Five finger discounts - My recent experiences

JayM on 03/07/2014 - 15:06
Last edited 05/07/2014 - 08:28

Was in Woolies today and an older gentleman (~70?) in a large brown jacket was in the chocolate aisle standing next to the $1 chocolate bars. My spidey senses were tingling and I decided to keep an eye on him, pretending to examine how unhealthy for me each choccy bar was. He grabbed about 5 large Picnic bars then whilst there were a few people around continued to stuff said Picnics into the top pocket of his jacket. He also grabbed some Cherry Ripes and put them into his "shopping bags" all whilst I was watching, hoping to deter him. I hate stealing as I once did it when I was 15 and realised the error of my ways and how it impacts businesses.

Decided to tell the first staff member I saw whilst waiting at the checkout who i thought would then tell a manager or someone. As i was scanning my own chocolates I kept an eye on what the person who i told was doing. They didn't do anything. Just kept walking around the main counter having a joke with another staff member then started "guarding" the self-service checkouts. I guess there's not a huge amount they can do?

It happened previously about 2 months ago but in Coles. I was also in the chocolate aisle and saw a middle aged couple lean over and grab a hand full of chocolates. As with the older guy above i had my suspicions. I finished buying my own chocolates and walked to the self-service checkout bays only to find said couple already there and none of the chocolates they had picked up were anywhere to be seen, only some fruit and bags of things (that are not easily concealable in a jacket for instance). I told the self-service checkout guard but by that time the couple had already left the shop and I was told they can't do anything once the person has left the premises.

If you're wondering why I hang around chocolate aisles a lot it's because I run a social club at work :).

General Discussion

Comments

        • mrluke on 09/07/2014 - 19:15
          -2

          @King Tightarse:

          Haha yes moron I'm sure you can tell everything about me from a few words on the internet, even more sure that I don't care what you think… ;)

        • King Tightarse on 09/07/2014 - 19:33

          Haha thats why you're replying to a post from three days ago. Nah, you don't care at all "Mr Dignity".
          Hey its school holidays right now, right?
          "Look son THIS is how you diddle the scales at Coles and tomorrow, well tomorrow Papa's gonna teach you how to con a free cheeseburger by being sly"
          Your grand kids must really look up to you, Mr Dignity.

        • Eivad on 11/07/2014 - 18:34

          @sirlothie: Sirlothie, please, I only have 5 negs to give a day

    • Ughhh on 07/07/2014 - 16:45
      +1

      true crook only steals something if it's worth something

      I would love to come to your house and take all your stuff like tv's, your second hand tv doesn't worth anything so it's not really stealing :)

    • cloudy on 07/07/2014 - 16:45

      Also, i would have loved to see your grandmother shop at my grandma's old fruit and veggie shop. My grandma would have grabbed a broom and smashed your grandmothers wrist for breaking broccoli stalks and swore in chinese till she ran away.

      do you happen to peel off the skin of a banana before buying it? or a mandarin, or orange?

      • juventino on 07/07/2014 - 18:05

        the rumour goes that he peels off durian skin and scrape the meat off the seed as well

    • [Deactivated] on 07/07/2014 - 18:49
      +5

      Who the flip doesn't eat the broccoli stalks?!

      They're crunchy and delicious.

      You freaks!

      • tonka on 07/07/2014 - 18:57

        Agreed , I do break off the brussel sprouts and leave them behind though.

  • Aneurism on 07/07/2014 - 01:07
    +2

    I would have thought that the in thing these days for most people is to just pull out the mobile phone, film it, post it on youtube and hope it goes viral

  • Moots on 07/07/2014 - 13:43
    +5

    I seen an elder man recently at Woolworths stealing, he seemed a bit odd, a bit chubby with extra pockets wide open in his cargo pants. He was in the fruit and veggie isle, I noticed he had taken a hand full of tomato's, and onions, and some fruit. When I walked past him we made some awkward eye contact, although I don't approve of stealing, I didn't tell anyone as this guy would be in his 80's and all he wanted was some fruit and veggies, not chocolate bars. I really felt for him.

    • stemcell on 07/07/2014 - 17:27
      +1

      Exactly what any normal person would do.

  • shaiguy on 07/07/2014 - 14:16
    +2

    Witnessed quite a bit of shoplifting e.g. kids flogging candy out of a convenience store, Woolies, KMart, Myer, etc. however these ones take the cake:

    1. Guy taking a massive printer at Officeworks Parramatta and walking straight through the registers with staff in amazement and calling him for stop. No one did a thing.
    2. John Street Cabramatta supermarket, lady with LV handbag, expensive looking coat and sunnies caught by lady flogging stuff. Only when she was caught did she say she was going to pay for it. Massive argument and she just chucked everything on the counter and walked out.
    3. Paddy's markets, guy flogging zippo lighters right under the seller's nose (must have been a pro/enjoyed the thrill).
  • [Deactivated] on 07/07/2014 - 17:16

    On the other hand, why should police be acting as security agents for large multinationals who can afford to do it themselves? If these big organisations cannot implement their own 'loss prevention strategies' then why should we tie-up police resources to do so?

    • juventino on 07/07/2014 - 18:12

      they are not acting as security agents, just law enforcement agents. Which is why police are called once an offence has most likely been committed.

      are you saying you are happy to allow the multinationals to create their own law ? Ridiculous thinking

    • cheng2008 on 08/07/2014 - 00:58

      I don't think you understand what you're asking for.

  • Hotdogs on 07/07/2014 - 21:10
    +1

    from a utilitarian point of view the world is probably better off

    • Eivad on 11/07/2014 - 18:37

      How? Stealing creates a number of consequences for the community:

      1. Coles/Woolies run stocktakes and realise that theft is on the rise. They spend money/resources investigating and implementing firm-wide measures to prevent theft

      2. This leads to increased cost of running the business, which will be passed on to consumers in the form of increased prices of groceries.

      Do you even understand utilitarianism? Even if there is no added cost of implementing security measures / running investigations, the community is still worse off, as the reduced community consumer surplus from having increased prices outweighs the marginal benefit gained by the thieves from stealing.

  • Tripnfelt on 07/07/2014 - 23:39
    +1

    I was at a department store and I saw a boy about 10yo try on lipstick then put it in his pocket, he turned around gasped and went pale white when he saw that I had seen him, I just smiled. Another time I saw a high school aged boy put a pr0n magazine under his jacket at my local mom+pop newsagent and I cut in front of him and gave him a look and he put it back. I've been tempted to steal embarrassing items - thank god for selfserve checkouts.

    • rekabkram on 08/07/2014 - 01:16
      +1

      Don't feel embarrased buying 'embarrasing things'. If you need to buy condoms then also pick up a couple of large storage containers, thick rubber gloves and garbage bags.

      When going through the checkout ask the attendant if he/she thinks acid would eat through the tubs and ask if he/she likes to 'party'?

  • chinabuy on 08/07/2014 - 01:36
    +1

    I think I'd share how the Chinese prevent theft. Basically their mentality is to assume everyone is trying to steal.

    No matter how big a supermarket is there is almost always only one narrow entrance and exit, staffed at all times. People are not allowed to bring in any handbags, backpacks or items from other stores. They need to use the free lockers provided outside the store for any bags (and you get no compensation if your valuables are lost whilst shopping). After checking out, everyone queue up at the narrow exit waiting for the staffie to slowly check each and every bag (not always but you never know until your turn). At the very least they will skim through your receipt and check any bulky items, e.g. anything with a box they will open and inspect if you stuffed any smaller items inside. If you shoplift and get caught you will probably never get away with any excuse, and they will detain you until police come I suppose.

    I would say the shopping experience in Australia is way better. There is a tradeoff between customer experience and theft prevention. For businesses they perhaps will just choose whatever model that maximises their profit. But the Chinese model simply doesn't work here any retailer dare to try will go out of business in no time.

    • dannyhc on 08/07/2014 - 09:09

      Costco have a strict receipt check policy, they say it's to ensure you haven't 'overpaid'.

      Only a matter of time before they get the lockers installed.

      • cuteseal on 08/07/2014 - 16:23
        +1

        From my experience they just do a cursory glance at the receipt and the goods.

        I'm speculating they are trained more to read body language - people with something to hide might appear nervous or shifty.

        • dannyhc on 08/07/2014 - 16:47

          If that was the case then why do they use their high lighters to mark off items in batches and ask to inspect inside my cooler bag?

          They always do a thorough check and comment on the high quality of my cooler bag, Nice zips, thick insulation and ease of access.

          It's measures like this that will ensure the future survival and prosperity of Costco and Aussie Farmers Direct.

          Colesworth will become a long forgotten memory of a corporation who destroyed the souls of their primary producers and ripped off their customers hand over fist.

  • voiletmay on 08/07/2014 - 09:42

    I once saw a lady put some items under a flap of the pram she was pushing (contained a baby). She then went through the checkout and paid for the cheaper items she had, but not the expensive items she hid. I was behind her at the checkout and she did the hiding while waiting in line at the checkout.

    • cuteseal on 08/07/2014 - 16:25
      +4

      Pram story!

      My wife has inadvertently shoplifted twice - while at the $2 store my 2 year old son grabbed some random toy and put it into the pram and my wife unknowingly walked out with it.

      First time it happened she found it while putting the pram in the car and took it back to the shop.

      Second time she found it when she got home and couldn't be bothered bringing it back…

      • Risser on 08/07/2014 - 17:21
        +2

        We've done this as well! However, we went back and returned(if kids put it in) or paid for the item.

        Edit; that shouldn't sound like I'm judging you, simply affirming a similar event.

  • onlyletters on 08/07/2014 - 11:27
    +4

    I seen an old guy put one of those press to release air freshener down his pants one day and he noticed me looking so he pressed his pants and it made a psss sound, funniest day ever

  • tonka on 08/07/2014 - 14:14

    Maybe the question should be why don't people shoplift from the big guys.
    If I posted a $10 off coupon hack most people here would go for it. Myself i feel very different about cheating Colesworth rather than pocketing stuff but bottom line it's the same thing.

    So is it fear of reprisal/punishment.
    Fear of bad reputation
    Childhood conditioning not to steal that doesn't extend to coupon hacks.
    Sense of honour
    Other maybe

    Personally I thinks mine is Childhood conditioning. Colesworth are so big now that to me they are more of an environmental factor than an entity so they don't seem to trigger my ethics like a small business would.

  • scrimshaw on 08/07/2014 - 14:15

    I've seen people try to pop rechargeable batteries out of their blister packs in Woolies. Since the blister packs are hard to get into without scissors, they stand there fumbling with the cardboard for around 5 minutes while looking extremely suspicious to anyone that walks by.

  • gimme on 08/07/2014 - 14:44
    +4

    LOL If any junior police prosecutors are looking for some practice, this thread accompanied with IP addresses would provide enough material to keep them busy for a while.

  • nikey2k27 on 08/07/2014 - 20:53
    +2

    we had customer used stolen card with 3000 macbook and then went card did not work they grab it of the desk and ran with it. we ran down the street chuck it on the road as truck was come rand it over. my boss was so pissed off.

    • [Deactivated] on 08/07/2014 - 21:31

      Imma just +1 you there, man.

    • sparkles on 08/07/2014 - 23:37

      This story has made me laugh and laugh

    • tonka on 09/07/2014 - 01:45

      Sounds like a Macbook assassination.

  • Kempe on 09/07/2014 - 19:23
    +1

    I dont think this part of the OP's story is true…."I was told they can't do anything once the person has left the premises"
    My understanding is the opposite and you cant do anything until they leave the premises without paying.
    Reason being stuffing choc bars in your pocket while still being in the store without passing through checkout is NOT stealing

    • rekabkram on 09/07/2014 - 20:10

      They can be stopped from stealing if they are still in the store, they can't be charged with stealing unless they leave the store. Intending to steal isn't a crime.

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