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In the last 3 days I've been directly and indirectly involved in cases of thieving.
My ex who cycles every day to work returned to her locked bike in the town centre directly under a CCTV camera to find that someone had unscrewed and pinched her flashing rear light . Not only she pissed off at having it stolen but was then unable to cycle home safely in the dark in the heavy commuter traffic.
I met up with some friends in the Tesco cafe this morning, where you chose a table, leave a coat or something on the chairs to "reserve" it then queue to buy tea/coffee. You are not out of sight of the table, yet one woman returned to it to find her shopping bag had been pinched. It was empty but was a proper shopping bag, not one of the 5p ones.
After completing my shopping and paying at the checkout I nipped into the loo briefly leaving my trolley right outside. When I got home I found that someone had nicked a tin of soup!
OK, there was nothing of significant value pinched and the moral is never leave ANYTHING unattended, but it's never been a problem during the rest of the year. Tesco was packed today and there were some sad (or desperate?) individuals in there..........
My ex who cycles every day to work returned to her locked bike in the town centre directly under a CCTV camera to find that someone had unscrewed and pinched her flashing rear light . Not only she pissed off at having it stolen but was then unable to cycle home safely in the dark in the heavy commuter traffic.
I met up with some friends in the Tesco cafe this morning, where you chose a table, leave a coat or something on the chairs to "reserve" it then queue to buy tea/coffee. You are not out of sight of the table, yet one woman returned to it to find her shopping bag had been pinched. It was empty but was a proper shopping bag, not one of the 5p ones.
After completing my shopping and paying at the checkout I nipped into the loo briefly leaving my trolley right outside. When I got home I found that someone had nicked a tin of soup!
OK, there was nothing of significant value pinched and the moral is never leave ANYTHING unattended, but it's never been a problem during the rest of the year. Tesco was packed today and there were some sad (or desperate?) individuals in there..........
In reply to Trangia:
I guess things like this may happen more often during austerity.
I guess things like this may happen more often during austerity.
Post edited at 17:49
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In reply to Timmd:
I think you are right, but it's a sad reflection on our society where generally you ought be able to rely on some trust in your fellow humans in normal day to day things like that. It's like being in pub and finding your coat's been nicked.
I think you are right, but it's a sad reflection on our society where generally you ought be able to rely on some trust in your fellow humans in normal day to day things like that. It's like being in pub and finding your coat's been nicked.
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In reply to Trangia:
But yeah, I never understood why would you steal something. If you take the whole society into the consideration, that just can't work in a long term.
> My ex who cycles every day to work returned to her locked bike in the town centre directly under a CCTV camera to find that someone had unscrewed and pinched her flashing rear light . Not only she pissed off at having it stolen but was then unable to cycle home safely in the dark in the heavy commuter traffic.
Well. I left my non-working lights on the bike. Someone did the job for me and removed them. Thanks!> I met up with some friends in the Tesco cafe this morning, where you chose a table, leave a coat or something on the chairs to "reserve" it then queue to buy tea/coffee. You are not out of sight of the table, yet one woman returned to it to find her shopping bag had been pinched. It was empty but was a proper shopping bag, not one of the 5p ones.
I guess someone was expecting to find a wallet inside? > After completing my shopping and paying at the checkout I nipped into the loo briefly leaving my trolley right outside. When I got home I found that someone had nicked a tin of soup!
Someone was hungry. That's easy one. But yeah, I never understood why would you steal something. If you take the whole society into the consideration, that just can't work in a long term.
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In reply to Trangia:
Well admitting that you have a theft problem is the first step to fixing the problem. I admire your courage for admitting so publicly
> In the last 3 days I've been directly and indirectly involved in cases of thieving.
Well admitting that you have a theft problem is the first step to fixing the problem. I admire your courage for admitting so publicly
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In reply to Trangia:
In answer to the question - we'll never know for sure the motives of these people.
The cycle light was possibly per-meditated - someone came and unscrewed it with a purpose brought screwdriver. Can we rule out that the light simply unscrewed over time and fell off?
The bag sounds like opportunism. If it's right next to you, and seems unattended - sometimes people nick things - just because you can.
The soup tin - totally bizarre. Why such a low value item.
In answer to the question - we'll never know for sure the motives of these people.
The cycle light was possibly per-meditated - someone came and unscrewed it with a purpose brought screwdriver. Can we rule out that the light simply unscrewed over time and fell off?
The bag sounds like opportunism. If it's right next to you, and seems unattended - sometimes people nick things - just because you can.
The soup tin - totally bizarre. Why such a low value item.
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In reply to SenzuBean:
Someone probably had nothing suitable for the foodbank donation but thought Trangia's soup was just the type of thing needed.....
Someone probably had nothing suitable for the foodbank donation but thought Trangia's soup was just the type of thing needed.....
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In reply to Tom Valentine:
That was my first thought actually - funnily enough. Trangia can answer if there was a food bank right there.
> Someone probably had nothing suitable for the foodbank donation but thought Trangia's soup was just the type of thing needed.....
That was my first thought actually - funnily enough. Trangia can answer if there was a food bank right there.
In reply to SenzuBean:
It's all he buys.
The question is, which flavour?
> The soup tin - totally bizarre. Why such a low value item.
It's all he buys.
The question is, which flavour?
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In reply to Trangia:
I think you have to put it into perspective mate. Rant and rave all you like - it only ends up giving you an ulcer. Justify it all by thinking that either those type of people are a small minority of the human race, or are so desperate that they had no choice (or a mixture of both). I'm not trying to justify it...it just makes me less nuclear when it happens to me.
Memories of being a skint student, and trying to draw out my last tenner at a cashpoint outside a bank. the machine froze mid-transaction...waited for 10 minutes. Couldn't walk away in case it came back to life and dispensed the cash and my card....asked two women who were passing to keep an eye on it while I went inside to get help from the staff.
Staff couldn't help but when I came back outside, the women said "oh, it spat your card out and said transaction denied". I believed them. Went to the next cashpoint, tried again and the balance was zero.
Bank insist the machine dispensed the £10. those women pocketed the cash and walked away, probably laughing their tits off that they'd robbed me of a tenner. No way of knowing that it was my last tenner for the week, but there you go.
Two ways to go from there - either be very bitter, or just get over it and move on. Maybe they were on the bones of their arse and had a starving kid to feed. Who knows.
Bastards
I think you have to put it into perspective mate. Rant and rave all you like - it only ends up giving you an ulcer. Justify it all by thinking that either those type of people are a small minority of the human race, or are so desperate that they had no choice (or a mixture of both). I'm not trying to justify it...it just makes me less nuclear when it happens to me.
Memories of being a skint student, and trying to draw out my last tenner at a cashpoint outside a bank. the machine froze mid-transaction...waited for 10 minutes. Couldn't walk away in case it came back to life and dispensed the cash and my card....asked two women who were passing to keep an eye on it while I went inside to get help from the staff.
Staff couldn't help but when I came back outside, the women said "oh, it spat your card out and said transaction denied". I believed them. Went to the next cashpoint, tried again and the balance was zero.
Bank insist the machine dispensed the £10. those women pocketed the cash and walked away, probably laughing their tits off that they'd robbed me of a tenner. No way of knowing that it was my last tenner for the week, but there you go.
Two ways to go from there - either be very bitter, or just get over it and move on. Maybe they were on the bones of their arse and had a starving kid to feed. Who knows.
Bastards
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In reply to SenzuBean:
Yes, there was.
It was mushroom soup.
> That was my first thought actually - funnily enough. Trangia can answer if there was a food bank right there.
Yes, there was.
It was mushroom soup.
In reply to Trangia:
maybe their pockets were full and there wasn't mush room for anything else?
I'm here all week
> Yes, there was.
> It was mushroom soup.
maybe their pockets were full and there wasn't mush room for anything else?
I'm here all week
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In reply to Trangia:
This is why is hate everybody.
Before they nick your stuff, they put things they changed their 'minds' about in random places on the shelves of the supermarket.
The idiots.
This is why is hate everybody.
Before they nick your stuff, they put things they changed their 'minds' about in random places on the shelves of the supermarket.
The idiots.
Post edited at 20:29
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In reply to Timmd:
Except that when we had proper austerity and most people were genuinely poor, say in the 30's and 40's, people used to go out and leave their house unlocked because theft was so rare.
Anyway, aquisitive crime is on the decrease, even chavs have got enough not to have to nick as much as they used to.
> I guess things like this may happen more often during austerity. >
Except that when we had proper austerity and most people were genuinely poor, say in the 30's and 40's, people used to go out and leave their house unlocked because theft was so rare.
Anyway, aquisitive crime is on the decrease, even chavs have got enough not to have to nick as much as they used to.
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In reply to Timmd:
It's counter intuitive, but I think it's accepted that in a period of austerity, the level of theft falls.
In the same way that the level of charitable giving increases.
So, it isn't all bad.
Steve
It's counter intuitive, but I think it's accepted that in a period of austerity, the level of theft falls.
In the same way that the level of charitable giving increases.
So, it isn't all bad.
Steve
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In reply to Trangia:
Anybody who gives their business to that odious and repulsive supermarket chain is sad or desperate in my book.
> Tesco was packed today and there were some sad (or desperate?) individuals in there..........
Anybody who gives their business to that odious and repulsive supermarket chain is sad or desperate in my book.
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In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:
I can't understand why you single out one supermarket for this type of criticism.
I can remember when Tesco were wanting to open a store in Holmfirth the reaction of one resident. He didn't want a Tesco because of all the harm it would do to local businesses losing trade etc.
Interviewer then mooted the possibility of a Waitrose.
"Ah, you see, that would be a bit different...."
As you might be able to infer, I am quite content to be sad and desperate in your book.
I can't understand why you single out one supermarket for this type of criticism.
I can remember when Tesco were wanting to open a store in Holmfirth the reaction of one resident. He didn't want a Tesco because of all the harm it would do to local businesses losing trade etc.
Interviewer then mooted the possibility of a Waitrose.
"Ah, you see, that would be a bit different...."
As you might be able to infer, I am quite content to be sad and desperate in your book.
Post edited at 00:02
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In reply to pec:
Possibly because communities were closer and more insular and everyone knew everyone else. People worked locally and didn't travel as far, there would always be people around the neighbourhood; women often stayed at home, kids played in the street and strangers stood out like a sore thumb. People knew who the trouble makers were and unlike today, where unless you are caught in the act there's little chance the Police will devote the resources to investigating low level crime, the trouble makers knew that rough justice would be meted out on the balance of probability.
> Except that when we had proper austerity and most people were genuinely poor, say in the 30's and 40's, people used to go out and leave their house unlocked because theft was so rare.
Possibly because communities were closer and more insular and everyone knew everyone else. People worked locally and didn't travel as far, there would always be people around the neighbourhood; women often stayed at home, kids played in the street and strangers stood out like a sore thumb. People knew who the trouble makers were and unlike today, where unless you are caught in the act there's little chance the Police will devote the resources to investigating low level crime, the trouble makers knew that rough justice would be meted out on the balance of probability.
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In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:
How dare you insult someone you don't even know with your bigoted personal agenda, I will shop where I like and it's got f*ck all to do with you.
> Anybody who gives their business to that odious and repulsive supermarket chain is sad or desperate in my book.
How dare you insult someone you don't even know with your bigoted personal agenda, I will shop where I like and it's got f*ck all to do with you.
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In reply to Tom Valentine:
Some of the effects of big supermarkets on local businesses are applicable to all the supermarkets but Tesco built up a reputation for being particularly aggressive in using their might to force through their planning applications and then flout the planning system once they'd got permission, regularly building stores bigger than they'd been given permission for etc knowing that councils couldn't afford to take them on.
> I can't understand why you single out one supermarket for this type of criticism. >
Some of the effects of big supermarkets on local businesses are applicable to all the supermarkets but Tesco built up a reputation for being particularly aggressive in using their might to force through their planning applications and then flout the planning system once they'd got permission, regularly building stores bigger than they'd been given permission for etc knowing that councils couldn't afford to take them on.
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In reply to EddInaBox:
All that is probably true which proves my original point that its unrelated to austerity which Timmd suggested. People who steal do so because they are dishonest and think they can get away with it not because they are poor, most poor people don't steal.
In modern Britain nobody steals because they need to even if they think they do.
> Possibly because communities were closer and more insular and everyone knew everyone else. . . . etc >
All that is probably true which proves my original point that its unrelated to austerity which Timmd suggested. People who steal do so because they are dishonest and think they can get away with it not because they are poor, most poor people don't steal.
In modern Britain nobody steals because they need to even if they think they do.
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In reply to pec:
Yes and that is just the tip of the iceberg. The deplorable ways they operate know no bounds.
> Some of the effects of big supermarkets on local businesses are applicable to all the supermarkets but Tesco built up a reputation for being particularly aggressive in using their might to force through their planning applications and then flout the planning system once they'd got permission, regularly building stores bigger than they'd been given permission for etc knowing that councils couldn't afford to take them on.
Yes and that is just the tip of the iceberg. The deplorable ways they operate know no bounds.
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In reply to Trangia:
You may call it a "bigoted personal agenda" but I call it having principles and a conscience.
> How dare you insult someone you don't even know with your bigoted personal agenda, I will shop where I like and it's got f*ck all to do with you.
You may call it a "bigoted personal agenda" but I call it having principles and a conscience.
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In reply to Trangia:
This sort of thing doesn't happen if you shop at Sainsbury's old boy. Better class o f people you know!
This sort of thing doesn't happen if you shop at Sainsbury's old boy. Better class o f people you know!
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In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:
You sanctimonious prig. Having principles and conscience starts with not insulting others. If you want to preach piss off and start your own thread, don't hijack mine.
Off you go.
> You may call it a "bigoted personal agenda" but I call it having principles and a conscience.
You sanctimonious prig. Having principles and conscience starts with not insulting others. If you want to preach piss off and start your own thread, don't hijack mine.
Off you go.
Post edited at 11:00
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In reply to Trangia:
Me and my wife were once in a club in Buxton, on leaving we found that my wifes new Duvet had been stolen from the cloakroom. Next week we saw someone wearing it round Buxton, it was absolutely unmistakable. On being confronted he denied all knowledge. To make it worse he was a supposed 'friend' in the same running club.
Me and my wife were once in a club in Buxton, on leaving we found that my wifes new Duvet had been stolen from the cloakroom. Next week we saw someone wearing it round Buxton, it was absolutely unmistakable. On being confronted he denied all knowledge. To make it worse he was a supposed 'friend' in the same running club.
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In reply to Al Evans:
Learning that a friend has stolen from you is horrible, even worse is a relative....
Learning that a friend has stolen from you is horrible, even worse is a relative....
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In reply to Trangia:
Caught the father of one of a baby at work stealing infant formula last week. It's a fairly regular event...................
Caught the father of one of a baby at work stealing infant formula last week. It's a fairly regular event...................
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In reply to Dave Perry:
Surely Waitrose?
> This sort of thing doesn't happen if you shop at Sainsbury's old boy. Better class o f people you know!
Surely Waitrose?
In reply to Trangia:
As a slight aside, I've never seen a cafe where you 'baggsie' a table by leaving personal belongings at it then go and get your coffee/snack. I'd either get my stuff first then find a table or one of the party would stay at the table with everyone else's belongings while the others went and got the coffees etc.
As a slight aside, I've never seen a cafe where you 'baggsie' a table by leaving personal belongings at it then go and get your coffee/snack. I'd either get my stuff first then find a table or one of the party would stay at the table with everyone else's belongings while the others went and got the coffees etc.
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In reply to Rylstone_Cowboy:
It must be a very big book.
> Anybody who gives their business to that odious and repulsive supermarket chain is sad or desperate in my book.
It must be a very big book.
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In reply to Fraser:
We were a large group who wanted to sit together, It's self service, so we asked the staff and they pushed two tables and all the chairs together and they suggested we leave coats, empty bags etc on the chairs whilst we all queued for drinks.
> As a slight aside, I've never seen a cafe where you 'baggsie' a table by leaving personal belongings at it then go and get your coffee/snack. I'd either get my stuff first then find a table or one of the party would stay at the table with everyone else's belongings while the others went and got the coffees etc.
We were a large group who wanted to sit together, It's self service, so we asked the staff and they pushed two tables and all the chairs together and they suggested we leave coats, empty bags etc on the chairs whilst we all queued for drinks.
In reply to Big Ger:
Don't forget Stephen Fry's comment;
"Sainbury's is a very useful shop because it keeps the scum out of Waitrose..."
Don't forget Stephen Fry's comment;
"Sainbury's is a very useful shop because it keeps the scum out of Waitrose..."
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In reply to Big Ger:
Oh dear! I wonder where my nearest one is? Sainsbury's must be so last year then!!
Oh dear! I wonder where my nearest one is? Sainsbury's must be so last year then!!
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