times, once at gunpoint, and date raped. I can tell you which one I found least upsetting.

Sorry, wist everything round how you like, I'm honestly not appalled or outraged or whatever at someone nicking a clock or a pub table or glasses from a bar.

Just not.

So off you go back to getting on your moral high horses about a clock whilst children are getting blown to bits in Gaza.

No one's asking you to be appalled! Why so aggressive!?
Just because something isn't the worst thing that could happen doesn't mean it's right surely?

I think that is somewhat uncalled for. I think most people are capable of being upset or appalled at more than one thing at a time. I am sure you can. I know I can. To imply that because one feels stealing is worng it means we cannot worry about other things going on in the world is ....well, it jutst doesn't make sense. Of course people consider both. Just this thread focuses on theft and not other issues.

It is not having a moral high ground IMO to feel that theft is wrong.

I can imagine in your list of crimes against you the theft was the least upsetting.

However this does not make it right, nor does it mean others cannot feel upset about hvaing their things taken/stolen.

Fair enough if you feel it is nothing to worry about. But to suggest that others feel it is wrong are being OTT .....

Well to hell with decent behaviour altogether then. It doesn't matter what we do - lets have anarchy because children are getting blown to bits in Gaza

Perhaps the 'little' things do matter because they make a foundation for the way a society thinks and behaves on a broader scale.

And didn't Gaza begin with the theft of a country "because we want it and they are not using much of it anyway"

"So off you go back to getting on your moral high horses about a clock whilst children are getting blown to bits in Gaza."

FFS, this really takes the Biscotti

I'm imagining discipline at Expat's house...
Look kids, it's fine to draw on the walls, chop up Mummy's clothes and rub shoe polish in the carpet, just don't go invading any small countries, OK?

Well that will teach the owner of the shop to pay for recorded delivery and the company that sent it not to allow stuff to be parked up against the wall of a shop during the night. When I was drunk I once stole a 3 ft high penguin. My only regret is that I don't know have it hung on my wall for admiration. I'm with expat, this just makes me laugh.

'And didn't Gaza begin with the theft of a country "because we want it and they are not using much of it anyway" '

Um, no, one. It started mostly with a lot of European guilt over the Holocaust and what to do about it.

Yes, I tell my kids to just tear everything up.

We hunt down small furry creatures as a family, too, spike peoples' drinks for fun, light illegal fires and all sorts of nefarious antics just for kicks.

Look, get outraged, get offended, get all black-affronted over a clock if you want.

OP says, AIBU. K, you ask for opinions. Yeah, IMO, you are.

So others don't agree.

BFD.

I love the jumps of imagination people make on mumsnet...because expat was saying that she thinks there are more important things than worrying about than stealing a clock when drunk there she doesn't discipline her children. Surely you can make your argument wittout inferring personal insults about a poster's parenting?

dh knows someone who stole a penguin. made the papers. obviously it was v. wrong. and apparently it made a right mess of his flat.

Lol, thank goodness mine wasn't a real penguin or else I would be geting lynched for animal cruelty for wanting to hang it on the wall.

childish snigger

I hope he was ordered to pay for PTSD counselling for that poor penquin! I have fantasies about stealing a goat.

That's fine Expat, you obviously aren't interested in this and you made your point from the outset. It's your rudeness that is making people jump on you. Why be like that?

I think everyone knows stealing is wrong, i laughed at this thread. i haven't seen anyone laugh at the thought of someones house being broken into.

Shock horror, i have "stolen" things before, it really doesn't make me a hardened criminal.