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sewradical
08/04/09

In reply to Rabbit Thieves Executed In Eighteenth Century Britain
Not gonna lie - bad things would happen to anyone caught trying to steal my bunnies. Even though they ate my telephone cord this morning.
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TransFat
08/04/09

In reply to Rabbit Thieves Executed In Eighteenth Century Britain
Shit, there are still some fun antiquated laws on the books now in a lot of states. I had to do research for a show based on them. Sample size: It is illegal to walk across state lines with a duck on your head in Minnesota. In Normal, Illinoise it is against the law to make faces at dogs. And in Alabama you can't wear a fake moustache in church with the intent to make people laugh.
I got a lot more...sometimes my job is awesome.
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♥AntiSocialSocialite♥
12/24/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
i stole a book from Border's when I was 16. It was about 5 years ago, but I'm still paranoid when I go into ANY bookstore. It's the only thing I've ever stolen, and I can't stop telling people about it lol.

I wouldn't say I feel BAD about it though...
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onestrawplz
12/24/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
I work in a large chain, pretty upper-end clothing store. We are, under no circumstances, allowed to suggest that a customer has been shoplifting directly to their face. Our LP video upon orientation suggested that if we saw someone shove a $200 cashmere sweater into their bag, that we should approach them and say "Oh, let me show you this lovely pair of jeans that would go nicely with that blue cashmere you selected."

We have a security guard, but he's not allowed to do anything either. A few weeks ago our guard witnessed a customer walk in and snatch up a pile of about 4 or 5 cashmere sweaters worth $200 each. The thief was allowed to walk out and the guard couldn't do a thing. The store has alarms but customers almost always ignore them.

However, do not, under any circumstances, shoplift in Abercrombie & Fitch. The place is swarming with undercovers, and they will tackle you upon your exit if they see you throw an item into your bag without paying for it. Said guard worked at Abercrombie in the past and said the place was loaded with cameras and they did not hesitate to do whatever it took to deter theft.
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Ascendo_tuum
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
We once had a guy caught stealing tampons at a store I used to work. I actually felt bad for the guy, he looked sooo embarrassed. I can just imagine what the wife/girlfriend who sent him in for the tampons thought.
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gabi
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Who hasn't stolen a cup from the dorm cafeteria?
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FourInchHeels
12/23/08

@gabi: It's how I got all my silverware when I lived in the dorms.
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egg cream
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Is it weird that this post just makes me want to go out and try shoplifting something?
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FourInchHeels
12/23/08

@egg cream: I often think that when I hear about stupid criminals - "Gah, I could have done it SO much better!"
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atrixe
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
I used to work at Borders as an Inventory Manager. One of my duties was to properly secure certain items when processing incoming shipments. This meant putting adhesive EAS AM labels {you know, those rectangular white chiclet-like security tags} on all CD's and DVD's, and non-sticky ones buried in-between the pages of certain books.

Which books? I'd receive statistical loss prevention reports which included a breakdown of stolen items by category/subject {like children's books, art books, travel guides, etc}, and had to secure all items in the top three most-stolen categories.

The #1 category for most stolen books? Bibles. I s*** you not, and it was consistently by a wide margin, too.

This shocked me, and I tried to rationalize it by thinking that perhaps people were stealing Bibles because they'd never read it and were therefore not acquainted with the 8th Commandment. However, that seems like a pretty weak argument because I'm pretty sure that most people who've never read the Bible are still aware of the whole "do not steal" position that is conveyed within.
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BiteMeMitchell!
12/23/08

@atrixe: Perhaps they were being stolen by hotel managers to replace the ones that get stolen from the rooms? :o)
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FourInchHeels
12/23/08

@Anointynointy: Aren't you allowed to take the ones from the hotels? I haven't looked in a while, but I seem to remember them being put there by the Gideons with a note inside basically saying it's yours if you'd like it.

I realize you were being funny, and you should know I did have myself a little giggle before my overanalyzing kicked in.
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kate!
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Am I the only Jezebel who has a shoplifting past? One of my girlfriends came home from freshmen year at college and taught us all how to do it. It was a stupid and silly thing that a bunch of broke college girls did.

People stealing food, formulas, diapers is different. It saddens me that we don't have more services for people in need. So many of the agencies in place to help actually make one feel completely demoralized.
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Ascendo_tuum
12/23/08

@kate!: I am ashamed to say I shoplifted TONS of stuff as a teen. That was before they installed cameras at our local mall stores. I was scared straight when my best friend got busted, though.
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JinxyMcDeath
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Um, I was MUGGED. And I thought a lot about this and realized that no matter how desperate you are, you should rip a woman's purse out of her hands, push her to the ground, and run away with it.

Same thing with shoplifting...

I know its less violent, but its still just as wrong. Stealing as a trickle down effect...it could cost someone their job in many different ways.
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JinxyMcDeath
12/23/08

@JinxyMcDeath: Obviously I meant, you should NOT tip a woman's purse...

Also, I should have been more specific...I was mugged about 2 weeks ago in Midtown.
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Gretchen is a new kitten mom!
12/23/08

@JinxyMcDeath: When I was a poor undergrad student I was mugged. I stopped at the food co-op on my way home to buy food and had a grocery bag in my arms. The door to the co-op was off an alley and it was February, so there was a lot of ice. As soon as I got out the door a guy pushed me down and STOLE MY GROCERIES. That was my entire food budget for a week and I had even splurged and bought cheese. Luckily I had just started dating Mr. G. He fed me for the week otherwise I don't know what I would have done.

This guy never touched the bag I was carrying. It had my clarinet case with both of my instruments, valued at about 10k after the specialty work that had been done on them. Oh, and my wallet (for what that's worth).
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Remedios Varo can't see no huevos.
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Also, I have a tendency to take things that aren't mine - my mother's been saying I have kleptomania for years, but fortunately I've never outright shoplifted. I've thought about it a few times, but I'm too chicken/principled to actually do it. However, in the event that I ever need to, I've come up with a few rules: 1. don't touch local businesses, 2. don't take anything too ridiculous (alcohol, yes/electronics, no), 3. don't take it if it belongs to a specific person, and 4. large corporations, especially Wal-mart, are fair game. I have issues with capitalism.
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wry_bred
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
I agree that prosecuting the guy for stealing sleeping pills is ridic, but the cost of those pills IS coming out of a business owner's pocket. My dad used to own a small, family grocery store that was really important to the community, and I can tell you that owning a business doesn't mean he was protected from difficult financial situations, and that when someone shoplifted it did hurt him. Les Miz style theft may be justified, but I can't pretend its also victimless.
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Remedios Varo can't see no huevos.
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
At the grocery store where I worked over the summer, there's a CURSE on those who steal from the place. Seriously - three teenage girls have gotten pregnant within the past several months, and they all used the five finger discount.
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Red-headed bookworm
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
Ok, the guy who was arrested for stealing sleeping pills says nothing about trying to get unemployment or food stamps. I know the economey sucks and I don't live too far away from where he is at. I know other people who lost jobs doing similar things like building trailers and RVs, but they applied for unemployment.

It says:
He and his two small children rely on his wife's minimum-wage job at Wal-Mart, groceries from a food bank and help from his mother, he said

See, these are the times where you take advantage of unemployment and WIC and food stamps. All those things your taxes from your former $20/hr. job were going for. That means, don't steal sleep medication from the store.
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KatsMeow
12/23/08

In reply to Tough Times: Is Shoplifting Ever Okay?
I used to work in LP for a large bookstore chain (let's just say the name sounds like 'WHOREders') and I was always amazed at how easy it is for people to steal.

My favorites are the non chalants...those that walk into a store, pick up what they want, then just casually meander out the door.

I was also amazed at how many chains don't have actual working cameras in their stores...there is a chain of bookstores in malls across the country that have the mirror globes on the ceiling, but no camera inside at all.

I also learned that hard core lifters will bring magnets with them when they shop to deactivate those little security chips.
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TheFormerJuneBronson
12/23/08

@KatsMeow: Wal-Marts often have fake security cameras, too. I worked for them for two years, at two different stores. One had no LP employee, and the other had only one. Between the fake cameras, the inadequate coverage of the sales floor, and the edict that we weren't to attempt to stop shoplifters ourselves, it's no wonder so much merchandise walked away. The first store where I worked apparently learned a lesson about sidewalk sales, also, after someone stole two large-screen TVs from the outdoor area. Just pulled up their truck, loaded the boxes and drove off.
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