Shoplifting - A Social Necessity?

[mushroom25]

a debate from the US, but probably just as relevant here.

https://nypost.com/2021/05/28/cynthia-nixon-slammed-for-pro-shoplifting-tweet/

ms Nixon is probably correct in that there's no gain in prosecuting the vulnerable. but does that make the case for allowing shoplifting and accepting it as a social necessity?

[webbo3]

No it doesn't, it's theft pure and simple, is mugging a social necessity?
Breaking and entering your house social necessity?.

[Ken4155]

No it doesn't. Most of the shoplifters i've known - and there have been quite a few - steal goods to sell in order to fund their drug-taking. A guy and 2 lasses used to come into our local WMC every Sat afternoon about 1.30 with carrier bags full of stolen frozen meat, which they would sell for half price. My mate and i began to seat ourselves right near the entrance so we could have first pick. Some shoplifters i've known would come into the club or pub and ask us drinkers what we needed. Then, if successful, they would return with the goods.

[jno]

a couple of centuries ago people would have been hanged for stealing a loaf of bread; to Georgians the sanctity of property took precedence over everything else. You were lucky if you just got transported.

There's no real answer to this. Starving people may well take risks others do not. Others may just be natural thieves. I'd leave the overworked courts to sort out a fair response.

[Mamyalynne]

Her statements are far too sweeping, there's a huge difference between someone stealing a loaf and some milk to feed their children to the big business shoplifters who often steal to order.

Each case has to be dealt with individually.

[ToraToraTora]

MAABOF, they are lifting for their drugs habit in most cases.

[Ken4155]

For a short period of time a few years back, a shoplifter would regularly knock on my door with 2 or 3 x 500g jars of Nescafe for sale. Suffice to say, i rarely ran out of coffee in those days :-)

[aelmpvw]

//no gain in prosecuting the vulnerable//
perhaps we should give anyone receiving an income of, say, less than six grand, carte blanche to nick anything they fancy with impunity?

[emmie]

isn't receiving stolen goods an offence? -

[Ken4155]

^
And....?

[Mamyalynne]

Handling stolen goods is an offence, yes.

[emmie]

so by taking or buying goods off shoplifters and consuming it yourself would be called a crime. That's all i wanted to say.

[piggynose]

Ken, receiving stolen goods!! Tut tut tut. Should do some bird me old china.

[Jackdaw33]

Only if you know they were stolen.

[emmie]

i was approached by a guy just recently selling steaks for X, no idea if he was a druggie or just a shoplifter, i declined but some old dear he approached almost said yes, she obviously didn't realise they were likely stolen.

[andres]

Well there wouldn't be any gain. The shoplifters probably wouldn't be able to pay the fines. I thought that they weren't prosecuted in the UK unless the amount of the stolen goods was above a certain sum. I just forget how much. You wouldn't think there would be any need to shoplift with benefits and foodbanks. Unless of course as Ken pointed out they are stealing to re-sell and feed their drugs habit.

[Ken4155]

Too late for doing bird, me old China. I've already drunk the coffee and eaten the T-Bone steaks. Yum bloody yum. Oh yeah, and the size 9 black Brogues i once ordered and received have well and truly been worn out. Just a pity i have to pay full price for everything these days:-((

[woofgang]

No one has mentioned that many small grocery shop keepers struggle too. Marks may not be put at risk from shoplifting but small shops definitely are.

[piggynose]

lol, ken.

[Ken4155]

Emmie, i was on my way for my 2nd jab at 0825 last Sunday morning and a guy approached me and said, "Excuse me, i'm not being funny, but do you know anyone who wants to buy a pair of Levis?" I said not and he added, "They're brand new."
Obviously he was asking if i wanted to buy them so why he asked if i knew anyone who did? I was in the middle of Burnley town centre:-/