# Would you turn in a stranger for a petty crime? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 27, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996 "2015-01-27T14:05:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/1 "2015-01-27T14:05:48Z")
Inspired by this [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747437) on what type of crimes would you turn in a loved one, close friend, etc. Many people dimissed petty crimes like shoplifting and recreational drug use, as they wouldn’t even bother batting an eye at those things, with their close relations. But what about strangers? I’m going to ignore recreational drug use, but ask more about shoplifting. If you saw a complete stranger in a store shoplifting would you report them? Let’s say it was a high end department store and they are stuffing $200 clothes or electronics inside their handbag or down their pants. They see you notice them and they smile and put their finger to their lips doing the shushing motion. Do you turn them in or let them go? ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/2 "2015-01-27T14:20:26Z")
I turn them in without hesitation. Theft is theft and that asshole is just one of many who are responsible for higher prices in the stores because they steal. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/3 "2015-01-27T14:24:06Z")
Yep. I’d turn them in. People shouldn’t be thieves, and thieves should face penalties. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/4 "2015-01-27T14:26:29Z")
Absolutely, yes I would turn in a shoplifter. Did it once, actually. Shoplifting might be “petty” compared to, say murder, but it’s still crime, still wrong, and should not be tolerated. ---
**Author:** ![IaMoDiNaRy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@IaMoDiNaRy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IaMoDiNaRy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/5 "2015-01-27T15:42:04Z")
I’ve turned in shoplifters twice. First time - I was in Walmart to buy office supplies. We’d just had a huge group of illegal Mexicans move in and they did all of their shopping there. Caught one stuffing handfuls of stuff in his pants and coat pockets. He saw me watching him and didn’t care. He continued on like I wasn’t even there. I found an employee, pointed him out to her and she shrugged her shoulders and walked away saying “I don’t really care.” I found the manager at the front of the store and turned her in, also. Second time was in Target. They did care. Guy was taken away in handcuffs for stealing from the electronics department. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/6 "2015-01-27T15:49:29Z")
I’d probably tell them, “Don’t shush me- put that back or I’ll report you.” ARE there minor, essentially victimless crimes I’d ignore? Sure- but not this one. I mean, I wouldn’t call a cop to point out a homeless guy swilling booze from an open bottle. I wouldn’t call a cop to rat out a kid smoking a joint in a remote corner of the park. I wouldn’t honk at a police car, then yell, “That guy just did a rolling stop at a STOP sign!” But I wouldn’t ignore a theft, ESPECIALLY when the thief has implied that he/she and I are in on a secret together. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/7 "2015-01-27T15:56:20Z")
I have to pay for the merchandise, while they’re getting it for free? Fuck their entitled asses. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/8 "2015-01-27T16:48:04Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > ARE there minor, essentially victimless crimes I’d ignore? Sure- but not this one. I mean, I wouldn’t call a cop to point out a homeless guy swilling booze from an open bottle. I wouldn’t call a cop to rat out a kid smoking a joint in a remote corner of the park. I wouldn’t honk at a police car, then yell, “That guy just did a rolling stop at a STOP sign!” But I wouldn’t ignore a theft, ESPECIALLY when the thief has implied that he/she and I are in on a secret together. That’s a good rationale, IMO. There are times when it’s better to look the other way, but I don’t think theft qualifies. Don’t take things that don’t belong to you–that’s a good rule. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/9 "2015-01-27T18:05:17Z")
I probably wouldn’t report a victimless crime. But shoplifting isn’t a victimless crime. It’s stealing and the store is the victim. ---
**Author:** ![ZPG\_Zealot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e47c2d/32.png) [@ZPG\_Zealot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZPG_Zealot)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/10 "2015-01-27T18:37:57Z")
In a department store or big box retailer I probably wouldn’t because quite frankly, it’s not worth my time, I don’t know the person’s situation of need, and large corporations factor a certain amount of shrinkage into their budgets as a matter of course. In terms of actual crime, I consider how many of those stores mistreat and underpay their employees far worse. At a small, “Mom and Pop” business, I would tell the person to put the items back or I would tell the owner. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/11 "2015-01-27T20:59:41Z")
Nah, snitches get stitches, as they say. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/12 "2015-01-27T22:25:36Z")
Been there, done that. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/13 "2015-01-27T22:31:18Z")
Absolutely I’d report it. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2015, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/14 "2015-01-27T23:31:35Z")
Victimless crimes like **astorian** describes, who gives a shit–government is already too deep in the business of the individual. But theft, any kind of personal abuse, ongoing threats to public safety (not a single rolling stop, maybe, but someone hauling ass thorugh a residenctial area)–that’s pretty much what I reckon law enforcement is for. More precisely, I know a lot of junkies steal to support their habits, and a lot of impairedpeople perpetrate vandalism, theft & assault. But I think you need to catch those acts while they’re happeneing and leave the resulting/precursor self-abuse alone. Give people the opportunity to harm others before persecuting them. ---
**Author:** ![LurkerInNJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@LurkerInNJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkerInNJ)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/15 "2015-01-28T19:02:28Z")
Twice I have turned in strangers for shoplifting. Once to a store clerk and once to a cop right outside the store. Neither one gave a damn. I don’t bother any more. ---
**Author:** ![No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@No\_umlaut\_for\_U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/No_umlaut_for_U)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2015, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/16 "2015-01-28T20:29:08Z")
If it’s food, no, unless it’s something like saffron. Anything else, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Peanut\_Gallery](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/838e76/32.png) [@Peanut\_Gallery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanut_Gallery)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/17 "2015-01-29T03:55:11Z")
I spent some time working retail years ago, and the training they offered regarding shoplifting told us that in order to convict, somebody (not sure if this even includes other customers) must witness the thief concealing something and exiting the store with it … _and must not lose sight of them at any time between those two events_. I suspect that explains the various accounts here of “I told on somebody and got dismissed!” So I guess I wouldn’t bother to tell on somebody I saw shoplift, if only cuz it would be a pain in the ass to achieve the above scenario. It was hard enough as an employee. Also, as The Dope has taught me … avoid talking to the police in general. The OP asks about “petty” crimes. If “petty”, not worth the trouble to get involved. ---
**Author:** ![Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@Kansas\_Beekeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kansas_Beekeeper)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/18 "2015-01-29T04:28:00Z")
No. I saw a woman shoplift a bag of potatoes from Walmart. I don’t know why she caught my eye. She did it when the store was very busy. She waited until the store greeter was engaged in a conversation with someone and distracted. She simply picked up a big bag of potatoes and walked out the exit. It was one of the most astonishingly brazen things I’ve ever seen. I’d have reported her if it had been a LCD TV. It was a bag of potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![DoggyDunnit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5fc32e/32.png) [@DoggyDunnit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoggyDunnit)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/19 "2015-01-29T08:29:55Z")
For me, it’d depend on the nature of the shoplifting and the nature of the store. If, for instance, I see someone shoplifting food, diapers, or similar “necessity” items, I will not report, as they’re probably doing so out of sheer need. The exception to that is if I was at a small “neighborhood grocery” type place. Then, yes, they’d get reported by me. Mallwart can take the hit. Pete’s Grocery down on the corner can’t. If it was something like your scenario, **Omar** (clothes/electronics), then I’d report them. I have to pay for my shit, so your “entitled” douchebag ass better do so, too. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/20 "2015-01-29T10:53:10Z")
Only for vandalism. I hate vandals [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996.md?page=2)