shoplifting


NrrdGrrl! Discussion Forum: Lives and Confessions: shoplifting
By Lies on Friday, September 4, 1998 - 12:03 pm:

A lot of peaple think that shoplifting is bad but it s a cool. who agrees?


By Gilmoure on Friday, September 4, 1998 - 01:29 pm:

It is stealing. I guess it's all in your morals. If it seems wrong to you it is. If it doesn't seem wrong to you, most will still think it's wrong.

G


By Rhiannon on Friday, September 4, 1998 - 04:06 pm:

IT'S RIPPING OFF SOMEONE ELSE!!!!!
You wouldn't like it if you trying to make a living and people kept nicking your stock!!!!
It doesn't matter whether it's fun these decent people have most probably done nothing wrong and you do this to them.
It may seem fun now but it's going to fuck up your future for sure, you'll get a criminal record or something so no-one will want to employ you, so you'll end up cleaning toilets in a gas station, you will have been expelled from school and it is sooooo unlikely that any decent school will take you on after that so you'll end up in a reject school, get a crap education, not only will that also effect your career but stupidness also means you have bad perception so you will do something like marry an alcoholic druggie who beats you and end up with about five uncontrolable kids and basically lead a crap life.
Murder may like a cool adrenaline rush but that don't seem like a very good idea dose it. Don't ruin your life before it's even started!!!!!


By BlueEyes on Friday, September 4, 1998 - 04:22 pm:

Lies, let Honor & Truth be the Bright Light that exposes your lying words, which turn and twist themselves so easily from your lips. Unveiling you from your hiding place within Total Darkness to the Light of Day..."Stealing is simply Wrong!!"

There is really no need to discuss such foolishness!


By Endora on Saturday, September 5, 1998 - 10:31 am:

Lies,

Why do you think it's cool & why are you asking other people if it is? It's wrong for the various reasons mentioned above. Also, retailers raise prices for everyone to cover shoplifting losses.

I don't know why you think it's so cool, but I'm guessing it's either

a) your friends are doing it or want to do it
b) you're looking for attention
c) it's a rebellion thing

Here's my thoughts on each of the scenarios:

a) Back in my early teens, a group of my friends got caught shoplifting makeup from K-Mart, They were held by security until their parents came to get them. All but one was grounded for the rest of the summer. One of my friends said, "I wish you'd been there, you would have talked us out of it." I sort of ended up as the probation officer/chaperone for awhile after that, because my friends' parents would make my presence a condition of their going out.

Prior to the shoplifting episode, I had stopped spending so much time w/them, because out of our group of 4, one girl kept taking more & more risks w/behavior. For example, we were at the mall & 2 older guys (18 & 19) wanted us to get in a car after them making some rather crude comments. We argued about it & finally I left for the bus. One friend followed me, & the other 2 got in the car. A few hours after I got home, I got a call from one of the friends who'd gotten into the car. The guys pulled over off an exit & when they wouldn't do what they wanted sexually, they made them get out of the car & left them there & they had to find their way back home.

The point of all of this is that you can't be afraid to stand up for yourself. Don't just blindly follow other people. Think about the consequences of what you're doing and take responsibility for it. You're going to have to eventually.

b) The ringleader of the shoplifting episode came from a family where she didn't get a lot of attention. Even shoplifting didn't get her that much attention. She was the only one in the group who wasn't punished. If it's attention you're seeking, there are better ways to do it. There are artistic/athletic/academic outlets for this. If that's not enough, maybe you should talk to someone, friend, family, counselor, but don't deal w/this in a self-destructive way like shoplifting

c) Again, there are other ways to rebel. Hey, there's always listening to music your elders don't like :-) The key is to rebel in a way that won't be self-destructive.


By Soph on Saturday, September 5, 1998 - 10:33 am:

Endora - Go Grrl!


By Anonymous on Saturday, September 5, 1998 - 01:58 pm:

I agrre with Lies its just a bit of fun!


By Chic on Saturday, September 5, 1998 - 05:33 pm:

Stealing is against the commandments and if your parnents caught you...AHHHHH!!!


By Lies on Sunday, September 6, 1998 - 08:20 am:

They haven't caught me yet though


By Endora on Sunday, September 6, 1998 - 09:34 am:

Lies,

But what if they do? My friends were lucky they were caught at a place where they just called their parents. Some places will insist on handcuffing the people and pressing charges. Is it worth it? How is your family going to react? My friends were caught in July & weren't allowed to go out until school started. Needless to say, their parents were very angry w/them.

Again, why do you think it's cool?


By Lies on Sunday, September 6, 1998 - 03:12 pm:

its cool cause these shops don't needthe clothes and stuff. In Macys they're just a little bit snobby for my liking


By Adee on Monday, September 7, 1998 - 05:55 pm:

Lies, I used to be just like you, I thought it was cool, and that I wasn't hurting anyone, and that it was all in good fun, until I got caught. Suffice it to say that my parents weren't too thrilled, and in the case of my mom I'm still trying to get her trust back. I was lucky with my probation officer, we had an aggreement that if I did 40 hours of community service I wouldn't have it written on my record. I wasn't allowed back in the store for a year and I still can't go back without parents until I'm 18. I will never forget the look on my parents face when they came and picked me up, they just looked so heartbroken and dissapointed in me. And I was the one who got off easy, my friend I was with, when they called her parents they weren't home and she got taken to jail! So basically I thought I wasn't hurting anyone, but I was, I was hurting myself! I understand that you get a rush when you shoplift, it's really tempting, hey I still get tempted even now, but I'm never putting myself or my parents through that again. So please take advice from someone who's been there(and gotten caught)just stop, because in the long run, it's not worth it.


By Endora on Tuesday, September 8, 1998 - 10:45 pm:

Lies,

No argument from me about the staff in Macy's, but try telling it to the judge (or your parents, etc.). It doesn't matter how obnoxious the sales staff is, it's not a license to shoplift.

I definitely can relate about how obnoxious they are though. I went shopping w/a friend for a bridal shower gift for another friend at Macy's (a paragraph at the end of my post explains metro New York area wedding customs for those unfamiliar w/them). The bride registered at a different Macy's. We get this list w/no prices & we're hunting through housewares w/no help whatsoever, we finally track someone down & she just tells us we're not spending enough money!!! I don't know if Macy's doesn't hire enough salespeople or doesn't pay them enough or doesn't train them, but I avoid that store whenever possible.

They have a website for wedding register stuff, but didn't have access to wedding registers from this region at the time. As soon as they do, I'll never set foot in that store again, I'll just invite friends over & order from the Internet, so I won't actually have to deal w/the humans there :-)

If it really bothers you that much, get the customer service address & write a letter. Or go to another store.

Metro NY Area Wedding Customs
Depending on a variety of factors, weddings can sometimes be a series of events. There's an engagement party (sometimes held in a catering hall, etc.), then a bridal shower (sometimes held in a catering hall, etc), sometimes a bachelorette party & then the wedding itself. Gifts are often "expected" for all but the bachelorette party. In this region, cash is often "expected" for the wedding, while the shower presents are household items. Some shower organizers will pretty much just let people buy whatever, but sometimes the couple will register for bridal shower gifts at a department store & guest are "expected" to buy items from the register.


By Shampoo on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 - 01:26 am:

i think stealing is *wrong*. you're taking something that doesn't belong to you from someone else who needs to *sell* it to pay for bills and feed their kids. and whoever said that shoplifters raise the price for the rest of us is right. everyone i know who steals rationalizes it by saying that the stuff costs too much, when really it's their shoplifting that's raising the prices! i have never once took something that didn't belong to me, or from a store without paying. it's juvenile and *dumb*! not just about getting caught, i would feel so bad afterwards. really there's no reason for it! when you shoplift, Lies, i'm assuming you're taking little things like lip gloss or mascara or something like that. $3 each. Is that how you get your rush? can't you just ride a rollar coaster or something instead?

people who shoplift: is your lives so incredibly boring that the only way you can entertain yourself is to take something that doesn't belong to you? this is *fun*? to me, fun is a trip to the beach. I can spare $2 out of my pocket for a lip gloss if that's what i want. and not only will the people around me respect me for that, i will respect myself.


By Yo on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 - 11:40 am:

Adee, I was in the same position as u. Take it from me Lies, U don'twannaget caught. As for u Shampoo, I agree with what ur saying, but do u have to be soo nasty about it? Wow I would really hate to be ur friend if thats the way u speak to people.


By Adee on Wednesday, September 9, 1998 - 10:30 pm:

Wow, thanks for calling me "juvenile and *dumb*. You know I thought that by posting in here, I would be able to maybe help stop someone from making the same mistakes I did. I didn't think that I was going to get insulted and called names. You know I don't sit there and judge anyone on their past, or what they might have done, so I'd appreciate it(since you really know nothing about me) if you didn't judge me on my past and what I did. I don't try to rationalize what I did and I do think that I was wrong, but I'm not going to lie and say I didn't get a rush from it. And I'll be completely honest and say that if it wasn't for me getting caught, I'd probably still be stealing even now. Stealing did make me feel guilty, but it also gave me a sense of power. It's really difficult to explain. Part of me is sitting here saying I don't ever want to go through it again, and it's wrong, and I still feel bad to this day. But still when I walk past the cd's in Walmart, or the clothe in department stores, part of me really wants to just take the stuff. I think I'm being honest here, but others might say I was being juvenile and dumb.


By Cara on Thursday, September 10, 1998 - 01:40 pm:

Adee ,I didn't call u juvenile and dum?...


By Shampoo on Saturday, September 12, 1998 - 05:41 pm:

whoa! i didn't call *you* juvenile and dumb, i called *the act* juvenile and dumb! you must agree, adee, or you wouldn't have stopped! i mean, if you get cought it'll go on your record which will make it hard for you to get jobs and everything, it could wreck your life, and you would risk all that for a lipstick?

you're not juvenile or dumb, adee. you're smart and responsible for stopping.

shoplifting is against the law.


By Marsha on Tuesday, September 22, 1998 - 08:06 pm:

shampoo
why are you so suprised when people get mad at your posts. You pretend to be feminist or for peoples rights but the way you talk to people spoils your point entirly. As for shopplifting, lets just say I'm no angel.


By Lanya on Wednesday, September 23, 1998 - 09:22 pm:

whatever floats your boat...but if you get caught it should b e pretty damn embarrassing


By Anonymous on Monday, October 5, 1998 - 02:06 pm:

Alright everyone! I reckon its the own persons decision if they wanna steal or not, if they get caught, wow, bad luck man, if they get away with it, live with fear for a few months. I only shoplifted once, a can of coke from a small shop on an island which was having a crisis of low water supplies, so ok, I was thirsty, so I stole a drink 'cos I was broke. I still feel bad now, even though its been a year, I still go back to the island and think, shit, they might know that I stole a drink (I know it sounds pathetic, but thats me)

I see my friends now comming back from the City and they stole some stuff from the shops, I'm sorta jealous in a way 'cos I would never have the guts to steal anything ever again after the Island exsperience, but then I think fuck it, one day they'll be caught and I wont be there and I wouldn't have to worry about getting into trouble at school or with my parents.

Some people also think shoplifting is not wrong 'cos its taking stuff that you normally wouldn't be able to afford and you really want that T-shirt Miss Popular was wearing at school, you want to be like her, look like her and you like to think if you wear the stuff she is wearing people will like you, well thats bullshit. Its just not worth it. After all, we are in the late 90's and there are cameras everywhere, security here and there and just when you think no one is looking, there's always someone around. Would you like to have your sommer/freedom/holiday/access to your friends cut off just because you wanted to have something you couldn't afford or you wanted to have some excitment?
Get a life.


By Jellokitty on Wednesday, October 28, 1998 - 01:24 am:

well, i wouldn't lift from like a neighborhood store and shit, but let's take sanrio...they charge so much for crappy 3rd rate stuff that i think they deserve it. so my philosophy on shoplifting is that if you've spent over $20 there before and at least one of the items you paid for like a good chick snapped in half as soon as it got home, go ahead and take all you want. if you get caught that's bad, but they're the ones who should be arrested. sanrio is highway robbery!


By Rumpers on Wednesday, October 28, 1998 - 06:05 pm:

Shampoo,

Most experienced shop-lifters do not take $2 lip glosses or shit like that(well, we do but we also take other stuff) As for shoplifters raising the price of things, thats bull shit. I used to work in a very well known clothing store. Do you know how much a 58$ sweater actually costs? Like, 2-7$!!! Do you know why it costs so little? Look at where the damn thing is made-China or Tawain or somewhere else where the labor is cheap and they can exploit their workers. By buying things from *most* stores, you are supporting sweat shops and child labor. On the other hand, I personally like the styles by most major clothing stores. So the logical answer is to steal. And people who work at a clothing store don't lose money in their pay checks if things get stolen. The only people who lose out are the heads of the corporations who really dont need those few extra dollars anyways. So why don't you pick a much worthier cause in fighting for.


By Atarigrrl on Friday, October 30, 1998 - 11:35 am:

Gotta point something out. If you steal the sweater it still leaves the store and it will be replaced by another made by a sweatshop worker. The only way the store stops making $ by exploiting sweatshop workers is if the sweaters STAY ON THE SHELF! So put your feelings against the store into more effective protest. Find out where the clothes are made and who makes them, then go around the mall posting signs with that info if it turns out to be sweatshop workers. Or print out the info on little cards and stuff them in the pockets of the garments, with little messages like "By returning this garment to the store you are helping stop child labor."


By Atarigrrl on Friday, October 30, 1998 - 11:43 am:

I never steal stuff from stores because it's just wrong. I go without cable and fast food so I can afford the things I want to buy.
Instead I dumpster dive. It's fun. Wait till the store closes and find their dumpster. You don't have to literally dive inside, just stand next to it and spot something you want, then pull it out.
The stores throw out stuff that's brand new but is "last month's" style or the wrong color. I found all kinds of new and unbroken stuff in there, and saved a ton of $ finding cheap jewelry and hair stuff. If there's a pack of barettes and some are missing, this store tosses the whole bunch.
Just never go in a compactor or dive around the time the garbage truck will be there. Dive in groups also.
It is technically illegal but you're not stealing because they forfeit rights to what's in the dumpster. And you're saving stuff from landfills.
So I guess dumpster diving is the one thing I do that's sorta illegal and risky. =)


By Lets be bums and check out the trash on Saturday, October 31, 1998 - 07:38 am:

Atarigrrl:

Excuuuuusssssseeeee me?!?!?! Is that really true???? WoW, I gotta check that out. Is that only in america or other countries as well? 'Cos I've never seen any shop chuck out old stuff...Hmm..just might go see if thats really true, 'cos that'll be really cool :-)


By Atarigrrl on Saturday, October 31, 1998 - 11:41 pm:

You won't find something every day, but when you do it's quite cool. I imagine stores from a lot of countries use dumpsters for their trash. Unfortunately I live in a small town whose stores aren't big enough to throw out "wrong color/last month's style" stuff the way larger stores reportedly do, so I find smaller stuff.
In my college town I found:
--an old computer
--frames thrown out because the glass broke but I took the frames themselves for art projects
--fabric from the fabric store
--random weird stuff from the electronics store
--a digital pet that someone returned, thinking it was broken, but it just needed new batteries
--more toys that I gave away--and they weren't broken

Just make sure you go w/someone else...many dumpsters are in alleys and it'll be dark. And compactors stink...they crush things that could go to poor people. Just like some stores intentionally destroy new stuff they're throwing out so no one can use it.


By Arianne on Tuesday, November 3, 1998 - 02:49 pm:

Atarigrrl,

what is the difference between stealing something off the shelves, or scrambling through a dumpster? the store is still loosing money because you arn't buying the thing.

Arianne


By Lies on Sunday, November 8, 1998 - 10:47 am:

Hi evertone i'm back. well shampoo and the rest of u that warned me about it , u were right. Last month I got caught in Bloomingdales stealing a blue DKNY tank top. the store staff called my two big brothers( my parents were killed in a car crash last year and Now my brothers are my guardians) but lukily the store did not call the police. However my brothers yelled at me all the way home and they sat me down 4 a big boring lecture abdf then they grounded me 4ever. In fact this is the 1st time I have been allowed to do come on the internet for 2 monthes. And these were my brothers that deeled the punishment, I cannnot even begin to think what my parents would have done! So all these people who think its cool to shoplift its not , i'ts stupid and dum and land u in trouble


By Endora on Sunday, November 8, 1998 - 08:06 pm:

Lies,

First, I'm very sorry to hear about your parents.

As for dealing w/the punishments, etc., my friends did eventually regain their families' trust, but it took time and work on their part to show they'd changed. Hang in there.


By Lies on Monday, November 9, 1998 - 12:11 pm:

thanks for the advice Endora


By Atarigrrl on Monday, November 9, 1998 - 08:45 pm:

Arianne,

In my opinion there's a difference. Although you're right in that the store isn't making money, if they're throwing stuff out it's better that I take it and donate it somewhere. (I give away at least half of what I find to charity.)

I would never steal something from a store but I can't see the point in letting useful stuff go to the landfill instead of being used, either by myself or someone less fortunate.

I figure they may be losing money throwing something out, but they had the choice to not throw it out...and they'll lose money regardless of whether I remove it from their dumpster or not. =)


By Celia Gardner on Tuesday, November 10, 1998 - 08:36 am:

I used to lift from Superdrug untill they put in cameras. I lifted a drink from Woolworths once because I was thirsty, I had no money and the fridge was next to the door.

Big, fuck - off cameras, that's the way to stop shoplifters. Really big, obvious ones that look at you accusingly. Stopped me, anyhow.

As for "dumpster - diving" - if the shop threw it out and no - one took it, it'd be put in a refuse furnace or something. I'm all for "dumpster - diving".


By Arianne on Tuesday, November 10, 1998 - 10:47 pm:

Atarrigirl,

yeah, and i have the choice of stealing the items. I'm not saying shoplifting is better than dumpster diving, but they are the same thing. i work in a food business, and we give the food we didn't sell(on the sly, because we are not really aloud to) to old homeless people who wait out back. now, we are supposed to through all this "old" food out. but the company figures in at the end of the night a "waste" report. but, if the homeless people come in while we are open, i give them the food for free(if the manager is not around) and the store loses more money that way. so if you want to hurt a store finicially, it's better to steal what they have in stock.


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