# 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:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/21 "2015-01-29T12:40:11Z")
I don’t know. I think it would depend on the place and the item. I’m the type much more likely to speak to the shoplifter, “(loudly) Hey! You know we can all see you stealing that, right?”, than to the store staff, I think. ---
**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 29, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/22 "2015-01-29T13:38:50Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > I don’t know. I think it would depend on the place and the item. I’m the type much more likely to speak to the shoplifter, “(loudly) Hey! You know we can all see you stealing that, right?”, than to the store staff, I think. That actually seems like a good strategy, although I think I’d be terrified to actually do it. (Super nonconfrontational. ☹ ) ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/23 "2015-01-29T13:46:33Z")
A few years ago I called the cops about a guy using my dumpster at work. A neighbor witnessed it and got his license plate. It was stuff he had cleaned out of his garage, including magazines with the mailing labels still attached. ---
**Author:** ![Lowdown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Lowdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lowdown)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/24 "2015-01-29T20:04:13Z")
I guess it would depend on how offended I was by the act. Vandalism, yes. Shoplifting, probably not. Pickpocketing, yes. B&E, yes. Drugs, no. DUI, absolutely. Fighting, no. Vagrancy, no. Squatting, yes. Panhandling, no. Scalping, no. Noise ordinances, maybe. Flicking a cigarette butt out the car window, I would kill you if I could get away with it. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/25 "2015-01-29T23:55:26Z")
I did once but only because he threatened to kill me if I told anybody what he had done I had no idea who he was or what he had done until he started running his mouth at me. He told me what he had done, and a few questions of the other people around us got me his name. I called the cops and turned him in, I heard he got arrested but I have no idea how it turned out. Never cared either. I don’t like to be threatened. I don’t know what it is with people who can’t keep their mouths shut. More criminals would get away with it if they only learned to shut up. Guess it’s good for the rest of us that they are so stupid. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/26 "2015-01-30T12:01:51Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > 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. For once I agree with you. Especially with telling the person to put the stuff back first. Big stores do not have a price, then add the costs of what is stolen from them, and then charge you a higher amount: they charge what you will pay. Small stores don’t have the same bargaining power regarding the costs of the items they buy to sell on so the costs from shoplifters will be more likely eat into their budget. ---
**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 30, 2015, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/27 "2015-01-30T13:22:17Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > 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. True, but I think it’s safe to say that shoplifting luxury items doesn’t really have anything to do with the person’s need. Unless you really need a $200 shirt… ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/28 "2015-01-30T14:00:47Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I don’t like to be threatened. Me neither. 🙂 ---
**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 30, 2015, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996/29 "2015-01-30T14:12:10Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > True, but I think it’s safe to say that shoplifting luxury items doesn’t really have anything to do with the person’s need. Unless you really need a $200 shirt… They may need to resell or barter the luxury item for something like rent or medicine. Prescription medicine is considerably harder to steal than many luxury goods. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-turn-in-a-stranger-for-a-petty-crime/710996.md?page=1)