Oompah Oompah, stick it up ya jumpa!

treliac

lemonjelly wrote: »

This could be quite a problem if it grows. I am quite surprised that what is generall being stolen aren't necessities. It appears too many haven't learned that you can't have everything now, and that keeping up with the jonses is paramount to many in the populace. It also appears many are unwilling to take on the mse downshift challenge!;)

Anyone else surprised by this news?

Anyone else concerned it could be a significant problem (if unchecked, or from a consequence point of view)?

Not surprised. The British have turned into a dismal lot. I question my sense of patriotism now. Greed, selfishness, immorality, false pride - it's disheartening. Led by this role model of a government. :mad:

I really think we should have suffered the full impact of what's happened to the economy. People are clinging on by their dishonest fingernails rather than accept the inevitable. All this QE and let's pretend we're not in trouble (until after the election anyway) is only making things worse.

But how can dishonesty be curtailed? It goes on from the top down. Courts are soft, jails are full. Let's not be in any doubt - we all pay heavily for this growing lawlessness.

Snooze

squack wrote: »

i think in supermarket shoplifting its luxury food items like top notch cuts of meat etc. that cash strapped people cant buy anymore :money:

Top notch cuts of meat? .........in a supermarket?

Something not computing there. :huh:

R

fedupfreda

Snooze wrote: »

Top notch cuts of meat? .........in a supermarket?

Something not computing there. :huh:

R

The quality may not be top notch but the price certainly is.;) How many decent sized beef joints can you see in your local supermarket under £10? (when its not on special offer that is). The premium stuff tends to cost nearer £20 for a reasonable sized bit of beef. I could say the same for any meat or poultry. So it was hardly surprising we caught more than one person trying to smuggle a turkey out under a big winter coat. When they were followed out of the store to be challenged, it would turn out their car was usually something expensive, like a Mercedes. So you would have thought they had the money to pay.

The majority of stuff stolen, IME, tends to be smaller, high value items like booze, razor blades and batteries, which is why they are usually security tagged up to the eyeballs, and the last 2 tend to be on aisle ends where the staff can keep an eye on them as well (You would be surprised how many customers think they can take things out of their packaging and smuggle them out that way).

lostinrates

Parmesan is meant to be a big target for theft. I remember an artical about it, which I noted, because I'd read a similar one, perhaps more understandably, in Italy. But apparantly its a thing here too.

JanCee

lostinrates wrote: »

Parmesan is meant to be a big target for theft. I remember an artical about it, which I noted, because I'd read a similar one, perhaps more understandably, in Italy. But apparantly its a thing here too.

Slightly off topic but Lidl sell parmesan and it is much cheaper than the other supermarkets. Recommended by GHI (Good Housekeeping Institute)

lemonjelly

hearts wrote: »

It doesn't take a genius to work out that higher unemployement = more crime. In fact your decision to limit it to "petty crime and fraud" was amusing?
A couple of questions though.

1. Isn't shoplifting a petty crime?
2. Why did you specifically mention fraud?

Oh another thing. QUOTE: "I'd suggest they are trying to sustain an unsustainable lifestyle, and their shoplifting is a lot about status"

Is this not the case for 99% of shoplifters. The other 1% being the ones who do it for kicks.

I'd argue it is a petty crime. It is smaller scale, & there is lesser impact than non-petty crime (the more severe crimes, such as assault or other such crimes against a person).

I mentioned fraud as I anticipate that households will look for means to sustain their incomes, or increase them to maintain current financial commitments. This may be through forms of commercial fraud, or alternatively benefit fraud, council tax discount etc.

I fit starts getting very bad, then we could see slightly more extreme stuff - street robberies/muggings increasing, perhaps more people turning to prositution to increase their income? However this would be a later step.

Interesting you find the original post/topic amusing. I wouldn't expect people to go in at the deep end robbing banks etc. We are a year in to a downturn, & now people will start to look for ways to maintain a lifestyle to which they've become accustomed. They won't go straight into high profile crime.

Oh, & in response to this "Is this not the case for 99% of shoplifters. The other 1% being the ones who do it for kicks" I'd say it is nonsense. They're trying to feed drug habits, or other addictions. They're trying to get sellable goods to increase their income. Some of them (see my earlier post) are trying to get food so they can eat that day.

So I'd suggest your generalisations are quite some way off.

treliac wrote: »

Not surprised. The British have turned into a dismal lot. I question my sense of patriotism now. Greed, selfishness, immorality, false pride - it's disheartening. Led by this role model of a government. :mad:

I really think we should have suffered the full impact of what's happened to the economy. People are clinging on by their dishonest fingernails rather than accept the inevitable. All this QE and let's pretend we're not in trouble (until after the election anyway) is only making things worse.

But how can dishonesty be curtailed? It goes on from the top down. Courts are soft, jails are full. Let's not be in any doubt - we all pay heavily for this growing lawlessness.

I agree. I think we need some icons to show us it really ain't all about materialism.

fedupfreda

lemonjelly wrote: »

Oh, & in response to this "Is this not the case for 99% of shoplifters. The other 1% being the ones who do it for kicks" I'd say it is nonsense. They're trying to feed drug habits, or other addictions. They're trying to get sellable goods to increase their income. Some of them (see my earlier post) are trying to get food so they can eat that day.

So I'd suggest your generalisations are quite some way off.
QUOTE]

I agree, deffo the case that the majority of the ones who actually get caught are either a) naive, b) desperate, or c) trying to support drug or alcohol dependency. The value of each theft, on its own, is rather small. Unfortunately there are so many people now in the same boat the figures are bound to tot up.

If the recession carries on (as I believe it will) then there are going to be many more people resorting to desperate measures. But then those higher up the chain set such a lousy example - they seem to act as if they are untouchable (Anyone remember that american woman who said 'taxes are for the little people?' Her name escapes me.) When MP's are found happily filling their boots with impunity, you can hardly blame Joe Public for trying to do the same. Its been a long time since honesty, morality and ethics had value in our society.

lemonjelly

fedupfreda wrote: »

lemonjelly wrote: »

Oh, & in response to this "Is this not the case for 99% of shoplifters. The other 1% being the ones who do it for kicks" I'd say it is nonsense. They're trying to feed drug habits, or other addictions. They're trying to get sellable goods to increase their income. Some of them (see my earlier post) are trying to get food so they can eat that day.

So I'd suggest your generalisations are quite some way off.
QUOTE]

I agree, deffo the case that the majority of the ones who actually get caught are either a) naive, b) desperate, or c) trying to support drug or alcohol dependency. The value of each theft, on its own, is rather small. Unfortunately there are so many people now in the same boat the figures are bound to tot up.

If the recession carries on (as I believe it will) then there are going to be many more people resorting to desperate measures. But then those higher up the chain set such a lousy example - they seem to act as if they are untouchable (Anyone remember that american woman who said 'taxes are for the little people?' Her name escapes me.) When MP's are found happily filling their boots with impunity, you can hardly blame Joe Public for trying to do the same. Its been a long time since honesty, morality and ethics had value in our society.

Quality post! Full agreement here.

Leona Helmsley was her name I believe. The queen of mean...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leona_Helmsley

kabayiri

squack wrote: »

i think in supermarket shoplifting its luxury food items like top notch cuts of meat etc. that cash strapped people cant buy anymore :money:

Too true, and it was going on in the 80s in America too.

I seem to remember a 'documentary' about a well-heeled chap in a fur coat stealing a leg of cooked ham.

...or was that Trading Places ? :rolleyes:

lemonjelly

Or even Winona Ryder?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/2406069.stm