Shoplifting....do you really need it that badly?

Most people who shoplift do not think about what will happen if they are caught stealing.Now that she was caught shoplifting she could lose her 2 little boys. There is no good reason to steal from others. There are lots of charities and second hand stores that anyone who needs help can go too. You will have to pay at the second hand stores but it will be lots cheaper and you will not be put into jail.

Some people do it as a thrill. Some people do it out of necessity but what ever the reason it is not worth it. If you get caught and you will eventually get caught. You could go to jail or have to pay huge fines, and you will have to go to court and pay court costs, this is not going to make your life or your financial situation any better, it will only make things worse. There are plenty of places that will help people you don't need to resort to stealing. Better to beg than steal, you can't go to jail for that, unless you harass people.

Times are rough for a lot of people, but stealing isn't the answer. I wonder what brought that lady to steal something from K-Mart. There have been many of times that my youngest have found something laying around in a store that's not in the package, and the store clerk will either tell her to go ahead and have it, or take the time out and look for the price, and then charge me half off on it. The thought of getting caught and having people that's coming and going seeing me being arrested is enough reason not to steal for me.

I believe some do think and others believe they are that good. In this country a woman with two kids can get help from the government, they are also some places that give free food. I am not sure why anyone would risk losing their kids.

I won't think about shoplifting,even if I am desperate.it is better to ask help than steal.if the mother has two boys,she would have thought better.she will not do anything that will take her boys away from her.she must be really desperate that she wasn't able to think clear and straight.

Hummm, maybe we should put ourselves in her shoes. Don't get me wrong I think it's very wrong to steal but maybe you should wonder about her situation. Lots of people are unemployed right now and that doesn't seem to be going away in the short time. People are loosing their homes because they can't pay the mortgage. People can't go out anymore and we have others trying to con other people out of their life savings. That's just the tip of the ice berg. So maybe she was desperate and couldn't find any other way, but if I were her I'd ask for help.

Every time, I go to a big departmental store, I see some one being caught by the security guards for shop lifting. I have seen some young girls, trying to slip a lipstick or a nailgloss into their pockets and getting caught either by the secret camera or by the beeping sound in the entrance. Even decent and well educated people do this kind of shop lifting.What to do, in spite of so many checks people still do it either fun or thrill or they are not able to afford them.

It is sad when I learn of people shoplifting. OK, whilst some people do it out of badness and for excitement, there are many people who are either desperate for money to feed and care for themselves and others who have psychological problems that need to be addressed. Stealing is rarely a good answer though because subconsciously it creates a conflict in many people who feel they are so desperate, but then tend to feel guilty. - Derek

I think that when people do try and steal, it is a psychological problem. I think that people want to try to get by without paying for things because it is the challenge that thrills them. Ifthey can get by with it, it is sort of a victory for them.

You would think if she needed food that she would have went to a food bank or something. Or sometimes they issue emergency food stamps. I can remember once when i was living in my van that i had direaha really bad and didnt have money. I went into a grocery store opened a bottle of keaopectate and gulped down a couple of big swallows. I just didnt know what else to do at the time.

They do it, because they can get away with it! The law here where I live says that unless someone who works for the store, actually saw you take something, there is nothing they can legally do. I know about this because I watched a girl shoplift at our local Walmart. The first time, it happened so quickly. She took a pack of trading cards. Her friends were all helping her and cheering her on. I wasn't sure what she was doing. Surely, she wasn't stealing something right next to me?! So I followed her and watched her take some gadget from the scrapbooking aisle. She then headed straight to the back of the store to the restrooms so she could probably take the item out of its package and put it in her purse. So I went to a person working there to tell them. They said "I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do about it unless I saw it happen." I was outraged!! I also know that until someone takes something out of the store and they find the item in your possession, they can't stop you either. They can't prove your "intent". Even if you have something in your purse, and they saw you put it there, they can only stop you outside the building. Ridiculous!

I have known people who were dirt poor and had no food in their home, yet could not qualify for any assistance. One of these people would actually go to the store to steal food. Nothing more, and not much. Is that wrong? Yes, but I can understand the situation. When I found out that this individual was stealing juat to eat, I began asking questions, the first being,"Why didn't you come to me for help?" The answer was fairly simple, pride and embarrassment about not being able to afford to eat. This person had a job, but it didn't pay much, and lived in a run down old trailer with the cheapest rent they could find. It just wasn't enough. This person had to go to work to keep a roof over their head, but by the time their work day was done, not many other places were open to apply for a job. It was a sad situation. Once this perswon rrealized that it was okay to ask a friend for help and not be judged, they stop stealing food. In this case, it was purely survival. I also know of people who shoplift for the fun of it. They don't need the things they steal, they just enjoy the rush they feel when they do it. There is no rhyme or reason to why these people shoplift, it is just something they continue to do, even after they get caught. No matter what the reason is, yes, shoplifting is wrong, but, some people feel that there is no other means of survival, and others just don't care.

Yeah I agree with what you have said. I can't see stealing as a good solution to a situation you are already in because once you get caught, consequences are really embarrassing and it gives you that bad record you can no longer erase in your entire life. And also when it comes to not being caught, yes you might be lucky but then only God seen you. It will be your conscience that will hunt you all the days. If you do not have conscience then karma will have it's revenge time. And there is still another solution if you are really in need of something, why not just borrow? Or if not seek help from government or any other organization willing to help. I mean the last resort is not stealing, but seeking help the clean and legal way. And think of your children, you are even adding misery to their future if the people they will meet on their growing up years will find out that their parents had stolen something.

That's true.. Many people nowadays don't really think of the consequences that affect their lives by being caught stealing. It can really damage a reputation. It's very sad that people will do anything for money that's include stealing.

It's sad really... people would think of so many excuses for stealing. Whatever the reason is, it never is a valid one, there is no excuse for breaking the law. We used to have a grocery store and what really amazed me was a pregnant woman who tried to steal milk by putting a can in between her legs. Unfortunately for her, one of our staffs saw her and she got caught. I don't know what she was thinking, does she plan to run if she is already near the door? It is such a pity.

She might have been desperate since she had kids at home but taking something that's not hers is not a solution. Maybe she needed food for her little boys and just didn't know what to do. it's sad to hear of cases like this.

It's not worth it. There are plenty of places to go if you need clothes, shoes, food, for nothing. That's what Salvation Army, Good Samaritan, and Goodwill are for. A lot of churches will help you, if you ask. I think some people steal to support a habit. Just my piddly opinion.

Because we are not in a difficult situation in our life so we can not truely understand people who maybe in very poor situation. I agree with your opinion. Before they shoplift they should think twice what will happen if they are caught. I think they should learn one truth never take chance in life. However i really feel sorry for the woman you mentioned. I suppose at least she has some difficult in her life then she did it. I don't know the punishment she will get.

I honestly think that it is terrible that people think they need things so badly that they turn to shop lifting. I'd never do that, but there are people that do it for the rush that they get and there are people who think that they need to do it to get by. The thing is, you don't hear of too many people shoplifting the necessities, it is usually something that a person doesn't so much need as something that they want. If I were ever in the situation that I wanted/needed something that I couldn't afford, I would either ask for someone (family/friend) to get it for me or else I would have to do without.

There's only one way I see it: Don't do the crime if you can't do the time! Plain and simple.