Why do people (with money) steal?

[Anonymous]

I'm 13:13 and I'm a parent of two kids. I've always gone back to pay. I also always return my shopping cart, since you mention it. Even with kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any non-parents on this thread? Just curious, because even though i am a stickler for things like going back to pay once you find out you have walked out with something by accident or speaking up when you get too much change, I don't think it's the end of the world for someone to decide not to go back in to pay $2.50 for a pacifier once they're already at their car -- unless the person has no kids with them. Those kinds of losses are part of doing business. It is not stealing, it is an accidental loss to the business owner.

I wonder if the people so adamant here about never, ever walking out of a store with something by mistake are non-parents (who also can't imagine never returning their cart even with kids, key word being "imagine").

So it's okay for people with infants and toddlers to do this? What about when you have a four-year old? A ten-year old? Where't the cutoff for when you don't have an excuse to steal anymore?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any non-parents on this thread? Just curious, because even though i am a stickler for things like going back to pay once you find out you have walked out with something by accident or speaking up when you get too much change, I don't think it's the end of the world for someone to decide not to go back in to pay $2.50 for a pacifier once they're already at their car -- unless the person has no kids with them. Those kinds of losses are part of doing business. It is not stealing, it is an accidental loss to the business owner.

I wonder if the people so adamant here about never, ever walking out of a store with something by mistake are non-parents (who also can't imagine never returning their cart even with kids, key word being "imagine").

So it's okay for people with infants and toddlers to do this? What about when you have a four-year old? A ten-year old? Where't the cutoff for when you don't have an excuse to steal anymore?

First of all, I have never in my entire life stolen anything. I have never taken something unknowingly to my car that I have not returned. i have never not spoken up when I was given too much change, either. What I'm saying is I don't consider it stealing if someone else unknowingly takes an item out of the store and then decides it's not worth dealing with the $2.50 to go back. I think common sense is the grease that makes society work.

But how about these for cut-offs for not having an "excuse" to steal, for yourself:

You're on a road trip and stop for gas. You get back on the highway and drive 45 minutes before you realize your six year old is chewing gum you didn't pay for. Do you turn around and go back? How about if you've driven two hours? Four hours?

If you are really the kind of person who returns things in a knee-jerk manner, like I am, then you would have had plenty of experiences by now where you returned things only to realize the person at the store thinks it's funny you took the time or makes it clear it just isn't that big of a deal, or you would have brought it to their attention that the last time you were there your kid ate an apple you forgot to pay for and the store says, "no big deal, don't worry about it." It's good to have things in perspective in life. You calling people in these circumstances shoplifters with no conscience just smacks of a rigid view of life that does not reflect any understand of life with normal humans.