A Petty Rant for Petty thieves

[cosmosdan]

I've worked retail for a long time and petty thieves always irrirtated the crap out of me. From scam artists who switch sales tags to try and save $5.00 or so, to people who lie to try and get a price match that doesn't really exist, to all the little mind games people will play to sell their inegrity for a couple of lousy bucks.
I work in a music store now and people will steal, guitar picks, power supplies, tubes out of amps, reeds for sax and clarinet, etc etc. Today I saw the funniest and most pathetic example of petty theft I've ever seen. On lunch break at Wendy's I saw a young adult who was on his way out go to the napkin vendor and pull out a huge stack of napkins, several times. He tucked his 500 napkins under his arm and walked out. Is he saving money buy stealing from Wendy's rather than buy his own? Who knows.

So share your own petty theft stories.

[PetW]

Maybe he was just bleeding profusely from his arm. Who are YOU to judge?

[Bob Scene]

When I used to work for the state I was friends with a kind of strange woman who worked there who was in her early forties. At some point I found out that the toilet paper she used at home was all stolen from our work. I asked her why she would steal that cheap, scratchy, waterproof, low-bid state toilet paper when you legally could buy four rolls of soft, absorbent toilet paper that didn't actively repel bodily fluids for $1.00. She said it was because "Stolen toilet paper feels better."

[butter pie]

She said it was because "Stolen toilet paper feels better."

Is that like how a sandwich always tastes better when someone else makes it for you?

Where I used to work a couple of years ago, we employed a pair of stupid (I mean like a 17 year-old Paris Hilton here) girls that stole from our store regularly with some of their idiot friends. I worked in the shop of a framing store, and they were stealing little miniature jewelled picture frames, art supplies, and piddly crap like that. They'd stick them down the front of their pants and then wait until the manager was in the back, and let their friends go out with the stuff. It wasn't even junk they could resell or use really, most of us wouldn't have taken it for free. I don't remember how they eventually got caught, but the girl everyone disliked anyway got fired. The dumber of the two was just assumed to be going along with the skanky one and unable to think for herself, so she got chewed out but managed to keep her job.

I think the guy with the napkins wasn't necessarily a theif; he may have spilled something in his car or needed them right away for another reason. Some people will take extra ketchup packets and free or complimentary stuff like that just because they're cheapskates. On the other hand I think petty thieves just steal for the thrill of it. My bf used to hang out with a girl who was a total klepto. She'd go to the mall and just rip off anything she could for the sake of it, even if it was junk she didn't even want. Not suprisingly he didn't hang out with her for very long.

[wevets]

One just happened tonight to me. I was tabling at a local YMCA that does a Halloween carnival type thing, and I brought along a lot of our shark outreach stuff (ooh, scary predators!). A couple of Plankton (character from SpongeBob Squarepants) stuffed animals are kept in the outreach bin, but I decided to leave them in there and not to use them. As I packed up to go, there was only one Plankton doll left. Pisses me off, first that someone would steal from an educational non-profit :mad: .

It also makes me sad because some young kid (they were almost all 5-11) probably just got their first experience stealing. :(

[Wolfian]

I think the guy with the napkins wasn't necessarily a theif; he may have spilled something in his car or needed them right away for another reason.
Unless he's carpooling with Flipper and Aquaman, I doubt he needed that many napkins. I've been known to keep fast food napkins in my glove compartment, but never that many.

Minor TMI coming
Not exactly "theft," but when I worked for the state of New York via a job at a state university I used to always take a dump on the job. Nothing like knowing that my and my friends' tax dollars were funding my bowel movements.

PetW: lol.

[MikeG]

I'd be tempted to take a Plankton and have it sitting on my son's chest when he woke up in the morning,:)

[davenportavenger]

I don't think taking a shitload of napkins from Wendy's is the same as stealing merchandise. The napkins are there for people to take; short of handing out napkins at the counter individually and not setting them out, what should the restaurant do? If he was buying food, it's even less of an issue. The way I see it is that once you've bought the food, that gives you the right to all materials associated with the eating of food. It may be excessive, but it's not "stealing," those napkins are there for patrons to use.

But thieves of merchandise? Yeah, they suck.

[Miss Violaceous]

When I swim laps, every now and then I'll take my goggles completely off and swim a slow lap without them just to cool my eyes and such.

I was swimming at a nice, community-owned, pay-to-swim pool in a fairly affluent neighborhood. A bunch of summer camp kids, from a camp that must have cost plenty of cash, were around. That is, RICH KIDS.

This little kid, maybe 7 years old, ran off with my goggles. He didn't just pick them up by mistake, he grabbed them and took off, knowing he was doing something wrong. I saw him do it, chased him down, and brought him over to the counselor. I was upset, but more than that, he was too damn young to be stealing and had no reason to do it. His parents could have afforded to buy him all the goggles he needed.

[Strangelove]

This is such a weak rant, but I’m still pissed off. My husband and I go to the store and on our way in, we decide to pick out a few good pumpkins from the large bins outside. We spend several minutes digging through the bins, looking for the perfect pumpkins for carving. Satisfied with the three we’ve chosen, we head inside for the remainder of our shopping.

We step away from the cart for a minute or 3 and when we get back, there is only one pumpkin left. Someone stole the pumpkins out of our cart! We spent time finding nice looking pumpkins, and someone just took them! Lazy fuckers. Who the hell walks around and shops from other people’s carts? “Hmm, that pizza they’ve got there looks pretty good. I’ll just take it and they can go get another.”

I know I shouldn’t have turned my back on my cart. I just really didn’t occur to me that someone would take the groceries from my cart while I’m shopping. I was having a bad day as it was, and that just shit on my last hope that people aren’t rotten to the core.

Although, it was kinda fun for Hubby and I to stalk the isles looking for the pumpkin thief. It was like a hunt. I have no idea what we would have done if we had found the lazy bastard, but we were ready.

[Rilchiam]

One just happened tonight to me. I was tabling at a local YMCA that does a Halloween carnival type thing, and I brought along a lot of our shark outreach stuff (ooh, scary predators!). A couple of Plankton (character from SpongeBob Squarepants) stuffed animals are kept in the outreach bin, but I decided to leave them in there and not to use them. As I packed up to go, there was only one Plankton doll left. Pisses me off, first that someone would steal from an educational non-profit :mad: .

It also makes me sad because some young kid (they were almost all 5-11) probably just got their first experience stealing. :(

Are you sure it was kids? There were no parents or other adults? If there were, it's possible that an adult used the faulty logic of "Hey, it's the Y; I've donated to them. What's a stuffed animal, anyway?"

I've told the story enough times about my Peter Arno cartoons and the two magazines. Point is, my view on that is that the book and magazines weren't stolen; they were taken. Stealing would have been lifting one of the leather jackets, purses or backpacks that were temporarily housed in the cloakroom along with my stuff. Those things were worth enough money that anyone reporting their loss would have been taken seriously. But a book and two magazines? Or a stuffed animal, or goggles, or pumpkins? What's anyone gonna do? Just take 'em, man!

And sorry about your pumpkins, Strangelove! I know what it's like to search for the Perfect Produce. And after you'd done all that work, someone else got the benefit of your time. :mad:

[Anastasaeon]

Strangelove, I sympathise (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337189&highlight=amazing+disappearing+shopping+cart).

Law-abiding citizen that I am, I was once accused of petty thievery - of a relish packet. One. Relish. Packet. I had sat down with my friends at a restaurant, a little place on the beach. I had ordered a burger and fries. I put ketchup, mustard, and relish on my burger. I was holding one more packet of relish, but decided not to put it on. I set it near my plate, in case I should decide I wanted it later, and then forgot about it.
We finished our lunch, chatted for a little bit. Somewhere in that time, I absentmindedly picked up the relish packet and was just fiddling with it while I spoke to my friends. We paid for our meals, left a nice tip, got up to leave... and the owner YELLED at me, calling me a stupid thief, and sarcastically asked me if I had a relish shortage at home. Startled, I looked down and realised I was holding the little packet, and red-faced, apologised and set it on the counter. I said that I didn't even realise I was holding it, and I was very sorry. He accused me of knowing what I was doing all along, and flung the packet back at me, and told me to keep it, since I was obviously suffering from a shortage of relish. I picked it up and threw it in the trashcan. He yelled at me the whole way out the door.

I'm such a thief. I should just turn myself in now and hope I can be rehabilitated. :(

:confused:

[cosmosdan]

I think the guy with the napkins wasn't necessarily a theif; he may have spilled something in his car or needed them right away for another reason. Some people will take extra ketchup packets and free or complimentary stuff like that just because they're cheapskates. On the other hand I think petty thieves just steal for the thrill of it. My bf used to hang out with a girl who was a total klepto. She'd go to the mall and just rip off anything she could for the sake of it, even if it was junk she didn't even want. Not suprisingly he didn't hang out with her for very long.

I thought of that and it's possible. He was sucking on a soda rather casually, so I doubt it.

[cosmosdan]

Minor TMI coming
Not exactly "theft," but when I worked for the state of New York via a job at a state university I used to always take a dump on the job. Nothing like knowing that my and my friends' tax dollars were funding my bowel movements.

PetW: lol.

Ummm.....Thanks for shareing that bit of information. DId you masturbate too? :rolleyes:

[cosmosdan]

I don't think taking a shitload of napkins from Wendy's is the same as stealing merchandise. The napkins are there for people to take; short of handing out napkins at the counter individually and not setting them out, what should the restaurant do? If he was buying food, it's even less of an issue. The way I see it is that once you've bought the food, that gives you the right to all materials associated with the eating of food. It may be excessive, but it's not "stealing," those napkins are there for patrons to use.

But thieves of merchandise? Yeah, they suck.

I think you make a valid point. Lot's of people will grab more than they need and have some in the car or at work rather than throw them away, but this was really extreme. They are there to use for the meal you bought form them not to provide your napkins for home. How would it be if someone was filling up their pockets or their "to go" sack with ketchup, salt and pepper, I'm not saying that kind of thing should be prosecuted, but a little embaressing ridicule was in order. Buyuing a burger doesn't give you a permission slip to supply your home with their stuff.

There are lots of petty little scams that people think are perfectly fine. A friend suggested that I go through the drive through and not order fries and when I got to pick up to insist I ordered them or meant to so I could score some free fries. Another work acquaintance bragged about a resturant where he often got a free meal by complaining that something was wrong with the one he ordered. A friend where I work now will sell new merchandise as used if he likes the customer {pretty freindly girls qualify} Another is the buy something to use it for free and then return it for a full refund. It can't be prosecuted but as far as I'm concerned, it's stealing.

[cosmosdan]

This is such a weak rant, but I’m still pissed off. My husband and I go to the store and on our way in, we decide to pick out a few good pumpkins from the large bins outside. We spend several minutes digging through the bins, looking for the perfect pumpkins for carving. Satisfied with the three we’ve chosen, we head inside for the remainder of our shopping.

We step away from the cart for a minute or 3 and when we get back, there is only one pumpkin left. Someone stole the pumpkins out of our cart! We spent time finding nice looking pumpkins, and someone just took them! Lazy fuckers. Who the hell walks around and shops from other people’s carts? “Hmm, that pizza they’ve got there looks pretty good. I’ll just take it and they can go get another.”

I know I shouldn’t have turned my back on my cart. I just really didn’t occur to me that someone would take the groceries from my cart while I’m shopping. I was having a bad day as it was, and that just shit on my last hope that people aren’t rotten to the core.

Although, it was kinda fun for Hubby and I to stalk the isles looking for the pumpkin thief. It was like a hunt. I have no idea what we would have done if we had found the lazy bastard, but we were ready.


You're right that is perhaps even a more pathetic example of petty theft than the Napkin guy. Do you think you would have recognized your pumpkin? Of course they would have denied it. Perhaps a pumpkin line up.

"number 3 step forward and state your name"

"JACK"

"number 2"

"JACK"

"number 1"

"JACK"

[Annie-Xmas]

I was once paying for my groceries when I saw someone take a huge bunch of plastic shopping bags from the container. The type you get free every time you shop! Who needs a handful of plastic bags. The only other thing they are good for putting regular garbage outside.

[cosmosdan]

Are you sure it was kids? There were no parents or other adults? If there were, it's possible that an adult used the faulty logic of "Hey, it's the Y; I've donated to them. What's a stuffed animal, anyway?"


The local Y in my home town had so many balls taken from their pool table by teenagers that they stopped replacing them. What was left was all the mismatched leftovers.

Another local guy who ran a pool and bowling center had the same issue with the pool table he put in the arcade area for the young teens, and had the same solution.

Here's a question? How far would a co worker or friend have to go before you would

a, turn them in
b, warn them to stop or else
c, not associate with them.

[cosmosdan]

Strangelove, I sympathise (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=337189&highlight=amazing+disappearing+shopping+cart).

Law-abiding citizen that I am, I was once accused of petty thievery - of a relish packet. One. Relish. Packet. I had sat down with my friends at a restaurant, a little place on the beach. I had ordered a burger and fries. I put ketchup, mustard, and relish on my burger. I was holding one more packet of relish, but decided not to put it on. I set it near my plate, in case I should decide I wanted it later, and then forgot about it.
We finished our lunch, chatted for a little bit. Somewhere in that time, I absentmindedly picked up the relish packet and was just fiddling with it while I spoke to my friends. We paid for our meals, left a nice tip, got up to leave... and the owner YELLED at me, calling me a stupid thief, and sarcastically asked me if I had a relish shortage at home. Startled, I looked down and realised I was holding the little packet, and red-faced, apologised and set it on the counter. I said that I didn't even realise I was holding it, and I was very sorry. He accused me of knowing what I was doing all along, and flung the packet back at me, and told me to keep it, since I was obviously suffering from a shortage of relish. I picked it up and threw it in the trashcan. He yelled at me the whole way out the door.

I'm such a thief. I should just turn myself in now and hope I can be rehabilitated. :(

:confused:


Unbelievable!! What an incredible ass the owner was. Is the resturant still there?

Did you tell the prick that neither you or your friends would be back to his place so congratulations on his crime prevention? What a jerk.

[Anastasaeon]

Unbelievable!! What an incredible ass the owner was. Is the resturant still there?

Did you tell the prick that neither you or your friends would be back to his place so congratulations on his crime prevention? What a jerk.

As far as I know it's still there, but then again, a lot can happen in two years (years since I left my hometown) and even more can happen in seven years - which is how long it's been since I set foot in his establishment, or any other establishment that guy owned - except for one more time. He owned several little places in that small town... same guy kicked me out of one of his other restuarants several years later (I hadn't realised it was his establishment when we went to eat there). I don't even think he recognised me as the relish-thief, either. That time was because I complained to the waitstaff because it took 45 minutes for someone to come and take our order. He got so angry, he kicked me, and everyone who was with me, out of the restaurant, (while the waitress begged him not to do it, and stepped outside to apologise to us for him being such a prick) and from that day forward he banned anyone 18 years or younger from his establishment. One problem there: I was 23 at the time. :D So though I refused to return, my friends would go there and just loiter or only order coffee, spending hours in there, taking up his tables, until he eventually banned just my little group of friends and anyone under 18 - for good measure, I suppose.

I can't account for my friends... but me? I just wanted some noodles.

Anyway, I know for sure that establishment went out of business, because there's a credit union there now. Ah, well. Stories like these make me look like a rebel in my otherwise tame life.

"I was kicked out a restuarant once."
"What?! You? I don't believe it. What for?"
"I complained that it took 45 minutes to be waited on. But I was banned permanently!"

[NinjaChick]

I'm a shameless condiment-packet and napkin-stealer. I have a little basket full of ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish, taco sauce packets, straws, and napkins, all liberated from fast-food places. I only take things when I'm there eating - I don't just walk in, scoop up handfuls of stuff, and walk out.

I justify it to myself by remember that I'm a college student, so somehow it's acceptable. Plus, I've worked in fast-food and know that it's hardly as if they inventory the individual packets. If you're going to charge me three bucks for a soda that costs you ten cents, I'm going to steal a handful of ketchup packets.

The napkin thing isn't morally questionable, I don't think. Just kind of wierd.

[cosmosdan]

I'm a shameless condiment-packet and napkin-stealer. I have a little basket full of ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish, taco sauce packets, straws, and napkins, all liberated from fast-food places. I only take things when I'm there eating - I don't just walk in, scoop up handfuls of stuff, and walk out.

I justify it to myself by remember that I'm a college student, so somehow it's acceptable. Plus, I've worked in fast-food and know that it's hardly as if they inventory the individual packets. If you're going to charge me three bucks for a soda that costs you ten cents, I'm going to steal a handful of ketchup packets.

The napkin thing isn't morally questionable, I don't think. Just kind of wierd.

Taking a couple extra everytime you eat there is one thing. I save my little packets too. Taking a handful instead of two is one thing. Taking five or six handfuls is morally questionable but in a a very "that's wierd" way.

[Cat Whisperer]

<snip>The napkin thing isn't morally questionable, I don't think.<snip>
I must respectfully disagree with this. A restaurant supplies consumables like napkins and ketchup with the understanding that people use what they need while they are there eating, and leave the rest alone. I would say that virtually all North Americans understand this, and to take 500 napkins is indeed stealing.

Stealing condiments from a fast food is indeed petty, and it isn't a big deal, but I believe that the thinking behind it is problematic. I believe that people need to monitor themselves, and do the right thing even when nobody is looking.

[Dr. Rieux]

I'm a shameless condiment-packet and napkin-stealer. I have a little basket full of ketchup, mustard, mayo, relish, taco sauce packets, straws, and napkins, all liberated from fast-food places. I only take things when I'm there eating - I don't just walk in, scoop up handfuls of stuff, and walk out.

I justify it to myself by remember that I'm a college student, so somehow it's acceptable. Plus, I've worked in fast-food and know that it's hardly as if they inventory the individual packets. If you're going to charge me three bucks for a soda that costs you ten cents, I'm going to steal a handful of ketchup packets.

The napkin thing isn't morally questionable, I don't think. Just kind of wierd.
I have a stash like that, too--not to mention the Equal packets and napkins in my backpack.
:)
One of the cute little sayings on the Taco Bell sauce packets is, "How many of these do you already have in your desk drawer?"

[Thudlow Boink]

I don't think taking a shitload of napkins from Wendy's is the same as stealing merchandise.Taking a shitload—indeed, anything over .075 metric shitload—is indeed stealing.

In defense of this statement, I appeal to the following ethical rules:

What If Everybody Did It?

Would They Be Okay With It If They Knew About It?

Would You Still Think It Was Okay If You Were The One Losing Money From It?

[cosmosdan]

Taking a shitload—indeed, anything over .075 metric shitload—is indeed stealing.

In defense of this statement, I appeal to the following ethical rules:

What If Everybody Did It?

Would They Be Okay With It If They Knew About It?

Would You Still Think It Was Okay If You Were The One Losing Money From It?

Good points. It's when petty thievery becomes very common place, as in everybody does it so it must be okay, that companies have to change their policies. You'll notice certain items at Best Buy have restocking fees now. That's because they're prime targets for the rent for free scam. Customers bitch and think the company is being greedy fucks, but you can really blame your fellow customers who joined the petty theif club in large numbers for the change in policy.

[Scissorjack]

On lunch break at Wendy's I saw a young adult who was on his way out go to the napkin vendor and pull out a huge stack of napkins, several times. He tucked his 500 napkins under his arm and walked out.

Of course, he may have been masturbating like a motherfucker.

[Siege]

I'm not so sure about condiment packets. I don't like ketchup, yet almost every time I get a to-go order or go through a drive-thru, I'm given little packets of ketchup, especially if I've ordered french fries. I do like salt, and if I'm eating in a fastfood joint and they don't have salt and pepper on the tables, I may take a few more salt packets than I need or the server may give me more than I need. I assume this wastage is built into the store's calculated expenses, just like the packets Ninja Chick's taking.

Here's my stupid petty theft story. A few months ago, I was at a Mensa Regional Gathering, RG for short. There were also a couple of school sports teams staying in the same hotel. On our registration table, there was a basket of blue stressballs imprinted with a globe on them which were being given to people at the RG as a premium. I was hanging out by registration shooting the bull with friends (one of the major activities at RGs) when a couple of dozen kids on the way out of the hotel trouped by the table and just started taking balls from the basket on the table. As far as I know, none of them asked if they could or what they were for, although I did hear a "Thank you" or two. Now, maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I wasn't raised to just take things off a table which was reserved for a particular purpose without permission, especially if it was an organization I didn't belong to. It wasn't a big deal and we had plenty of the balls; it was just slightly surprising. I don't think anyone objected, although I'm sure some of our more pedantic members might if they'd known. It was just evidence of a different upbringing and different priorities, or at least that's what I put it down to.

CJ

[cosmosdan]

Of course, he may have been masturbating like a motherfucker.
:o Dam I never thought of that. I hearby officially recind my rant. Anybody who needs that many napkins to liquidate the inventory deserves some respect.

[cosmosdan]

I'm not so sure about condiment packets. I don't like ketchup, yet almost every time I get a to-go order or go through a drive-thru, I'm given little packets of ketchup, especially if I've ordered french fries. I do like salt, and if I'm eating in a fastfood joint and they don't have salt and pepper on the tables, I may take a few more salt packets than I need or the server may give me more than I need. I assume this wastage is built into the store's calculated expenses, just like the packets Ninja Chick's taking.

Here's my stupid petty theft story. A few months ago, I was at a Mensa Regional Gathering, RG for short. There were also a couple of school sports teams staying in the same hotel. On our registration table, there was a basket of blue stressballs imprinted with a globe on them which were being given to people at the RG as a premium. I was hanging out by registration shooting the bull with friends (one of the major activities at RGs) when a couple of dozen kids on the way out of the hotel trouped by the table and just started taking balls from the basket on the table. As far as I know, none of them asked if they could or what they were for, although I did hear a "Thank you" or two. Now, maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I wasn't raised to just take things off a table which was reserved for a particular purpose without permission, especially if it was an organization I didn't belong to. It wasn't a big deal and we had plenty of the balls; it was just slightly surprising. I don't think anyone objected, although I'm sure some of our more pedantic members might if they'd known. It was just evidence of a different upbringing and different priorities, or at least that's what I put it down to.

CJ


Good example of petty theft. I've worked retail for years and it's a constant surprise how kids of all ages behave.

[wevets]

Are you sure it was kids? There were no parents or other adults? If there were, it's possible that an adult used the faulty logic of "Hey, it's the Y; I've donated to them. What's a stuffed animal, anyway?"

I'm not 100% sure, but somewhat sure. The tables were in a circle in the middle of the Y's gym, and there was a Y staff member, a woman manning the First Republic Bank table, and me in the middle. No other adults entered the middle, but some of the slightly older kids in ninja costumes were chasing each other around and eventually started diving under the tables and running through the middle.

I didn't think anything of it, and was really too focused on helping kids find shark teeth in our fake beach and warning them that the jaws were real and must be touched carefully so they wouldn't cut themselves to check on the bin of stuff I'd decided not to use.


Anastasaeon, that's an amazing story. Actually almost makes me happy to hear the place went out of business.

[LilyoftheValley]

Taking a shitload—indeed, anything over .075 metric shitload—is indeed stealing.

In defense of this statement, I appeal to the following ethical rules:

What If Everybody Did It?

Would They Be Okay With It If They Knew About It?

Would You Still Think It Was Okay If You Were The One Losing Money From It?


My mom taught me rules #1 & #2 (and a variant of #3) when I was about 11 or 12 and she caught me at some petty thing. I don't remember what the thing was now, but I do remember the rules. Seem pretty basic to me.

[davenportavenger]

What If Everybody Did It?Then food would either become a lot more expensive, or condiments and napkins would be rationed.

Would They Be Okay With It If They Knew About It?Obviously they are okay with it, since they allow it to go on.

Would You Still Think It Was Okay If You Were The One Losing Money From It?If I was losing that much money from it, I would change the system--give people individual packets of napkins or ration out the ketchup.

See a pattern? Obviously, the restaurant doesn't care if a guy comes in and takes all their napkins. They go out of their way to provide these napkins, banking on the fact that almost everyone isn't too cheap to buy their own napkins, and also the fact that napkins are super cheap. If enough people took shitloads of napkins, then the system would change. Simple as that.

(P.S. I have never actually done this at a restaurant. The most I've done is keep the leftover condiment packets that I took because I thought I needed them, which is maybe two per meal.)

[Scissorjack]

:o Dam I never thought of that. I hearby officially recind my rant. Anybody who needs that many napkins to liquidate the inventory deserves some respect.

Just don't be there when he puts them back.

[cosmosdan]

Then food would either become a lot more expensive, or condiments and napkins would be rationed.

Obviously they are okay with it, since they allow it to go on.

If I was losing that much money from it, I would change the system--give people individual packets of napkins or ration out the ketchup.
I've actually seen those changes occur. Remember when the person at the drive through or counter would just throw in a handful {always more than needed}?
Now they usually ask first and then give out a specifc limited number.

See a pattern? Obviously, the restaurant doesn't care if a guy comes in and takes all their napkins. They go out of their way to provide these napkins, banking on the fact that almost everyone isn't too cheap to buy their own napkins, and also the fact that napkins are super cheap. If enough people took shitloads of napkins, then the system would change. Simple as that.
It's not obvious at all. Comapnies balance convienience for their customers with exspense. If the exspense get's to be too much then it get's less convienient for customers. Just becasue that hasn't happened at Wendys doesn't mean they don't care. Working in retail I've seen the petty and not so petty thieves make things harder for others many times.

[Purd Werfect]

I'm a petty thief. I steal a few packets of splenda whenever I eat or get coffee at a place that has them. Feel free to rant at me.

[cosmosdan]

I'm a petty thief. I steal a few packets of splenda whenever I eat or get coffee at a place that has them. Feel free to rant at me.


when you take a few hundred at a time,......... it's your ass.

[Beadalin]

Annie-Xmas
I was once paying for my groceries when I saw someone take a huge bunch of plastic shopping bags from the container. The type you get free every time you shop! Who needs a handful of plastic bags. The only other thing they are good for putting regular garbage outside.
I don't take huge bunches, but I do take extra bags. I have two dogs who poop once or twice a day, so poop bags are pretty much always needed.

[cowgirl]

At a coffee shop I worked at, we used to give out frequent-buyer cards that would be punched with a specially-shaped punch. There was a man who would cut out the shape of the punch with an X-acto knife. It must have been many hours work for $6 worth of coffee.

[Bongmaster]

On lunch break at Wendy's I saw a young adult who was on his way out go to the napkin vendor and pull out a huge stack of napkins, several times. He tucked his 500 napkins under his arm and walked out. Is he saving money buy stealing from Wendy's rather than buy his own?


I'll take this one...I've been that guy taking the napkins many times. Its revenge, pure and simple. I can't tell you how many times I've been ripped off by the drive-thru people on napkins (not to mention the order itself). I order $30 worth of food and get one or two thin napkins, hardly enough for everyone. So I take them when the opportunity presents itself and stockpile them in my glove compartment. That way when it comes time to go again I'm already stocked.

[Ghanima]

I've had the old punch-card rip-off happen to me too. It was a little kid (about six years old) when I worked at a yogurt shop. He just used a regular hole punch and I didn't notice. I strongly suspect it was his mom or dad who did the actual ripping-off, though. Way to teach your kid morals.

When I was about four or five, I went with my mom to the hardware store. As she was at the counter paying for stuff, I asked her if I could get one of the big "KEEP OUT" signs they had on a rack nearby. Mom said "Yeah, sure, kid." Being too young to understand sarcasm, I took her words at face value. I grabbed the sign and followed mom out to the car. We were intercepted at the car by the clerk, who was a complete bitch, shouted at us and basically accused me of stealing and made me cry. My mom got so upset about this that she ended up having it out with both the clerk and the manager out in the parking lot. Meanwhile, I was in the car sobbing and grateful that I wasn't going to jail. What was she thinking to do that to a young child? Did she really think I was a four-year-old delinquent?

[cosmosdan]

I'll take this one...I've been that guy taking the napkins many times. Its revenge, pure and simple. I can't tell you how many times I've been ripped off by the drive-thru people on napkins (not to mention the order itself). I order $30 worth of food and get one or two thin napkins, hardly enough for everyone. So I take them when the opportunity presents itself and stockpile them in my glove compartment. That way when it comes time to go again I'm already stocked.

Okay thats a legit gripe. This guy though had more than would fit in most glove compartments and would jam full a large one.

Another suggestion. Check your order before you pull away from the drive through and make sure to ask for extra napkins. They won't say no.

[cosmosdan]

At a coffee shop I worked at, we used to give out frequent-buyer cards that would be punched with a specially-shaped punch. There was a man who would cut out the shape of the punch with an X-acto knife. It must have been many hours work for $6 worth of coffee.

great example of petty theft. What a dweeb. Have you ever heard somebody bragg about this kind of thing as if it makes them clever. When I broke a windsheild my mother in law suggested I get behind a big truck and take down the company name license number, day, and time. Then call the company and complain that something came off their truck and broke my windshield and they would pay for it.

"You suggesting I call them and lie and cheat to get them to pay my bills?" I asked.
"Well, they can afford it" was the reply.

Sound logic there. The fact that she suggested it means other family members and friends have proably done exactly that and recommended it.

[Hilarity N. Suze]

Here's my stupid petty theft story. A few months ago, I was at a Mensa Regional Gathering, RG for short. There were also a couple of school sports teams staying in the same hotel. On our registration table, there was a basket of blue stressballs imprinted with a globe on them which were being given to people at the RG as a premium. I was hanging out by registration shooting the bull with friends (one of the major activities at RGs) when a couple of dozen kids on the way out of the hotel trouped by the table and just started taking balls from the basket on the table. As far as I know, none of them asked if they could or what they were for, although I did hear a "Thank you" or two. Now, maybe I'm an old fuddy-duddy, but I wasn't raised to just take things off a table which was reserved for a particular purpose without permission, especially if it was an organization I didn't belong to. It wasn't a big deal and we had plenty of the balls; it was just slightly surprising. I don't think anyone objected, although I'm sure some of our more pedantic members might if they'd known. It was just evidence of a different upbringing and different priorities, or at least that's what I put it down to.CJ
Now, I don't really see this as petty theft, or I wouldn't have before I sort of saw a similar thing. I was at a writer's conference in a hotel in Santa Fe. Also at that same hotel was some old-line Santa Fe women's club (in a city where, when the DAR had its national convention there, the newspaper headlined it "Immigrant Group Meets in Santa Fe"). To get from one programming section to another we had to walk through a couple of halls, one of which had all the usual free stuff for writers--some publishers send free tshirts plugging their authors, there are usually pens, pencils, fortune cookies, and other interesting stuff, along with brochures about various pricey writers' conferences. In the same hall was a long table with similar stuff, but for Santa Fean thing, whatever it was. And their table included these really cool little black blank books, about the size of a reporter's notebook. Naturally this appealed to the writers, who were walking through there anyway and who were in acquisition mode due to the proximity to the free promotion table. So a lot of them grabbed the little black books.

So, I'm hanging out waiting for somebody, and one of the Santa Fe women comes back to her table and complains loudly, "Hey, these people are stealing our free stuff." Up until that moment I had not really thought of it as stealing.

Well, I had already written something in my little black book, so I didn't give it back, but I kept it out of sight for the remainder of the conference. Unlike most of the other people who'd picked them up.

[DiosaBellissima]

It is because of ketchup, relish, and sugar thieves that McDonalds started rationing (and CHARGING FOR!) their sweet, sweet, glorious sweet and sour sauce...it's like GOLD I tells ya!

[Amazon Floozy Goddess]

The MOST pathetic example of petty theft I've seen:

You know those little tubes of 0.5mm leads for mechanical pencils? That cost, ohhh, maybe about $1.20 or less? I get fuckers who'll open the tubes and steal a few - not even all! Just a few - leads. Give me a goddamn break. If you need a lead that bad, ask and I'll f'ing give you one. I've got those things practically coming out my arse, there's so many in my drawer. Asswipes.

[August West]

Law-abiding citizen that I am, I was once accused of petty thievery - of a relish packet. One. Relish. Packet. I had sat down with my friends at a restaurant, a little place on the beach. I had ordered a burger and fries. I put ketchup, mustard, and relish on my burger.

<snip>.

He yelled at me the whole way out the door.


Are you sure he wasn't yelling at you and kicking you out for putting relish on a burger? :D

[Siege]

So, I'm hanging out waiting for somebody, and one of the Santa Fe women comes back to her table and complains loudly, "Hey, these people are stealing our free stuff." Up until that moment I had not really thought of it as stealing.

Actually, though, those stress balls weren't free. You see, like everyone else, I'd paid money to attend that RG. The money I paid included food, programs, the hotel rooms used as common rooms by the RG and various other expenses. Those stress balls were paid for out of money budgeted for the RG based, in part, on the number of people expected to attend. I paid for those stress balls as surely as I paid for the food I ate or the things I drank. The kids who took them didn't, although if they'd asked, I'm sure people would have been happy to give away at least a few.

CJ

[Plynck]

I don't know if it is petty theft or not, but it certainly abuses the spirit of the company policy:

All Sears Craftsman hand tools are protected with a lifetime warranty. Any flaw, fracture, defect or damage (however incurred) means that you can exchange it for a new tool at no cost.

I know people who scour yard sales for Craftsman tools in any condition, then bring them into a local Sears to exchange them for brand new tools. I've brought in my own broken tools before, but it stretches the policy (to my mind) to benefit from a tool that you never bought in the first place.

Also, some major thefts: I used to work for a Sears. I knew employees who would take orders for large appliances (such as washing machines, refrigerators) from friends, and would kick a dent in a non-visible side. They would then either sell the appliance to the friend at the damage discount, or would even occasionally buy it themself at the additional employee discount. I stayed away from these folks; this was too damn close to a felony conviction and a record for me.

[Bambi Hassenpfeffer]

What was she thinking to do that to a young child? Did she really think I was a four-year-old delinquent?While I agree that the clerk may have gone off the deep end, IME children are often involved in retail theft. Parents often have their kids do it so they can innocently claim that the kids did it accidentally in case they get caught. This is probably what was running through her mind when she was screaming at you and your mother.

[cosmosdan]

I don't know if it is petty theft or not, but it certainly abuses the spirit of the company policy:

All Sears Craftsman hand tools are protected with a lifetime warranty. Any flaw, fracture, defect or damage (however incurred) means that you can exchange it for a new tool at no cost.

I know people who scour yard sales for Craftsman tools in any condition, then bring them into a local Sears to exchange them for brand new tools. I've brought in my own broken tools before, but it stretches the policy (to my mind) to benefit from a tool that you never bought in the first place.

Also, some major thefts: I used to work for a Sears. I knew employees who would take orders for large appliances (such as washing machines, refrigerators) from friends, and would kick a dent in a non-visible side. They would then either sell the appliance to the friend at the damage discount, or would even occasionally buy it themself at the additional employee discount. I stayed away from these folks; this was too damn close to a felony conviction and a record for me.


I used to work at Sears and saw that same craftsman scam. One regular customer would come in every few months with an armload of old rusty craftsman tools often with no handles, and leave with a armload of new tools.

Most major chains assume that the largest percentage of theft petty and other wise, comes from employees.

[Scissorjack]

It is because of ketchup, relish, and sugar thieves that McDonalds started rationing (and CHARGING FOR!) their sweet, sweet, glorious sweet and sour sauce...it's like GOLD I tells ya!

Remember the guy who steals armfuls of napkins to wank into and then put back? I've got some bad news about the sauce...