Poll: You see a poor man slip a can of food into his jacket....

[MrHans]

<< You see a poor man slip a can of food into his jacket....What do you do? >>


If I'm the store detective, bust his ass is what I'd do. If it's not my job, I didnt see it.

Perhaps some legal whiz could tell us if we'd be accessories or something like that for not reporting. You just cannot judge a person's wallet by the clothes they wear. At the local fruit market, occasionally I'll see beggars outside. I won't give money but I'll offer something to eat out of my grocery bags.

 

[twong82]

put it back

 

[TuffGirl]

ArkAoss, your story about your experiences at compusa &amp; homedepot had me ROTFL!!! I can't believe there are people out there with that much gall...

Karen

 

[Dedpuhl]

so who is ending up getting hurt? some store owner with a mansion and a yacht? it is a shame if a man has to steal, but you were never put into that position where hunger pains dominate your values moral. human beings are made of flesh, we need to eat to survive, unlike some humble imaginative ethereal figure. of course, buying him a bag of groceries would be preffered by far

I have worked in a grocery store for 7 years. It makes me mad when I see shyte like this posted. The &quot;no one is really getting hurt&quot; logic is CRAP. Assume you have 10 people a day stealing $5 worth of food a day from 100 Kroger stores in a year. That totals:

$1,825,000 in theft PER YEAR.

Now from my experience, there Is A LOT more theft than this occuring per day. Who absorbs the losses? The employee does. We end up losing out on money because of petty thieves. I don't care who it is. If you steal from my store you will have the cops called on you.


If these people have the balls to steal, they should have the balls to ask the manager for a handout. All 3 store managers I have worked for have given to people that have asked.

 

[Xzaver]

Dedpuhl , DItto.

~X~

 

[BoberFett]

Go Dedpuhl!

 

[Bignate603]

He's stealing food to stay alive, i don't know what I would do. Probably the best thing to do morally would to tell him to give you the can and buy it for him. Then you don't feel guilty because you stayed quiet and you didn't tell on a poor guy just wanting a meal. I actually regret the times I pass homeless guys on the street without giving them anything, they just want to be treated like a person too.

 

I would turn the other way.
Because I know if I was poor/homeless , I would do the same thing.

 

[Deicide]

I read a story where a guy did 3 days in jail for stealing a candy bar, so I wouldn't doubt jail time for the can of soup, especially if he's a repeat offender.

 

[GroundOO]

Really, what makes it your responsibility to turn the guy in. Especially if it's some big comercialized place (e.g. mainstream supermarket, etc.) Either help him out or mind your own damn business. If he goes to jail, think that's gonna help him (or her)? They'll probably be just as in debt (or more) and not have any change of attitude at all. And if they had any kids/pets/other dependants, they'd be royally screwed over.

Personally if I saw this happening (like with a can of food or medicine or something) I'd offer to buy it and maybe some more. If he gave me one of those &quot;I don't want your charity&quot; things, I'd say whatever, and let him go. Either way he or his family needs it, if he wants to admit it or not.

Quite obviously if it's some punk kid stealin' something I'd casually point it out by saying &quot;Excuse me, I think you might want to pay for that.&quot; ...In a loud booming voice, hehe.

Back to the poor guy, if he was trying to steal booze or something stupid I'd tell him that if he put it back I'd buy him some food. (maybe 10-15$ now, more if I actually had a job. I'm only 16 btw, no unemployment for me.)

Bottom line is you're not helping anything by turning him in and treating him to some food would make him feel better, if nothing else. If you're trusting enough (GFriday) take him home even! Mommy, he followed me home, can we keep him?

 

[MrCraphead]

I'd tell him I would buy him some groceries/food if he wanted some.

 

[pen^2]

<< I have worked in a grocery store for 7 years. It makes me mad when I see shyte like this posted. The &quot;no one is really getting hurt&quot; logic is CRAP. Assume you have 10 people a day stealing $5 worth of food a day from 100 Kroger stores in a year. That totals:

$1,825,000 in theft PER YEAR.

Now from my experience, there Is A LOT more theft than this occuring per day. Who absorbs the losses? The employee does. We end up losing out on money because of petty thieves. I don't care who it is. If you steal from my store you will have the cops called on you.


If these people have the balls to steal, they should have the balls to ask the manager for a handout. All 3 store managers I have worked for have given to people that have asked.
>>



dephul
i cant blame you for being mad about your earnings getting shaved off; however, if you have a job you know you are way better off than those that are forced to steal. maybe i am assuming too much by saying most of those homeless people absoultely needed to steal cuz i wouldnt shoplift unless otherwise. if a store got the 10 people stealing stuff everyday then the store really got some security breach. besides, if someone decideds to steal from the same place on a daily basis then he would really need to seek for outside help. i never meant to imply they are free of guilt or to justify their wrongdoings. the question being asked was not what you would do as a manager but as a witness. you see, by nobody gettin hurt i meant the loss businesses suffer is yet much less than the damage done to an individual caught and caged behind the bars, IMO anyway. sorry if my babble offended you.

as for those store managers, i am glad to hear you are working with some nice folks.

 

[Plantanthera]

I'm with loudog9999 &amp; Whitedog.

Would ask him why he have the need to take something with out asking. All he have to do is to ask for the goods. Then I would take the product and any others goods that he may have the need for to the counte and paid for it.

 

[Clinotus]

Ironically the law makes no allowance for theft in any manner whether it be by rich or poor; even the rich are not permitted to sleep under bridges and in parks.

Reading the comments from this post is like reading the script for a poorly scripted model about the caste system which so many of you are so eagerly cling to and even boldly uphold as you proclaim your love for yourselves. If a POOR man is stealing FOOD so what? You think he wants to STEAL food in ORDER TO EAT?? You think he isn?t sick of shelters where it's always crowed, where the food often runs out, where the welfare system which was designed to help him does nothing for him in terms of societal reformation and training but is actually detrimental (somewhat) as it's become so corrupted by the OUTRIGHT THEVIES who steal that money with carefully crafted lies and double address?s for the 1st and the 15th of each month? Are you people serious? Am I reading this that you would persecute someone for stealing say a loaf of bread costing $1.98 cents vs. the guy with a bullish story collecting and skimming 33% of YOUR TAXES??? Yeah, petty thefts hurt the economy and it comes right back on me as a consumer....but hey, what about corporate welfare, you think At&amp;t really needs a corporate tax cut for &quot;community access and support&quot;? That?s a few more dollars out of your paychecks for Federal and State relief for another corporate conglomerate whose stock most people can't buy. What about your humanity here people? Open your ears and your eyes. I, in no way condone theft, but for the theft of food by a HUNGRY person who has nothing?, I have to pass. I'd offer to buy him a meal but.....lets face it my one gesture of pity is not going to help this individual any more than his life of petty theft. Some of you sound like angry dukes guarding your land from the serfs who don?t have the ability to maintain your quo.

 

[Namuna]

I'd wonder if he didn't already YOINK other stuff before I saw him YOINK a can of food.

Then I'd continue on my way.

 

[Dedpuhl]

BrotherMan

<<<you are way better off than those that are forced to steal>>>

Once again I state:

If these people have the balls to steal, they should have the balls to ask the manager for a handout.

 

[bozack]

hear no evil see no evil

I wouldn't say a damn thing

 

[Bignate603]

still say you offer to get the guy some stuff. buying the guy 20 bucks worth of food isn't that much. Unless you know the story behind it, I wouldn't judge the person.

 

[dabuddha]

If I was ever poor, I would not steal. That is a fact I know about myself. It's about morals. There are so many opportunities for people in today's society in America. He can easily get a job anywhere. Even if they're poorly dressed. He could work in a mom and pop store or in a diner in the back. Start saving up and get his life on track. If he has kids, there are shelters that will help house them and clothe them. There really is no excuse to steal. And Windogg's right about what a poor man looks like. I have no clue. I have some friends who are broke as a joke and wear much nicer clothes than most people do. I had an old family friend who had millions of dollars and still shopped at walmart and bought generic items instead of brand name stuff.

 

[thelanx]

The ends do not justify the means.
Personally, I would feel sorry for the guy. I would try to help him but tell him not to steal. I probably try to get him a job. Like they say, if you give a man a fish, you'll feed him for one day. If you give a man a fishing rod, he'll feed himself!

 

[CrazyRaider]

i wouldent report it but i would tell him to put it back and buy him whatever he wants (well not whatever, but you know what i mean)

 

[Suicidal]

I would pull out the 'ol Gerber Chameleon 2 and BUTCHER HIM!!! I WOULD FEAST ON HIS INSANITY!!!

 

[monckywrench]

Having actually known and socialized on a friendly basis with a variety of poor folks I don't buy into the rationale that it is ok for them to steal, and I find it funny that other posters think its cool to rip off stores. Wait until some derelict steals YOUR $h1t and see how ya feel.
&quot;Ah stole youse compooter cuz Ah am suffering from da Digital Divide!&quot; If the hypothetical homeless human is fit to walk in to the store and steal he is fit to mop floors and do other bottom-feeder chores for food. A very large proportion of poor people actually ARE trash, and make quite the effort to stay that way. The folks who most deserve help usually will not steal nor will they ask for assistance. When I donate to help the poor I route it through local churches as they seem to take some care in who gets it.

 

[phatstyl]

hey, i keep to myself, and thats the wa i am, but if you wanna bust his ass, u go ahead and do it

 

[mr_cheesy]

ok, I'm seeing things being mentioned about morals and whatnot. being a 'poor man' in this situation leaves too much variance. lets say this person doesnt have the rational thought or the comfort you have to make these statements from. he has nothing and goes into the store knowing the owner will not give charity. survival comes into play. this situation wouldn't be a kid swiping a geforce of of a compusa shelf, this is someone stealing a can of food that cost most likely under $2. but still in our society it is wrong. Do I hold it against him? no not really. Does he need help, which is the most likely question? yes.
Oh theres obviously help out there... but you go sit under a bridge for just a few weeks and see how rational your thoughts are. give me a break. Far too many people I've dealt with in this situation, or that have been homeless have had mental problems. Is that everyones problem? Most likely not. but we choose to disgard them, or at least leave it to prople who do. there is no easy answer to this.
Maybe I've taken the deep end of this. If this was someone who say chose videogames over food then hell yes, he's made a bad choice. and it was a choice. not instinct.

Screw it...