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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have shoplifted from Morrisons today....

159 replies

Tryharder · 18/06/2009 18:10

I walked to Morrisons this morning with DS2 in his pushchair. Only intended to buy a couple of things but as you do, kept piling things into the basket so I had loads to carry. At the end, picked up some jellies that were on special offer but had no room for them in my basket so balanced them on top of the pushchair and went to pay.

As I literally was walking out of the store, I looked down and saw these jellies still wedged in the pushchair in the folds of the hood (iyswim) - had totally forgotten to pay for them.

Anyway, I should have gone straight back in again and either paid for the jellies or handed them in at the customer services desk.

But, I thought oh feck it, Morrisons get enough of my hard-earned cash as it is and they can afford it and just continued out the store...

I am being unreasonable, aren't I?

OP posts:
Midge25 · 18/06/2009 19:17

Can you tell I'm a probation officer?!!

TheBreastmilksOnMe · 18/06/2009 19:18

So what would you do if you found a £10 note on the floor of a post-office? Would you hand it in to a staff member or would you pocket it? Is that theft too?

UpSinceCrapOClock · 18/06/2009 19:20

Just to add to the anecdotes - my sister once inadvertently shoplifted a pair of tights. She was on a bus in London, and someone stopped her to say that her tights were hanging out of her backpack. She took said backpack off and sure enough there were a pair of tights stuck to a bit of velcro on the front of the bag. She was mortified but had no idea where they came from or for how long she'd been walking around looking like that (can't remember if she said there was still a label on them? There must have been I suppose).

ShowOfHands · 18/06/2009 19:33

TheBreastmilksOnMe, the scenario you describe is 'theft by finding'. Is exactly the same from a legal perspective but a slightly different situation. So, yes, it is theft.

bergentulip · 18/06/2009 19:37

I think if you get home and you realise you have not paid for something tiny, such as a packet of jelly, you will be looked at as completely insane if you try and pay for it next time you're in.

However, realising before you walk out the door? - big no no.
You have still have a reasonable choice between being honest and not - There's very little to distinguish that between making the choice before you walk through the checkout.

JeMeSouviens · 18/06/2009 19:40

100% agree with Hecate.

Although on one occasion, very early in the morning, I stopped to get petrol on the way to work. I filled up, went into the shop and picked up a chocolate bar for breakfast, as you do. She swiped my card, I didn't pay attention to the amount, signed for it, got the receipt and went on my way.

An hour later, the POLICE called me at work and said "Harumph, harumph, were you at such and such station this morning and did you drive off without paying?" Of course I HAD paid, but the daft checkout girl hadn't rung the petrol through, even though I was the only one there and had been filling up my car! Did they really think I went in just to spend $1.49 on my credit card, apparently "uni students do it all the time". If I didn't go and pay it, I would have been arrested.

(Disclaimer was VERY early in the morning and a genuine mistake)

islandlassie · 18/06/2009 19:50

It's not stealing it's just being too lazy to go back in

Having said that i would have gone back in, sorry, but i dont think your a bad person cos of it or anything!!

ilovemydogandmrobama · 18/06/2009 19:57

Found a Peppa Pig in changing bag a few months ago It probably came from Sainsbury's and I took it back and tried to pay for it. They said not to worry and laughed!

Original poster
Tryharder · 18/06/2009 19:58

Just another anecdote to prove that I am not totally without morals...

I actually walked past a cash machine about a month ago which was bleeping furiously at me. I turned round and there was a wad of cash sticking out, I picked it up and there was £200.

I looked around, there was noone in shouting distance so hung around a bit. About 2 minutes later, a very horrified looking woman dashed out from a shop....so I promptly handed the money back.

OP posts:
TheBreastmilksOnMe · 18/06/2009 20:14

Tryharder- the cash machine would have reclaimed the money if it had been left there! I know this as it has happened to me once!

Asana · 18/06/2009 20:37

I once went to the H&M on Kensington High Street. As I was trying on stuff, the fire alarm went off whilst I was still wearing a pair of trousers and a jumper I was trying on. The staff started shouting into the changing rooms telling people to leave immediately. I whipped them off, got back into my own clothes, grabbed my own two jumpers off the changing room seat stuffing them into my reusable shopping bag and went outside to wait till they could let us back in.

Whilst waiting with the crowd of other customers, I had one of their staff come up to me telling me the alarm had gone off as I'd left the shop. I couldn't understand why and immediately gave her my handbag and reusable shopping bag so she could search me. To my extreme mortification, under my jumpers was the pair of said trousers! I'd obviously thrown them together with my own clothes in the rush to get out before being burned to death the staff decided to come in and throw me out. I was hugely embarrassed and, with the other customers staring on, sheepishly gave them to the assistant. When we were allowed back in, I went to the till to ask for the trousers, got them, paid and promptly left.

Fast-forward two years later, those trousers are still in my wardrobe, unworn and with the tags still on. Irony was, I fecking hated them once I'd tried them on but I just didn't want them to think I was a shoplifter (though I don't know many shoplifters who would wait patiently outside the store they had just stolen from). I still go red and hyperventilate thinking about it

And no, I've never been back to the store since. Shame really. It was my favourite H&M

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 18/06/2009 20:40

Sell them on ebay?

katiestar · 18/06/2009 21:09

Well they sold me some mouldy naan braed today and I just binned it because too far away to bother taking it back.So that balances out your jellies doesn't it

Thunderduck · 18/06/2009 21:48

YABVU. And yes it was theft once you made the decision not to return them.

shockers · 18/06/2009 21:52

Ah... but jellies are the thin end of the wedge. When you've got away with it once.....

scottishmummy · 18/06/2009 22:11

intellectualise or try justify any ole way.it's still stealing

oh they earn millions
oh i have given them £1000's over the years
True

you clocked you had the sweeties and kept walkin that is theft
True

Ivykaty44 · 18/06/2009 22:29

I must admitt my dad picked up a pack of films in John Lewis in Norwich and we forgat and wlaked out of the shop and were half way across town before he realised the film were in his hand and he hadn't paid. He wanted to go back but I said it would be easier to telephone later and pay by card - so I did. The lady wanted all the details of the card and my address. I went home for work

Anyhow the following Saturday the post man arrived and knocked the door and got me to sign for a parcel. The parcel was from JL and inside where another three film ooo I then opened the letter inside which tells me as I had been honest they were sending me three more films for free

Doodle2u · 18/06/2009 22:34

Theft.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 18/06/2009 22:35

Don't worry about it. I put a hat on DS's head (while he was in sling on DH) in asda to see if it fit. Didn't take it off and forgot to pay. Realised in car park. Took £70 of shopping (paid for) and £1 hat (not paid for) home with me.
Theft? Yes. Care? Not much.....

Quattrocento · 18/06/2009 22:36

Theft

zookeeper · 18/06/2009 22:37

Theft lite in my book

jajoly · 18/06/2009 22:41

It doesn't matter how small or big price wise - knowingly taking something that doesn't belong to you is wrong.

I have done this in the madness of a frantic afternoon also - pushchair with baby and toddler in tow, things hanging off the handlebars etc - and it was only when I went to the shop across the road that I realised when paying that I had items on the handelebars unpaid for! (from the previous shop!) Staff in the shop I was currently paying at looked at me like I was a loon ...
The staff in the shop I went back to, apologised and paid for the goods on my pushchair, were extrememly embrassed that their alarm system had not gone off! They accepted my explanation of "completely forgetting they were on there" as they knew I was genuine and let me pay for the goods and said thank you for being honest and coming back.

I could not have slept with myself knowingly taking anything ... I am an adult. Not a child that is wondering about the grey areas and the boundaries and what would other people do.

I would expect my children to grow up with my values and the reasons why, as a principle, and not some of the get what you can get attitudes prevalent today (amongst, unfortunately, adults that will by example teach their children the same!)

Pannacotta · 18/06/2009 22:44

Theft lite is good expression.
Life is too short to get worked up over it (though am old fashioned and woudl have paid up myself)....

Lubyloo · 18/06/2009 22:49

It's theft. You're a thief.

scottishmummy · 18/06/2009 22:51

theft lite.keep trotting out excuses for theft large

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