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!

It'll likely be facial recognition by computer/AI, not staff on the lookout for you.

You don't need to be on edge of you aren't on the rob. Cameras are watching you all the time.

Gosh, remind me not to tell you some of the bad things I've done 😈

The Olio app has local freebies for collection ( food and non food )
You can also request items

They won't send your photo to every other store, no one has time for that shit.

Unless your wife works for Woolworths and this is the 1980s, of course no-one has time for that shit.

However, in this century, the photos are uploaded to a database that's accessible to the other shops in the area.

Just in case the OP gets caught again, and claims it was her first time.

What about the facial moisturiser?

You're lucky they didn't call the police as yoyx have got a criminal record so please see that as a good thing and hopefully this is a wake up call

What is your financial situation? Because getting some milk from the food bank for right now isn’t a long term solution.

Basically, you’ve hit rock bottom now. So… how did you get here? What do you have coming in and what are your outgoings? How are you at budgeting?

You need to sit down and look at everything and find a way to make your money last the month.

Worst place to post this, these keyboard warriors have never set a foot wrong.

i done something very similar and was addicted to the thrill. I eventually got caught and it stopped.

i hope you are ok. Lots of love. If you are in Manchester let me know 🥰🥰

OP, what’s done is done, don’t focus on what has happened and your mortification, focus on what you need to do now to keep you and your child/ren going.

If the milk was really needed then you’re clearly in dire straights - have you been to the food bank for milk in the past? Do you have one nearby? Whats your current situation with regards to money, what are you claiming?

Lots of us on here can help you, so break down what you’re getting and spending, and we can support you with getting all you need.

Your embarrassment is minor in comparison to what you should be focusing on, it’s done, time to move on and focus on the future.

What area are you ? If you’re able to say roughly

I'm a single mum, my childs father very rarely contributes, some weeks I get somthing off him, but most weeks I don't

No I can't go threw child maintenence as he works cash in hand.

I obviously can't work as I have a small baby, and couldn't afford child care. Its hard

And the thing is, I did have money for the milk, but I just thought that money could go on somthkng else like food and the milk I could steal

As for the moisturer, that was just greed I guess. Another thing I needed but didn't have the spare money for

As long as you’re not stealing you won’t need to be on edge. I can sympathise if you had no money and couldn’t afford the milk (was that the case?) I don’t understand the facial moisturiser though why would you steal that? It’s not an essential or something you have to have it’s something you want and if we don’t have money for things or treats we want then we go without we do not steal.

It's very much a 'In for a penny, in for a pound '

Or, 'May as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb'.

The fact that there are well-worn sayings relating to desperate situations might give the judgy posters a clue that this is not a new or comment-worthy situation.

I imagine OP was in a situation where she saw she had no other option than to try and steal some formula (I'm not saying there were no other options open, just that OP, at that particular moment, for whatever reason, felt that was the only open option to her. You've got to be pretty desperate to gee yourself up to steal formula).

AND, once you're in, you're in, so why not get a personal perk at the same time?

I'm not advocating theft, but I do get why once a person has transgressed that boundary, and are in that frame of mind, and are in a desperate situation, that they would also think 'I'm now a person that takes things from shops, I may as well get something for myself too'.

Can you break down what you’re getting and roughly what your costs are? At least what you’re getting, there may be something else you’re entitled to that you’re not claiming.

Have you got family nearby?

And was the moisturiser a high end brand costing £40 that you were going to sell on, or cheap as chips own brand for your own use?

I worked in retail for years. First of all this is extremely common, so as much as I appreciate you're mortified, it's going to be a blip on most of the employees radar, so... Just don't fret about that too much.

Realistically yes your picture will be distributed, on the high street I worked there was an opt-in programme for stores to connect with one another via radio and app to share incidents of shop lifting, anti social behaviour etc. So it's likely your photo will be circulated in some manner - but you won't be banned from anywhere except the store you stole from. Other places just might keep an eye out for you for a bit. But honestly shop lifting is so common these days it's likely you're one of many faces, and a mum stealing baby formula is unlikely to be at the top of anyone's shit list.

I'm sorry you are in whatever position you're in that made you feel you needed to steal. People are making a fuss about the moisturiser not being needed without understanding how it really feels to not have two pennies to rub together. To not be able to afford such a small luxury as cream for your face, something so many people take for granted. Was it wrong to do? Of course. Does the OP need a lot of holier than thou individuals telling her off like a naughty schoolgirl? Probably not. Seems like the shock of being caught and reprimanded has done it's job.

Practically please reach out to your health visitor for help with formula. There are charities available who can help you, food banks if you're struggling with food for yourself, even apps where people give away freebies (try Olio, I've just had a look on there in my area and there's a few moisturisers and things being given away free!) Hang in there OP, you're not on your own.

I’d treat this experience as a huge wake up call, and either a) get help for yourself and your baby, or b) recognise that what you have done is thieving, no matter what you have taken, and you now have to deal with this situation, before it escalates. Take a long hard look at what you have done, accept that in essence you have got away lightly without being prosecuted. Think about your child’s future as well, yes it might need milk, but it needs its mother more, and shouldn’t have to grow up with any background history of crime in the family. Take stock, get your next actions clear, and move on.

It was £6 for my own use

I am sorry you felt the need to do this OP ... Are you sure that you are getting EVERYthing you are entitled to? In benefits etc??

Theft from shops is also very unsettling for retail staff as they have to deal with it.

The other day in a Co-op local staff were trying to prevent a guy from leaving the store - they closed the doors but he just prised them open. There were three young assistants, from overseas, hovered around the door, one looked scared, another had an I-pad and was tapping something in. The thief barged passed them and hopped onto a bike that was lying on the pavement - telling them not to touch him.

No doubt the poor staff have to fill in forms and make reports - poor kids. Who'd be a retail worker, not me.

Are you eligible for a healthy start card ?

@murasaki ."visable from space"made me lol.....
obviously nobody is ok with HAVE to steal babymilk. moisturiser is cheeky.
thing is."desperate" is variable. Being skint is shite,esp as a daily given. Steal milk,cos previously got away with it from said store every monday ever.(IT HAPPENS)and its bit your arse today? its first\last time? easier to chore baby milk than vodka? where you at with this

You can get free baby milk and other necessities from the Healthy Start scheme. Apply here:

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/

If you can try again in comprehensible English, I may be able to see if there's a question in there.