Tea Leaf

[luna-tic]

I know this question would be more suited to the "Shopping" category but if you saw someone stealing something in a shop and they realised you'd spotted them,would you go and tell a sales assistant?

[JK2]

Yes

[Lonnie]

Most definately Yes, in part, its because of shoplifters that prices go up, plus of course, its wrong.

[unruliejulie]

yes, i would. I hate thieves, full stop!

[luna-tic]

Thanks for your answers and to suggest an even more complex scenario: What if you knew the person either as a family member, friend or to make it worse,a local troublemaker who once released from police custody could make your life hell?

[joko]

i went into my mums shop and put a few bits in my bag, not realising this woman had seen me...i as i walked around and saw her staring at me like a mad woman, i gave her a sort of smile and carried on - hadn't really occurred to me that she had seen me... she caused a right fuss and even when my mum told her who i was, she said "i don't care! she shouldn't be putting things in her bag" !!
it seemed to take her a while to realise what she was saying, and it finally sunk in when i walked behind the counter and sat in front of the till and started to ring up her items - i think she was probably embarrassed.

having said that, it was good of her to say something

[joko]

in those circumstances, no i would not tell - unless i could be sure they would not know that it was me to told.

a few items in a strangers shop, for which they are probably insured against, are not enough for me to risk having some lunatic making my life a misery or causing a dreadful rift in my family.

[luna-tic]

That's a great story "joko".I suppose the woman was only doing what she thought was right and not realising who you were in relation to your Mum at first only made the situation more embarrasing as the truth dawned on her.

[luna-tic]

If it was some lunatic joko, it wouldn't be me. :0)

[Bellringer]

Certainly would. But as they can't be accused unless they attempt to leave the shop without paying, if I knew them I would tell them to make sure they paid for it or put it back. I have done this.

[dot.hawkes]

In a large store like the one i am in, we get lots of petty and not so petty theft, usually by known faces who of course pick the quiet times, as professionals tend to do, not busy times when there are loads of people about. the most theft takes place between 9 and 10am and 4.30 and 5.30 pm, when they know there are less staff on duty, less witnesses and staff are busy with paperwork or recovery.

most of the thefts are done by smack heads after expensive brands to sell on within minutes to fund their habit.

i have spotted loads over the years, the last one was on christmas eve, apparently the woman had a 6 week old baby and needed the cash for her habit but she sent xmas eve in the cells.

[luna-tic]

Thanks dot.hawkes; Two relatives of mine have sadly taken the wrong path and become drug addicts and both have been in trouble with the police for not only stealing from shops but their own family aswell.I used to work in a large store and was surprised to see it wasn't always the people dependant on substances that pilfered.I once saw a man with a three-piece suit on and long trench coat trying to stuff some items in his inside pocket and one woman who thought it was fun to run around the store while the manager gave chase on finding her loading her pockets with whatever she could get off the shelves as she passed them at speed.

[redcrx]

I have been known to report shoplifters or people acting strangely when ive been out shopping.
When i worked in retail i even had to stop the shoplifters, narrowly avoiding being run over once as a man and his young son made a getaway with pockets full of sweets etc.

We had a known regular who was on a program of methadone (sp) who would come in most days and try the steal some food. One day i was following him around the store and he started putting packs of ice-cream down his jumper. I told him to put the items back and he asked why he should. He was out of it. I had to tell him that the ice cream would melt as his body was so warm. He agreed said he hadnt thought of that, put the icecream back and left the store.

[luna-tic]

Love the ice-cream tale redcrx but it's sad that some people get into such a fix.

[Hugh Spencer]

I have thought about a situation where a relative might be cheating the system so I have decided that I would let them know that I know what they are doing so they have an opportunity to stop. If they still persist I would 'shop' them.

[saxy_jag]

I like to think I would, but I suspect it would depend on who was stealing what. If it looked like someone who was really poor was stealing something like a tin of beans, then I probably wouldn't. But if it was someone bagging bottles of whisky or leather jackets, then yes, I think I would.

[luna-tic]

I suppose we would all like to think that if faced with such situations that our moral sense would kick-in making reason take over and being analytical of each individual and their plight would either make us act or not.