MONEY MORAL DILEMMA: Would you report him to the police?

arefem

Pound wrote: »

End of the line petrol retailers only make a few pence per litre sold. A drive off can have a big impact on their profits.

Actually the big boys who own the stations have already made thier profits by the time we poor suckers draw the fuel from the pumps. For them the fuel stations are like a supermarket loss leader.

I still would not condone the act of driving off without paying though

Taffybiker

If my friend did this runner which was totally out of character for him, then it is not just him that has a problem. It is an indication of the way UK prices generally are spiralling, leaving no choice for many of the poorer people who live and suffer here.

I have always maintained that I would steal if necessary to feed my children. Fortunately it hasn't come to that yet but...

jessegee

I wouldnt report him, poor guy, because the petrol station will report him to police anyway, who will do a check on the vehicle

If he does it again they will be speaking to him ......

jessegee

Marisan

I would not be happy with him,that's for sure,although I would not report him to the police.We all have crisis moments in our lives,but that is not a reason for turning to crime.Many years ago when hubby and I were both made redundant within weeks of each other,I went round the supermarket to get a week's shopping with just a fiver -there were many things I couldn't afford to buy,but I didn't nick them.Thieving just means that those who do pay,pay more.I understand the bad feelings towards the petrol companies and HM Government,and yes,we are being ripped off,but two wrongs don't make a right.

As for my mate,I would offer him the money and ask him to go and pay up,whether he was caught on camera or not,I feel it would ease his conscience.The fact that he had 'confessed' to me would tell me that he was regretting what he had done,so I would help him out -this time.

CyranoGB

Once I would have said a crimes a crime and reported him.
However like most people here I see a hard working guy pushed into a crime by the insane price (tax) of petrol.
the real crime is if he ends up bankrupt with him and his family forced onto benefits

Onchanguy

I have read the MSE e-mails and this forum for some time now and have not posted but this thread has got me incensed.:mad:

I cannot believe that most of the posters on this thread condone theft.

You would all be straight on to the police if I came to your house and stole your property or mugged you for your wallet in the street but you would condone someone stealing petrol.

What's the difference? THEFT IS THEFT.

You are all a bunch of hypocrites. You would slag off the police for not solving crimes but you are not prepared to assist the police when you know a crime has been committed.

You expect the police to solve crime but you are all more than willing to withhold information from them.

It's the same with reclaiming bank charges that this website is behind. You would not accept me coming and taking money from your wallet and spending it but it is OK for you people who cannot manage your finances to spend money belonging to your bank and expect the bank to wear it.

You are clearly informed of bank charges when you open your account and you should expect to be charged if you break the terms and conditions of the account which you agree to when you sign the application form.

Now I have had my rant I am going and I shall abstain from reading this website again as I am so disgusted that so many people condone theft.

No wonder the country has gone to the dogs.

I hope you never become victims of crime because the police will probably not catch the criminals because other people will withhold evidence from them.

pineapple

Gosh I envy those for whom life is so perfectly black and white. No way would I shop him. If it was someone blagging about it, it would be different. I'm all for zero tolerance. But this isn't a case of yet one more toe rag embarking on a life of crime. Rather a mate who was desperate and who gave in to one silly uncharacteristic moment of temptation, I would tell him I thought it was wrong and then I would try to help him. I don't for one minute think that getting a criminal record would help in this case.

wurlitzerwilly

Onchanguy wrote: »

...............It's the same with reclaiming bank charges that this website is behind. You would not accept me coming and taking money from your wallet and spending it but it is OK for you people who cannot manage your finances to spend money belonging to your bank and expect the bank to wear it.

You are clearly informed of bank charges when you open your account and you should expect to be charged if you break the terms and conditions of the account which you agree to when you sign the application form.

It's not the charges being applied that's in question, it's the thieving bloody banks applying excess charges. :mad:

Onchanguy wrote: »

...............
Now I have had my rant I am going and I shall abstain from reading this website again as I am so disgusted that so many people condone theft.

Good. Bloody prat! :j

brightonman123

is the friend maybe hinting that he needs ££ help? i wouldnt admit that i'd done a runner to ANYONE!

DBS2236

If he is so hard up that he can't pay himself, then I would give him the money to pay and insist he do so. I would not like my own integrity compromised by condoning his actions, and if he is suffering genuine hardship then adding criminal offences to his problems won't help him. I have presumed this is out of character, as, if it was not, he would not be a friend of mine anyway.