# People Who Steal From the Grocery Store **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 19, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380 "2008-09-19T23:34:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/1 "2008-09-19T23:34:22Z")
Because I’ve been ill and the kitchen is a mess the spouse and I did the unusual an opted for frozen dinners tonight. I did a quick run to the store and picked up mac and cheese for me and egg rolls for him. I have to rummage through the eggroll boxes because _someone had opened a bunch of them and taken ONE EGGROLL_ What the fuck? I can’t figure out if it’s kids pulling a “prank” or the desperately hunger nicking some food, but damn it’s annoying! I mean, sure, it’s a lot easier to smuggle a single frozen eggroll out of the store than an entire box, but c’mon! Can’t multiple thieves just take from the already open box? I mean, they ARE individually wrapped so you won’t get Thief Cooties from your fellow thieves. ---
**Author:** ![Maui\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ea666f/32.png) [@Maui\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maui_Lion)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/2 "2008-09-19T23:46:17Z")
Huh. This is a new one to me, I’ve never seen this in stores I go to. Did you tell management about this? I woulda been extremely annoyed as well. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/3 "2008-09-20T00:40:51Z")
You say “multiple thieves”. You realize it most likely isn’t _multiple_ thieves, right? It’s more likely just one person ruining multiple boxes for no other reason than because they can. For some stupid reason, people feel entitled to piss on public spaces. (Sometimes literally, thankfully not in your example.) I remember once in a grocery store seeing a young kid in the bread isle punching the bread. Just standing there, slamming his fists into the loaves of bread on the shelves over and over. Naturally, my wife told him to stop it. The kid’s mother, who had been standing nearby and hadn’t said a word during her son’s little vandalism exercise, promptly told off my wife. This is because people are assholes who don’t realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them and that the one of the core fucking tenets of civilization is not ruining stuff that doesn’t belong to you. Hence, missing egg rolls. See also: graffiti, vandalism, mugging, war, and the violations of all good and decent things that are modern public restrooms. ---
**Author:** ![gravitycrash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@gravitycrash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gravitycrash)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/4 "2008-09-20T01:38:24Z")
I caught my daughter sticking the little candies from the various bins at the grocery store into her coat pocket. I’m thinking what the hell? My little angel would never do this. I looked inside her coat and yes, she was stealing. Not a happy moment for me, especially since we aren’t exactly poor. She mumbled something about all my friends do it. ?? Yes, I was more than a little disappointed in her. And I did make her empty out her pockets and pay for it. Her friends are also mostly upper middle class. From what little I can gather this is supposed to be fun for them…or something. Christ, I hate being a parent. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/5 "2008-09-20T02:42:51Z")
Well, OK, maybe it was just one jackass. I just don’t think like that. Given the week we had around here it IS possible that it was someone who really was desperate to get something to eat but too ashamed to go to one of the shelters that have been set up for flood victims. ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/6 "2008-09-20T02:50:42Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > From what little I can gather this is supposed to be fun for them…or something. Christ, I hate being a parent. I think a lot of kids go through a phase like that. I didn’t, but a number of my classmates did. They outgrew it however. Still, I think kids in general will do whatever they can get away with. There doesn’t have to be a point–they do it because they can. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/7 "2008-09-20T02:51:55Z")
> [@gravitycrash](#): > > Yes, I was more than a little disappointed in her. And I did make her empty out her pockets and pay for it. > > Her friends are also mostly upper middle class. From what little I can gather this is supposed to be fun for them…or something. Christ, I hate being a parent. You will be amazed at how many “parents” don’t make their kid pay for it and apologize etc. A sad statement on parenting today, IMO. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/8 "2008-09-20T03:31:55Z")
Hopefully the police will have their top detectives on this soon. I know I won’t be getting any sleep tonight. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/9 "2008-09-20T07:29:17Z")
Some homeless “graze” like that. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/10 "2008-09-20T11:24:39Z")
I’ve been seeing the opened frozen foods too, and here they also tear into the 12 packs of the store brand soda pop, and leave the damaged carton for someone else to clean up. They sell single cans for 35 cents each but i still see opened cases, once or twice a month. The thing i hate most as a shopper is when some dipshit changes their little mind about buying somethng frozen or perishable, and they leave it on the candy rack or on top of the Coke cooler. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/11 "2008-09-20T11:38:18Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > You will be amazed at how many “parents” don’t make their kid pay for it and apologize etc. A sad statement on parenting today, IMO. Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say about my mom. I think probably some part of it is that the parent is afraid that the store will do something drastic (police) rather than just scold the kid. My mom caught me with a little portable video game I stole from a department store. She took it away, grounded me, and hid the toy. (It was on top of the mirror on her dresser. I played with it when she wasn’t home. No idea why she didn’t just throw it away.) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Krebbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mr.Krebbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Krebbs)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/12 "2008-09-20T12:49:48Z")
I worked in grocery (as a stocker) for years. The frozen food thing is new to me. Sure, we had soda cases ripped open for a single can, damaged items placed back on the shelf, frozen foods left on non-refridgerated aisles, etc. but I’ve never seen individual items stolen from frozen food packages. Most damage caused to frozen food packages is from the box-knives used to open cases, in my experience. Any possibility that this happened? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/13 "2008-09-20T13:18:14Z")
> [@neutron\_star](#): > > Well, that’s not a very nice thing to say about my mom. > > I think probably some part of it is that the parent is afraid that the store will do something drastic (police) rather than just scold the kid. > > My mom caught me with a little portable video game I stole from a department store. She took it away, grounded me, and hid the toy. (It was on top of the mirror on her dresser. I played with it when she wasn’t home. No idea why she didn’t just throw it away.) I’d rather the store call the police than the child ends up thinking “it’s okay if you don’t get caught.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/14 "2008-09-20T13:26:26Z")
> [@Mr.Krebbs](#): > > Most damage caused to frozen food packages is from the box-knives used to open cases, in my experience. Any possibility that this happened? Nope, not knife cuts. These were pried open on the ends, opened as intended for removing contents. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/15 "2008-09-20T13:40:36Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > I mean, sure, it’s a lot easier to smuggle a single frozen eggroll out of the store than an entire box, but c’mon! C’mon, you never play “smuggle the eggroll”? ---
**Author:** ![Hogwash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e57/32.png) [@Hogwash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hogwash)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/16 "2008-09-20T13:44:09Z")
And this is why we can’t have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nikki_Tikki_Tavi)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/17 "2008-09-20T13:48:24Z")
> [@anya\_marie](#): > > The thing i hate most as a shopper is when some dipshit changes their little mind about buying somethng frozen or perishable, and they leave it on the candy rack or on top of the Coke cooler. :smack: When I buy frozen food I’m always worried that I might get one of those packages. I assume the store is supposed to throw it away, but I bet it ends up back in the freezer some of the time. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/18 "2008-09-20T14:00:15Z")
> [@Hogwash](#): > > And this is why we can’t have nice things. You can. You just have to make sure your shit’s locked up tighter than an ugly ten year old. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/19 "2008-09-20T16:19:27Z")
> [@Nikki\_Tikki\_Tavi](#): > > When I buy frozen food I’m always worried that I might get one of those packages. I assume the store is supposed to throw it away, but I bet it ends up back in the freezer some of the time. I got a frozen dinner like that one time. I cooked it, and the _smell_! Where’s the pukey smiley? ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380/20 "2008-09-20T16:53:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **eleanorigby** > > _You will be amazed at how many “parents” don’t make their kid pay for it and apologize etc. A sad statement on parenting today, IMO_. My mom was pretty lenient, all things considered. I didn’t really have a “curfew” after the age of 14 as long as I told my parents where I was going and never came home drunk or anything like that. I wasn’t forced to eat everything on my plate or keep my room sparkling clean. If I felt like I wanted to drink or do anything else my parents considered dangerous I was welcome to do it as long as they supervised. I was a really good kid and I never really did that kind of stuff, partly because they were so cool about everything. I remember trying to steal something when I was little (probably bulk candy from the bin at the grocery store but I don’t remember the exact item) and my mom, who was generally a nonviolent person, spanked me right there in the aisle in front of everyone else in the store. She only ever spanked me twice and one of those times was over the stealing incident. The same thing happened to my brother when he tried to steal something from the store as well. We were raised to understand that you don’t take what isn’t yours and everything worth having must be earned. I am always surprised at the parents who don’t care if their kid steals until the kid steals their car from the driveway at night after they’ve gone to bed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-steal-from-the-grocery-store/464380.md?page=2)