I turned a blind eye to a thief at a supermarket today...

How can someone in their 70's/80's manage to consume a fivers worth of steak? She probably didn't have the teeth or energy to chew that baby down.

Perhaps she's stealing, selling on and then turning to illicit narcotics to get through the day?

But then again.......

The only way I am jumping in is if someone is getting killed. Castle doctrine is beautiful, but you must be able to maintain the walls.

a reply to: Cobaltic1978
I had the same thoughts as well, but perhaps that 2 quid she gets for the steak pays for the birthday card for her granddaughter who never calls her, or is just enough she needs to top up her electric meter key as she's well into her £5 emergency credit.
If she was pretending to appear as a close to emaciated old woman in tatty clothes then she did a good job.
My gut instinct was her appearance reflected her life situation.

I did the same many years ago, only it was an elderly gentleman. We don't know their situations, and to me, if someone is stealing food, they need it. There are tons of items one could steal to sell and make a profit. If it's food, they are probably hungry and can't afford it.

I couldn't really give a toss though, Iceland Stores can cover a fivers worth of meat out of this years profit, and there was no chance I was gonna grass her up to security, no chance at all.

I probably wouldn't have gotten involved either, but the people covering the cost of this meat will be the consumers who shop the store not the shareholders. The costs of theft is added to the prices the rest of us pay.

a reply to: Night Star Ah, good to read in this thread there are plenty of us (or all so far) on ATS who would turn the same blind eye.
I agree about the choice of product to steal and sell thing because 'Iceland Stores' is the UK budget frozen meat national chain. That £5 steak would sell for £2 maybe £2.50 at best in shadyworld, but a pack of expensive lady razers the same size could raise much more.

*Edit*
a reply to: Metallicus
True, and I'm one of them same consumers paying for goods as well. I'm happy to take the hit in prices for some thieves.

originally posted by: Metallicus

I couldn't really give a toss though, Iceland Stores can cover a fivers worth of meat out of this years profit, and there was no chance I was gonna grass her up to security, no chance at all.

I probably wouldn't have gotten involved either, but the people covering the cost of this meat will be the consumers who shop the store not the shareholders. The costs of theft is added to the prices the rest of us pay.

I truly believe the prices will rise no matter what. Even if they never had a single theft, the prices would still increase out of greed.

a reply to: grainofsand

I think you did the right thing...considering the circumstances.

Here is a piece of cake for you!

I would have done the same. Maybe not for the same reason. This woman wasn't stealing from me. Thus none of my business. People get into others business too much these days.

a reply to: caladonea
Haha thanks
...but I think it's something most of us here would do so it's just something normal we should all expect as we negotiate our own legal and moral paths.
I'd give my piece of chocolate cake to the old girl in the OP...still really wish I'd attempted contact and said a friendly hiya to her when I overtook her later in the street.

originally posted by: intrepid
I would have done the same. Maybe not for the same reason. This woman wasn't stealing from me. Thus none of my business. People get into others business too much these days.

Would you get involved if you saw a pickpocket stealing from an old lady's bag, or would that be someone else's business?
I disregarded the theft for the reason that the thief looked really poor/old, and I knew the national store which made £180 odd million profit last year could take the hit.
I don't have a general 'other peoples business' rule for myself.

One time a guy came up to a friend and I and asked if we would be offended if he stole beer in front of us. He explained he was thinking about grabbing a 24 case of Budweiser and walking out the fire emergency door near us. We told him we didn't care.

a reply to: grainofsand

i place priority on individuals/people.

If a person is stealing from a business (not embezzling...that is a completely different animal) its not something that bothers me as much. The kid lifting the sucker or candy bar. The old lady pilfering steak or dog food. The teen on his beer run. None of those are my concern.

Individuals being made victim....a different story. I will engage violently against someone bringing harm to the elderly, some poor mope, a kid, or a lady. Then again, if its 2 thugs going at it...they are in "the game" so thats none of my business involving myself in their business. Though where I live, there is no "game" to be in....so that doesn't really happen.

a reply to: WakeUpBeer
Ooh, I've never been in a similar position asked straight in ur face like that by a thief, and I don't know enough about the overall situation to make a judgement, but stealing beer just for a party is something I wouldn't normally be drawn towards doing or condoning, even from a multinational that can cover the loss.

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: intrepid
I would have done the same. Maybe not for the same reason. This woman wasn't stealing from me. Thus none of my business. People get into others business too much these days.

Would you get involved if you saw a pickpocket stealing from an old lady's bag, or would that be someone else's business?

Please. Ridiculous comparison. NO ONE would stand for that.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan
We share a similar mindset then.
Oh, and there is a game of some kind everywhere, in every village, town, and city.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: grainofsand

originally posted by: intrepid
I would have done the same. Maybe not for the same reason. This woman wasn't stealing from me. Thus none of my business. People get into others business too much these days.

Would you get involved if you saw a pickpocket stealing from an old lady's bag, or would that be someone else's business?

Please. Ridiculous comparison. NO ONE would stand for that.

That's cool, it appears we share the same stance.
It was just your clear and apparently absolute...

This woman wasn't stealing from me. Thus none of my business.

...post which begged the question in my mind, no offence of course, just clarifying.

a reply to: grainofsand

You did the right thing. Or, more correctly, you didn't do the wrong thing.

Knowing when to turn a blind eye is one of the most compassionate virtues a human can have.

originally posted by: Cobaltic1978
How can someone in their 70's/80's manage to consume a fivers worth of steak? She probably didn't have the teeth or energy to chew that baby down.

Perhaps she's stealing, selling on and then turning to illicit narcotics to get through the day?

But then again.......

By the sounds of it she was likely taking that steak back to go into a stew or something that would last her a week or so....i very much doubt it was to go home and bang it on the bbq for a meat fest....

To the OP ...good on ya,i would have turned a blind eye too,it is horrible that old people have to fight for survival like this our society should be better equipped......

And i doubt the store will miss it either when you consider how much food supermarkets throw out each week

a reply to: Cuervo
I've had cops turn a blind eye to me, I've had average strangers turn the same
It's natural justice, something far more real than statutory , civil, or criminal law could ever hope to be.
Locally in my vastly outnumbered and unarmed police area we call it 'not being a #'.
Everyone knows what being a # is so if someone is acting like one you can call them out and say "Stop being a #", most every folk will back you up coz nobody wants #s in their neighbourhood.