Accidental shoplifting

Sapindus

This is something of a money moral dilemma.

If you found that the till assistant had somehow managed to not swipe an item, even though they had removed the security tag from said item, what would you do? Say this was a basket of several items and you weren't really paying attention and had asked your companion to actually pay. Supposing you got, before you realised,

1. Just past the till
2. out into the car park
3. part of the way home
4. home?

And would it make a difference depending on how expensive said item was? Would you go back to pay for something that cost:

1. £1
2. £10
3. £50
4. £100

And last element of this dilemma, would it make keeping the item more morally acceptable if you then put a generous donation in a charity collection box shortly afterwards?

Vitor

Thieving is wrong, however you dress it up

eddddy

FWIW, what you describe almost certainly isn't shoplifting or thieving, in legal terms.

In legal terms, the contract you make with the shop works like this:

• You present, say, 10 items to the cashier and ask "How much do you want me to pay for these items?"
• The cashier does whatever they need to do (i.e. scans the goods) and says "I want £30 for these items."
• You pay £30 for the 10 items and the contract is complete

If the cashier made a mistake in their calculation (e.g. becuse they failed to scan something) and should have asked you for £35, that doesn't make you a shoplifter or thief.

But if you did something dishonest, like hide an item or change the barcode on an item, the situation is different.

But you might feel morally obliged to tell the shop that the cashier made a mistake, and offer to pay the difference - which is fine.

PLRFD

I would just keep it and forget it 3 times in the past month or so the same woman on the till at Home Bargains has double swiped an item so I paid for it twice I’ve added it up to around £11 ish absolutely no point going back with a receipt and saying it was swiped twice they would just think no you got 2 of them.

strawb_shortcake

When my children were small we went to a large department store to buy them new shoes. We picked a pair a play shoes and a pair of proper shoes each. Bill should have been around £80. In between picking the shoes and paying one child needed the toilet, so I took them and left my Husband to pay.

When we met back up, he remarked it was cheaper than he expected, having paid £18 for 4 pairs of shoes. I think the cashier scanned the play shoes and assumed the boxes were empty - they may have even been wearing the new ones?? I debated going back, I didn't and then felt incredibly guilty and convinced I was going to receive an unexpected bill as karma for not owning up.

As much as I like a freebie, I would own up if it happened again.

Clowance

recently went through a till at Asda not knowing some 3 packs of turkish delight underneath my handbag in the trolley. Went to travel money, lifted handbag and discovered my mistake. Went to back of till with no customers and paid then.

Once before found a lipstick I hadnt paid for in my trolley, couldnt be bothered to go back as already in car park. Left it in trolley, no idea if that was shoplifting or not.

LindsayT

Obviously the OP is asking the questions for a reason. Sounds like something happened to them but they are not saying what.

Many years ago an aunt was visiting. My aunt, my mother and myself were getting some things in Woolworths (that shows how long ago it was). All 3 of us were busy talking and with the Woolworths basket on my arm, we walked out the door straight past a security guard who didn't challenge us. We went next door into Boots and then discovered our mistake. I felt horrified. We went straight back into Woolworths, the security smiled at us as though he had a feeling we would be back and we paid. It made me feel like a shoplifter, even though it was a genuine mistake.

flaneurs_lobster

Context.

Tin of beans on a £100 shop at Tesco? Probably do nothing.

Tin of beans on a fiver shop at the corner shop? I'm going back

Murphybear

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82084095#Comment_82084095

there’s a lot of difference between underpaying £1 in a supermarket and raiding a bank for £1million

MyRealNameToo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82084095#Comment_82084095

Is it even theft?

I've given them a basket full of goods that I want to buy, they tell me is £400, I pay £400, where is the theft? Certainly when the Mrs shops she has no idea the value of the goods shes bought and so wouldnt know if £400 is right or wrong.

Theft requires the intent to deprive the genuine owner, there is no intent here other than to have bought the goods. If you never check there is never criminality. If you do check and see there was a mistake and then dont do anything that may be considered criminal but it could also be addressed under the civil route of undue enrichment instead.

Personally find this happens all the time, normally at restuarants where a round of drinks are missing from the bill. I check the bill and will always raise it in the same way I would raise it if they had charged me for things that I havent had. 75% of the time they just waive it away and tell me to pay what it says.

Also had it with Amazon recently, for some reason I had two parcels delivered with the same contents on different days, checked my account but only 1 item ordered. Told Amazon and they said to just keep it (was only £10 multipack of socks)

1) probably go back

2) just wouldnt happen

3 & 4) probably email or phone the store

£1 is going to cost more to query it and likely not to spot it, certainly £5 or above i'd be mentioning it.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82084607#Comment_82084607

Not in the definition of its a crime, however it may impact the CPS' decision on if to prosecute or police caution etc

ButterCheese

I don't know about law, but my position would depend on if it's a large chain, or a private owner. If private, I would go back and give them anything over 50p, as they struggle enough to make a living anyway.

If it was a large supermarket, who frequently underpay farmers and producers if their carrots aren't 100% perfect, then I would keep any freebies obtained due to their mistake, provided it was an honest mistake at the till (i.e. I didn't notice at the time) and the transaction was complete (i.e. the checkout person said thank you, bye).

Morals shouldn't matter between a small green grocer and a multinational company who report millions in profits per year. But somehow to me it does. Not because they make loads of money, but more because they diddle producers out of their livelihoods in extreme cases, and they try dirty tricks 24/7 to fool customers into thinking some things are good value when in fact they are not