Alan Smithee no it would not be OK to borrow the paper without permission. That would a crime, just a different crime. Precisely which crime would depend on your jurisdiction. I’m not a criminal lawyer and I can’t be bothered looking it up, frankly.
If the gum was chewed you would have permanently deprived the owner of the use of what you took (unchewed gum) which again would be sufficient intent. I should add that the definition of stealing at least in my jurisdiction is much broader than I set out in my last post. I just set out the bits that applied to the OP.
Tigers2B1 if you make a genuine mistake, that can be a defence to a criminal charge. Your bicycle example would fall into that category, I think. Also, you would not have the relevant intent. Your intention was to use your own bike, not to deprive your neighbour of his bike.
Finally, I should add that I don’t disagree with Sailor or Pkbites practical comments. I was just commenting on the strict legal position.
I dont think I’m breaking any rules by relpying after a few days. I didn’t have time to do much Doping this week, and the thread fell off the front page.
JThunder, I am aware of the rules of logicl inference and common falacies. I wasn’t suggesting that what Princhester said logically implied that borrowing was OK, but he left the possability open, and I wanted to know if he had done so deliberately. In didn’t even seriously think that he meant borrowing the paper was OK; I was using humor to find out what he did in fact mean.
**Princhester, ** thanks for letting me know. I’m actually quite surprised that you did in fact mean that borrowing the paper, although illegal, is not stealing. I didn’t know that! I’m curious what other statute it might fall under, given regional variation.
I had to deal with this just this morning. Where I work is the closest place for many people to buy their Sunday paper. I was the only cashier until 10 this morning. In a grocery store. So I had to deal with people buying just a paper and people buying groceries.
Frankly, I prefer the customers with just a paper to put the money on the counter. It keeps the line from getting to long and holding up the customers who are purchasing groceries. I can wait until it dies down to ring in all the papers in one transaction.
It helps that the store is in an upscale area, I don’t have to worry about people scamming me. Although it can get confusing with all the different papers we carry. (local, Detroit, Chicago and N.Y. Times)
Is it most convenient and hence better if people with one small purchase can just leave the money (with cashiers consent consistent with management policy) - yes
Do stores have a legal requirement to do this - no
Do stores have a moral requirement to do this - maybe,