I got caught shoplifting

[RoseBiscuitll]

I really didn't know what topic to choose for this

I'm mortified, I got caught shoplifting in boots today, I was stealing baby milk and a facial moisturiser. I'm so ashamed of myself. It was in the city center aswell. They didn't call police but they took my details, took a picture and told me I can't return to the store again

Will this picture and my details go around to the other shops near by or will it just go to the other boots shops.

I can't believe I was stupid enough to do this! I'm so embarrassed and also feel really guiltily!

No I didn't

I had £12 exactly on my debit card.

Needed to feed myself

It was either steal milk or steal food(to last me the week)

The milk was the easier option as its 1 item

Nothing more nothing less

That's as real as it gets

Yes I'm ashamed, yes I'm embarrassed. I couldn't afford it all today, that's why I stole.. Well tried to

I don’t think it’s a case of “didn’t want to use it” at all
Maybe, just maybe the OP has lived on fuck all for the past 6-7 months and wanted to get some extra food. Or put extra on gas and electric now it’s getting colder
Just under £700 - 250 is at best £449 to live off to cover bills, food, any unexpected expenses for the OP and her baby.
The real fucking crime here is that governments who’ve watched private landlords terrorise the housing market, refuse to put housing benefit to a level that represents property prices, all whilst claiming expenses for their daily meal deals.

Don’t you think it was a mistake to spend £120 on the new cot if you had no money for food or baby milk though?

It would have been nice to have popped it in there again, admittedly.😉
It's certainly better than calling people "thick" . I don't think those posters are thick.... Just, well, naive. Hence.

It was either steal milk or steal food(to last me the week)

The milk was the easier option as its 1 item

Nothing more nothing less

And yet you also stole the moisturiser.

Some of the replies on this thread are truly vile and are clearly from people who have never struggled or experienced empathy. It will be okay OP, glad you’ve managed to find some baby banks for help in future. Times are hard right now, just wanted to send some love. I don’t think you’ll be banned from all boots nation wide, just that particular branch.

£120 for a bed is cheap.

We can certainly agree on the government bits there, well said.

I see moisturiser as toiletries

I think I'm turning her on 😉

If you go back to work most of your childcare will be paid for.

Where do you get that from, @Whippetlovely? Sadly it's just not true.

Not cynical thank you.
But have been scammed like this before.
No harm in letting people know that not everyone is out to play nice.

OP - its a sad state of affairs when a single mum in the UK has to choose between stealing to feed herself or to feed her baby :-( and mumsnet can sometimes be a harsh place to post on when you're in extreme financial difficulties.

Please take a look at the moneysavingexpert.com forums and think about posting there instead

No, it's a bed that will last 5-6 years

My daughter deserves to sleep in a bed she can fit in

OP is saying it costs over £34 a month.

That's not my question. Plenty of people are not in the position of just being able to go out and get a job.

Have you ever spent a good amount of time unable to feed yourself? Unable to afford things like shower gel or washing up liquid? Luxuries, I'm sure you'd call them. Have you ever not been able to turn the heating on for entire winter? Had a baby or child you needed to feed and absolutely no money to it with? Have you looked at your bank balance and known several direct debits were about to go out and they were going to send you overdrawn and it's the 5th of the month and you don't get anything in until the next month? Have you had your landlord threaten you with eviction? Have you been evicted? Have you ever spent a night not knowing where you were going to sleep?

I give up.

It was actually "thicko" and just light hearted, ofcourse. Poor op got caught stealing some baby milk and feels like shit about it. It really isn't so terrible now is it?

I can’t believe people are making a single mother defend buying her daughter a (cheap and long lasting!!!) bed. Good grief, have a word with yourselves.

I don't understand the posts about how the staff must have known the OP was desperate because one of the items she stole was formula. Firstly, formula is frequently stolen and then sold on in pubs and suchlike.

Secondly, some people steal food, then use the money they would have spent on food on luxuries (make-up, jewellery, etc.) instead. They do this because if they do get caught, they'd rather it was while stealing food - because they think the staff will be sympathetic, go easier on them, or even turn a blind eye.

Thirdly, if it was desperation, why steal the moisturiser as well?

(Sorry if this double-posts, my browser's being weird)

On a practical note freecycle is your friend and there's nothing wrong with a mattress on the floor - at least they can't fall out of that and hurt themselves - but I understand that you feel its the least you can do to provide your baby with a bed.

There's an old mumsnet saying 'this too shall pass'

Good. You're being unpleasant.

🎻 Very touching but not relevant to this thread.

@RoseBiscuitll you're welcome to send me the link and hopefully I can clarify it for you, because 100% Boots do not use facial recognition. I assure you.

They use "facial detection" which is totally different - it doesn't recognise anyone, it means there's a camera on doors with a self-facing screen that puts a box around everyone's faces as they enter the store. They can use that for people counting, or to make people feel watched, but it doesn't actually do anything else.

Also even the stores that do use facial recognition are only supposed to do so for serious, repeat or violent offenders. In reality they are unlawfully putting low level offenders on their watchlists but they are also being sued for doing so.

In short - do not worry - Boots do not use facial recognition and do not share photos with other stores for facial recognition.

@needabreaksoon did say that she had nowhere to stay, so I think that's comparable with being evicted.