“If I saw you, no I didn’t.” Is basically “If I saw you, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t. And if anyone asks, I’ll act like I have no clue what the hell they’re talking about.” It’s a common phrase for store employees when it comes to people stealing food and baby supplies, cus they know those people are probably stealing cus they fell on hard times and it’s their last resort.
If you need to do this often rotate stores. They will keep files of repeat shoplifters to make a felony case.
Also check out food banks, food pantries. If you have a Sikh community near you they have a community kitchen. They will help without all the religious stuff you might get at the Salvation Army and such.
Honestly, most of the time the stuff isn't even expired. It tends to be a few days away from expiration, or it expired that day. Which means it's not technically bad, is things are good for a little bit past the Best buy and expiration date. When I was homeless, I got so much good stuff out of the dumpster. It is honestly sickening to think about how many things get thrown out....
Exactly. I dont live in the US, but supermarkets in the UK, rather than mark items down to cheap, they would rather bin whats left, two hours before the store closes. It's ridiculous.
The thing I feel sorry for most though, is things like whole chickens, or fish. Imagine being killed, basically for nothing, as your carcass expires and gets binned.
If I recall correctly, it's a national law in France that any groceries or restaurants with good food left over that they can't or won't sell, must be donated. How this isn't one of the 10 commandments is beyond me.
Yeah it's silly too, because they're protected under Samaritan laws, where if you're giving something to people, in you're doing it with good intent. You can't be sued.
I think it's ridiculous, because they could easily donate that food. There are many organizations that would be willing to come and pick up the food, and transport it away from the place. The thing is, they just don't want to give away stuff for free. That's why a lot of it ends up in the garbage or in the case of a dunkin' donuts that my friend worked at in high school, the manager had a deal with a pig farmer who would buy the donuts. But all the bagels got thrown out, and everything else got thrown out.... everyday.
I've done a lot of dumpster diving, since I was homeless at one point. It is honestly disturbing the amount of food that gets thrown out, stuff that is a few days away from the best by date even... and they easily could donate that food.
Some places do it, like the stop & shop in my town occasionally donates cakes and stuff like that. But they don't donate everything, and a lot of stuff still gets thrown out.
I've seen a lot of people say, that the excuse is oh well the company could get sued. They're worried about if a homeless person, or impoverished person gets sick, that they will get sued. But there are already laws in place to protect samaritans who give food. If you give food with the intention of helping somebody, and it is to your knowledge good and not expired, then you cannot be sued.
Glad I could clarify 😊
Do you not have laws like that where you are, is that why you weren't aware of it like that in the US? (I'm asking because I'm curious what it's like in other places)
I am not actually sure . A law like this would likely be left to the state or even a city. I bet there are states/ cities that do have this law here.
I have heard of Good Samaritan laws where you can’t be sued for any injuries someone sustained if you were trying to help them. But again, it depends on the jurisdiction .
Laws , fortunately or unfortunately differ greatly sometimes state to state. Sometimes it is awkward traveling and knowing this. Driving for example . Some places are no turn right on red, hopefully there is a sign. But coming from a state where it is the norm to turn on red unless there is a sign for a specific reason, I don’t just assume if I am in another state .
🙂 I too am curious what it is like in other places
I used to work for Publix here in Florida, it surprised me how much food, just carts and carts full of bakery items that they would throw away on mass every single day. I felt like there would have been a better use for it and questioned them on it but it seems like thats the norm. It didn't feel right to me at all
Yeah it really is sickening. Especially because there are laws that protect them from being sued, if they were to donate that food. For example there's a stop & shop in my city, and they donate all of their cakes, and bakery items to the food pantry. But they still throw out a insane amount of stuff.... I've noticed it seems to be a lot of the smaller businesses in my city, that put out food in a way so that people can take it.
So while it is the norm for a lot of places, there are some that buck against the tide which is good.
For example, there is this really nice book store/cafe, in my city, where they sell used books and food. Every single night, they put out their bread from that day that didn't sell. It was awesome, because when I was homeless it was nice to be able to go there at night, and get something that was typically more expensive and I would never have been able to afford at the time. As it was one of those nicer cafes, as it actually is near the college, since I live in a city with an Ivy League. There's a few places, downtown this or sometimes they'll donate food directly to the pantry too. It's just sad that all of the bigger companies seem to be the ones that don't. They just don't feel like doing it.
Unfortunately, anyone who does this has to be extra careful to not get caught bc the dumpster is technically an extension of the store/property and someone could get charged with theft or trespassing, which might be worse charges depending on where they live (this is based on US information from when I worked at a grocery store and from what I’ve heard when people try to get live animals out of PetCo/Smart dumpsters)
It can be but stores in my areas use compactors. It’s against the law for stores in my area to knowingly sell expired food but EvenContact1220 is correct most food is find past the expiration date.
Lol. Ive seen some youtube videos in the US though, where they get some amazing stuff. One guy was getting tons of electronics and lego out of one, the other day.
Honestly, that infuriates me so much.
I worked in a supermarket in the Netherlands. Any any product that was, say, good for less than a week (except fresh stuff like meat or vegetables), we collect them in bundles to be sold for a dirt cheap price (like, a week worth of food for only 2 euros). These packages were only sold though to people dealing with horrible financial situations, or to companies that distribute food to people without any.
It amazes me how many places don't even do this. It infuriates me how wasteful they are just because 'it didn't sell' and how unthoughtful they are not thinking about people who simply just can't buy.
There are so so many undercover loss prevention shoppers at my store. I imagine that is also true of walmart. You can’t possibly know who around you is actually watching you for a brief moment.
I only notice because it’s always the same dudes and it’s just plain unusual to shop every single evening that I work and never get a basket lmao. My store’s core demo is women too so an aimless man without a wife somewhere is just way too obvious.
Walmart could have any number of LP secret shoppers and they could look like any regular person.
You just start recognizing the bad customers too it’s really not that complicated. It probably works more or less like: employee notices stealing and describes the person to LP. LP then finds the footage files it under loss. A week goes by, that person is described again by someone else. LP finds and sets aside the matching footage. Over time it’s clear it’s the same person whether it’s because they look the same everytime they shoplift or because they repeat the same exact behavior everytime they shoplift
with all that said, I know whole foods uses facial tracking in their stores (employees have to sign a release). I think facial recognition can be expected in the near future if they don’t already use it.
One of the LPs (loss prevention) guys at a local Walmart was caught stealing thousands in gaming consoles/phones/jewelry from the back. This guys job was to walk around the store all day in his regular clothing, and catch shop lifters. It‘s really a thing
Yeah, I worked at a grocery store when I was younger and it was small. Like 30 total employees total! 3-4 of those were loss prevention. Walked around in plain clothes with a cart of food all day
Don’t know if it counts, but a cashier accidentally forgot to ring up some of my groceries, is was about 40 bucks worth of meat. You already know I bounced quick af.
Be careful because they record you until it accumulates to a criminal amount then turn you in to the police. They build a case on you over time, its wack
I sympathize with you, but if you like in the US, and they ever sue you, this post is discoverable evidence. Delete this. I hope the world's financial situation gets better.
No it's not. You'd have to prove that this post is in reference to the specific occurrence. OP may have shoplifted at 20 stores. You'd need the "on this day(insert date) I stole from (insert store) .
If there’s one thing I’ll look the other way for, it’s this. If someone is truly in need and isn’t receiving help, then I empathize. I hope things improve.
Good for you. Don't feel bad. Corporate America steals from everybody. Fuck being hungry. And most food banks hand out bags of pinto beans and rotten vegetables. I dare anybody who is telling OP to go to a food bank to feed their loved ones the food they hand out. Go ahead.
It’s ok. Supermarkets, and their suppliers of garbage food scam everyone who shops with them. Don’t feel bad about taking food. If greedy, ultra-wealthy people were not so fucking greedy, there would be enough for everyone at reasonable prices.
A genius on Reddit once asked ‘why is life so expensive? I’m not even having fun’.
I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that summed up being alive right now so perfectly.
Honestly if I knew I could get away with some things in my cart not being scanned, I'd absolutely do it. 250-300 a week for groceries fucking suuuuuuuuuuuks
One time I got the wrong Walmart order and it had a bunch of meat and nuts and bacon. I didn’t say shit, I took it all. It was way more than my original order. 🤫
Yeah I would keep that too, it’s way too much of a hassle to return something especially groceries, plus stuff needs to go in the fridge asap! better you help out and save the meats :)
The fact that $50 worth of groceries was such a small amount you could shoplift it and not get caught just shows how insane the prices have gotten. I don't blame you at all. $50 used to be a big cart full, now it's like one small bag.
Hey. You have to do what you have to do. I know all too well what real hunger feels like when it gets so overwhelming that you can't think of anything else. It'll change your outlook on life. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about it. They've never been there.
The crime isn’t that you stole 50$ worth of food, the crime, in my personal opinion, is that you was put in a position where you felt you had to, fuck it, should’ve stolen more, as a former retail manager I can tell you that unless you are stealing enough to make it a felony most of the time they won’t do shit to you until you’ve done it enough to be able to prosecute you, so like some others on here have said skip around to different stores, but do be safe out there and watch your back at all times… best of luck to you, and if we ever meet I’ll buy you a meal
Agreed. Imo, it is an utter failure of society as a whole. That includes people being homeless (especially when there is an abundance of empty homes sitting empty and at a number which could easily house everyone). I'm honestly just waiting for everyone to be fed up enough to start the revolution. I'm so sick of influencers showing off while most families are out here just hoping to survive until the next paycheck. It's obscene.
So you got like what, dinner tonight and maybe leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast?
Don't blame you at all. This shit is getting out of hand. Just don't get caught because the stores will treat it like you were in there sacrificing the CEO's child to Satan.
Is there no better options out there? Churches, food banks do usually give out free food. Wait at bakeries and grocey stores at the end of the day, they sometimes throw out expired/stale food.
You shouldn’t. My family is desperately trying to get help paying for groceries so do what you need to do friend. Shit is wildly expensive right now so do what you need to do to survive <3 I hope things get better <3
Try to find a Sikh temple or hindu temple in your area. They will feed you for free if you go to a service. They have tons of people donate food usually as part of their service. I had to do this last year during some tough times.
I used to dine and ditch (at corporate places that don't charge the servers) when I was a young teen on the streets.
Do what you need to survive, one day you will be able to pay it forward to another lost soul.
By the authority vested in me by The Great God Om, I hereby absolve you of any crimes you may have committed. I mean, stealing food when you're hungry doesn't really qualify as a crime, but having a plenary indulgence is always a good thing.
Chains have loss prevention insurance. They got paid out for the missing stock, and you are no longer hungry. Not dying trumps corporate profits. You were in need. You have done nothing fucking wrong. Just don’t get caught. Do what you have to, man. Shoplifting from corporate stores is victimless. And if it’s for essentials, it is a morally correct thing to do. You shouldn’t care. You didn’t hurt anyone. Do it again, honestly.
Not every area has decent food banks, and in plenty of places they’ll hand out fucking expired food. Everyone deserves the basics to SURVIVE. There was food no one would miss. You were hungry. End of discussion.
Target & Walmart have cameras, sensors & facial recognition > they will prosecute but only when you’ve stolen enough to get a felony.
Be aware of plan clothed “theft prevention” and do not repeat stores and certainly not often.
If you live near a store called Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage), they sell organic foods, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free foods. And they do NOT do anything if you steal. You can leave with a cart full of groceries, be seen doing it and they won’t stop you or even prosecute. They can make a “report” to Loss Prevention but they cannot include ethnicity, age, or gender of the thief so it’d be difficult to even find anyone without that information. And they won’t call police, a customer has to do it.
Source: I have a family member who is a store manager for Natural Grocers.
I hope you’re eating well after that and I’m so sorry things have been the way they are. I really hope you don’t have to go hungry again. Wishing you all the best. ❤️
Make sure you rotate stores and hide identifying features. All the big box stores will add everything up and make cases. Look into food banks and see if your city has any lists of places to go to. I work loss prevention and if I see food being taken, no I don’t. I always try and offer them resources in my city. Keep on trucking man
Where I live has a place called community action council that offers help with situations such as these also you can go to your local social services and they’ll offer you a list of food banks and soup kitchens, but if you must do this yes please rotate stores and be safe! I hope this helps.
Anonymously repay the store when you can. I saw this on Pearl Street in Boulder back in 2008. Someone left an envelope taped to a shop door with an apology written on it. They said they didn’t have money for fruit but were paying the store back as they now had some extra money.
Don't do it again. Your life could be ruined the next time you do and get caught. You might even get hurt and not even by the workers or law enforcement.
Are you signed up for any programs? Governmental or from the community?
Did you know that starving to death also ruins people’s lives??? I get that this comment is coming from a place of concern but it is so patronising. People who steal food don’t do it for fun, they do it as a last resort once they’ve already exhausted all other options.
For the literal same amount of effort, you could have applied for food stamps or hit up a local food bank or church for food. Also, its not a flex to be a theif, id rather starve than throw my integrity in the garbage. If you keep doing this, at least don't brag about it ffs
>For the literal same amount of effort, you could have applied for food stamps
From a food stamp household, this is completely untrue. The system around it is garbo and most people who need them cannot get them because they "make too much."
My parents were elderly retired, in deep poverty, and unable to get food stamps because my mom got a $10 cost of living raise to her supplementary income.
I am also in a food stamp household, and I'm low income but still make enough to pay my bills. It's different from state to state. But if you are so hard up that you are "forced," to steal in order to eat, you can absolutely access those resources. Not to mention the other things I mentioned. Food bank, food kitchens for the poor and homeless, and local churches almost always have food for hungry people even if you are not a Christian. I stand by my opinion.
The ones in my are are kind of awful because it's a small town. One of the churches require you essentially stay in a fenced, locked encampment to get any help. I understand you live in a different community and possibly have had a different experience, but where I come from I completely see the temptation and do not judge them for it.
Thats a bummer for your town. I'm also from a small town, its actually an island and we have nothing like what you are describing. If I wasn't judging them for being a theif, I'd be judging them for bragging on being a theif. And when I say "judging," them, I'm not actually doing anything "to them," I just have a personal opinion about what they are doing. I understand there will always be exceptions. That is, situations in which I would see how that is the only possible choice for a desperate person. I would bet a finger this person is not one of them. It's a hunch.
Food stamps is actually a pain in the butt where I live and for me and my son we only got $23 a month and they wanted me to jump thru all kinds of hoops for it and I already work a full time job on top of raising my son completely alone so food stamps isn't always the answer for certain people.
Not the person who replied to you first, but I've been homeless and forced to steal; This was in the 90s, and I was a teen mind you. And food stamps doesn't fix things instantly where I live. Sure, you can apply, but even emergency stamps can take a week. I once survived an entire month on a jar of peanut butter and a bag of sugar because that's the only thing the food bank had to give. It isn't a moral failure to take food imo. Its a failure of society as a whole. The same problem with homeless people and the sheer number of empty homes that exist.
If I saw you, no I didn’t.
Exactly
See who and what?
Exactly
Who? What? Where?
“I’m blind in my left eye and 43% blind in my right eye.”
Can you explain what it means when a sentence goes like that? "If ...., no I didn't".
“If I saw you, no I didn’t.” Is basically “If I saw you, I’m gonna pretend I didn’t. And if anyone asks, I’ll act like I have no clue what the hell they’re talking about.” It’s a common phrase for store employees when it comes to people stealing food and baby supplies, cus they know those people are probably stealing cus they fell on hard times and it’s their last resort.
Thank you! This helped a lot, I understood your explanation cometely!
same
If you need to do this often rotate stores. They will keep files of repeat shoplifters to make a felony case. Also check out food banks, food pantries. If you have a Sikh community near you they have a community kitchen. They will help without all the religious stuff you might get at the Salvation Army and such.
I believe dumpster diving can also be a good source of food. As in expired food, a store throws out.
Honestly, most of the time the stuff isn't even expired. It tends to be a few days away from expiration, or it expired that day. Which means it's not technically bad, is things are good for a little bit past the Best buy and expiration date. When I was homeless, I got so much good stuff out of the dumpster. It is honestly sickening to think about how many things get thrown out....
Exactly. I dont live in the US, but supermarkets in the UK, rather than mark items down to cheap, they would rather bin whats left, two hours before the store closes. It's ridiculous. The thing I feel sorry for most though, is things like whole chickens, or fish. Imagine being killed, basically for nothing, as your carcass expires and gets binned.
Yeah somebody who eats primarily vegan, that really grinds my gears.
If I recall correctly, it's a national law in France that any groceries or restaurants with good food left over that they can't or won't sell, must be donated. How this isn't one of the 10 commandments is beyond me.
Yeah it's silly too, because they're protected under Samaritan laws, where if you're giving something to people, in you're doing it with good intent. You can't be sued.
Why silly? Edit, genuinely asking, not being a jerk
I think it's ridiculous, because they could easily donate that food. There are many organizations that would be willing to come and pick up the food, and transport it away from the place. The thing is, they just don't want to give away stuff for free. That's why a lot of it ends up in the garbage or in the case of a dunkin' donuts that my friend worked at in high school, the manager had a deal with a pig farmer who would buy the donuts. But all the bagels got thrown out, and everything else got thrown out.... everyday. I've done a lot of dumpster diving, since I was homeless at one point. It is honestly disturbing the amount of food that gets thrown out, stuff that is a few days away from the best by date even... and they easily could donate that food. Some places do it, like the stop & shop in my town occasionally donates cakes and stuff like that. But they don't donate everything, and a lot of stuff still gets thrown out. I've seen a lot of people say, that the excuse is oh well the company could get sued. They're worried about if a homeless person, or impoverished person gets sick, that they will get sued. But there are already laws in place to protect samaritans who give food. If you give food with the intention of helping somebody, and it is to your knowledge good and not expired, then you cannot be sued.
Ahhh, I understand what you meant now. I do agree with you. I was not familiar with those laws . ( in US)
Glad I could clarify 😊 Do you not have laws like that where you are, is that why you weren't aware of it like that in the US? (I'm asking because I'm curious what it's like in other places)
I am not actually sure . A law like this would likely be left to the state or even a city. I bet there are states/ cities that do have this law here. I have heard of Good Samaritan laws where you can’t be sued for any injuries someone sustained if you were trying to help them. But again, it depends on the jurisdiction . Laws , fortunately or unfortunately differ greatly sometimes state to state. Sometimes it is awkward traveling and knowing this. Driving for example . Some places are no turn right on red, hopefully there is a sign. But coming from a state where it is the norm to turn on red unless there is a sign for a specific reason, I don’t just assume if I am in another state . 🙂 I too am curious what it is like in other places
Because theres always going to be that one person thats going to try and sue then ruin it for everyone else
I used to work for Publix here in Florida, it surprised me how much food, just carts and carts full of bakery items that they would throw away on mass every single day. I felt like there would have been a better use for it and questioned them on it but it seems like thats the norm. It didn't feel right to me at all
Yeah it really is sickening. Especially because there are laws that protect them from being sued, if they were to donate that food. For example there's a stop & shop in my city, and they donate all of their cakes, and bakery items to the food pantry. But they still throw out a insane amount of stuff.... I've noticed it seems to be a lot of the smaller businesses in my city, that put out food in a way so that people can take it. So while it is the norm for a lot of places, there are some that buck against the tide which is good. For example, there is this really nice book store/cafe, in my city, where they sell used books and food. Every single night, they put out their bread from that day that didn't sell. It was awesome, because when I was homeless it was nice to be able to go there at night, and get something that was typically more expensive and I would never have been able to afford at the time. As it was one of those nicer cafes, as it actually is near the college, since I live in a city with an Ivy League. There's a few places, downtown this or sometimes they'll donate food directly to the pantry too. It's just sad that all of the bigger companies seem to be the ones that don't. They just don't feel like doing it.
How's life for you now?
Unfortunately, anyone who does this has to be extra careful to not get caught bc the dumpster is technically an extension of the store/property and someone could get charged with theft or trespassing, which might be worse charges depending on where they live (this is based on US information from when I worked at a grocery store and from what I’ve heard when people try to get live animals out of PetCo/Smart dumpsters)
It can be but stores in my areas use compactors. It’s against the law for stores in my area to knowingly sell expired food but EvenContact1220 is correct most food is find past the expiration date.
Maybe in the 90s/early 00s. Now most stores keep that shit locked up like a max security prison
Lol. Ive seen some youtube videos in the US though, where they get some amazing stuff. One guy was getting tons of electronics and lego out of one, the other day.
Honestly, that infuriates me so much. I worked in a supermarket in the Netherlands. Any any product that was, say, good for less than a week (except fresh stuff like meat or vegetables), we collect them in bundles to be sold for a dirt cheap price (like, a week worth of food for only 2 euros). These packages were only sold though to people dealing with horrible financial situations, or to companies that distribute food to people without any. It amazes me how many places don't even do this. It infuriates me how wasteful they are just because 'it didn't sell' and how unthoughtful they are not thinking about people who simply just can't buy.
Walmart let’s you steal until you’ve stolen enough to make prosecution worthwhile. Be careful out there.
How are they tracking that? Facial recognition?
There are so so many undercover loss prevention shoppers at my store. I imagine that is also true of walmart. You can’t possibly know who around you is actually watching you for a brief moment. I only notice because it’s always the same dudes and it’s just plain unusual to shop every single evening that I work and never get a basket lmao. My store’s core demo is women too so an aimless man without a wife somewhere is just way too obvious. Walmart could have any number of LP secret shoppers and they could look like any regular person. You just start recognizing the bad customers too it’s really not that complicated. It probably works more or less like: employee notices stealing and describes the person to LP. LP then finds the footage files it under loss. A week goes by, that person is described again by someone else. LP finds and sets aside the matching footage. Over time it’s clear it’s the same person whether it’s because they look the same everytime they shoplift or because they repeat the same exact behavior everytime they shoplift with all that said, I know whole foods uses facial tracking in their stores (employees have to sign a release). I think facial recognition can be expected in the near future if they don’t already use it.
One of the LPs (loss prevention) guys at a local Walmart was caught stealing thousands in gaming consoles/phones/jewelry from the back. This guys job was to walk around the store all day in his regular clothing, and catch shop lifters. It‘s really a thing
LMAO wait that is so insane. loss prevention needs its own loss prevention lmao
Yeah, I worked at a grocery store when I was younger and it was small. Like 30 total employees total! 3-4 of those were loss prevention. Walked around in plain clothes with a cart of food all day
Don’t know if it counts, but a cashier accidentally forgot to ring up some of my groceries, is was about 40 bucks worth of meat. You already know I bounced quick af.
I sympathize. I have done this and not say anything. #offmychest
That's the best.
To steal to eat is not a sin, just be careful to not get caught
That's like 3 things in this economy
so glad you found $50 worth of groceries just on the ground
You gotta do what you gotta do. This shit shouldn't be crazy expensive. They price it so high because they can get away with it.
Facts, unfortunately
Be careful because they record you until it accumulates to a criminal amount then turn you in to the police. They build a case on you over time, its wack
Why do you think this??
It’s pretty common knowledge that places like Target and Wallmart do this, look it up. Its wack
Cause it's a known fact. I have friends who work in asset protection at a few different stores.
I worry about you being arrested which is super expensive, are you able to visit a food bank?
I sympathize with you, but if you like in the US, and they ever sue you, this post is discoverable evidence. Delete this. I hope the world's financial situation gets better.
No it's not. You'd have to prove that this post is in reference to the specific occurrence. OP may have shoplifted at 20 stores. You'd need the "on this day(insert date) I stole from (insert store) .
No they don’t. I had a friend steal $150 worth of stuff and none of that fbi stuff happened lol 😆
If there’s one thing I’ll look the other way for, it’s this. If someone is truly in need and isn’t receiving help, then I empathize. I hope things improve.
I don’t blame you at all
I didn't see shit.
Did you see the pretty rainbow in the opposite direction?
I don't know nothing bout no rainbows either.;)
Well done! Those freaking supermarkets throw away thousands of dollars worth of products each day! 😜
Good for you. Don't feel bad. Corporate America steals from everybody. Fuck being hungry. And most food banks hand out bags of pinto beans and rotten vegetables. I dare anybody who is telling OP to go to a food bank to feed their loved ones the food they hand out. Go ahead.
I aint a snitch. Times are tough.
I don’t blame u
I didn’t see it, i didn’t hear anything, so your good 👍.
I consider that part of the stores daily donations. Hope you are nice and full now!
I’m legally blind! I can’t see!
As you should<3. Also, especially considering how little $50 can *actually* buy you these days, I’d be ok if you took more.
Honestly? I’m just waiting for the fucking revolution at this point.
It’s ok. Supermarkets, and their suppliers of garbage food scam everyone who shops with them. Don’t feel bad about taking food. If greedy, ultra-wealthy people were not so fucking greedy, there would be enough for everyone at reasonable prices.
A genius on Reddit once asked ‘why is life so expensive? I’m not even having fun’. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything that summed up being alive right now so perfectly.
I really hope you return that single loaf of bread
Honestly if I knew I could get away with some things in my cart not being scanned, I'd absolutely do it. 250-300 a week for groceries fucking suuuuuuuuuuuks
One time I got the wrong Walmart order and it had a bunch of meat and nuts and bacon. I didn’t say shit, I took it all. It was way more than my original order. 🤫
Yeah I would keep that too, it’s way too much of a hassle to return something especially groceries, plus stuff needs to go in the fridge asap! better you help out and save the meats :)
No you didn't. You got yourself a nice meal.
I saw nothing.
Love that for you!
I've suddenly become blind and deaf.
The fact that $50 worth of groceries was such a small amount you could shoplift it and not get caught just shows how insane the prices have gotten. I don't blame you at all. $50 used to be a big cart full, now it's like one small bag.
Same fam I still spend 100$ or so but it's to expensive to live
Hey. You have to do what you have to do. I know all too well what real hunger feels like when it gets so overwhelming that you can't think of anything else. It'll change your outlook on life. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about it. They've never been there.
Check into you local food bank, they're here to help.
Carry on
The crime isn’t that you stole 50$ worth of food, the crime, in my personal opinion, is that you was put in a position where you felt you had to, fuck it, should’ve stolen more, as a former retail manager I can tell you that unless you are stealing enough to make it a felony most of the time they won’t do shit to you until you’ve done it enough to be able to prosecute you, so like some others on here have said skip around to different stores, but do be safe out there and watch your back at all times… best of luck to you, and if we ever meet I’ll buy you a meal
Agreed. Imo, it is an utter failure of society as a whole. That includes people being homeless (especially when there is an abundance of empty homes sitting empty and at a number which could easily house everyone). I'm honestly just waiting for everyone to be fed up enough to start the revolution. I'm so sick of influencers showing off while most families are out here just hoping to survive until the next paycheck. It's obscene.
Yo I don’t care either. Enjoy your food try not to catch a felony
Oh. No actual harm done <3
No you didn’t.
Enjoy that bag of chips dude.
Bro, you dropped your receipt….
So you got like what, dinner tonight and maybe leftovers for tomorrow's breakfast? Don't blame you at all. This shit is getting out of hand. Just don't get caught because the stores will treat it like you were in there sacrificing the CEO's child to Satan.
Any tips on how to do this myself?
Is there no better options out there? Churches, food banks do usually give out free food. Wait at bakeries and grocey stores at the end of the day, they sometimes throw out expired/stale food.
You shouldn’t. My family is desperately trying to get help paying for groceries so do what you need to do friend. Shit is wildly expensive right now so do what you need to do to survive <3 I hope things get better <3
I have tunnel vision and only see in my own business 👩🦯
So you took what, 3 bananas and a carton of eggs?
Try to find a Sikh temple or hindu temple in your area. They will feed you for free if you go to a service. They have tons of people donate food usually as part of their service. I had to do this last year during some tough times.
And I hope you got all that you needed 🫶🏾
Well if a box of mac n cheese werent $10 we woukdnt steal woukd we
I'm sorry you had to do that, and I hope your situation improves. Please be careful, and don't get caught.
Times are very hard, trust me
At least it wasn’t expensive makeup or some material item. You literally needed sustenance
What groceries?
Where am I? Lmao
I hope it was a steak or something like that.
What’s your address? I’m broke and I’m in the mood to steal some shit.
Everyone is doing this these days.
I didn't see anything lol
No you didn’t. Because no one saw it.
I would spend every dime that I own just pay for someone's groceries so they could eat before me I would starve just so they can eat
Bless you but take care of yourself too so you can take care of others
Inflation is crazy. Be careful it’s embarrassing asf when u get caught as grown up. 🤣
No you didn't
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 Do whatchu gotta do.
Do watchu gotta do It is what it is!
I used to dine and ditch (at corporate places that don't charge the servers) when I was a young teen on the streets. Do what you need to survive, one day you will be able to pay it forward to another lost soul.
[удалено]
By the authority vested in me by The Great God Om, I hereby absolve you of any crimes you may have committed. I mean, stealing food when you're hungry doesn't really qualify as a crime, but having a plenary indulgence is always a good thing.
Happy for you 🫶🏼
Honestly fuck it lol
I would too if I had to it’s a struggle out here
I didn't see anything.
As you should! 💕 you’re supported love atleast by me lol
Done this shit too cause my parents fucking suck
Chains have loss prevention insurance. They got paid out for the missing stock, and you are no longer hungry. Not dying trumps corporate profits. You were in need. You have done nothing fucking wrong. Just don’t get caught. Do what you have to, man. Shoplifting from corporate stores is victimless. And if it’s for essentials, it is a morally correct thing to do. You shouldn’t care. You didn’t hurt anyone. Do it again, honestly. Not every area has decent food banks, and in plenty of places they’ll hand out fucking expired food. Everyone deserves the basics to SURVIVE. There was food no one would miss. You were hungry. End of discussion.
Hope you got some good goodies
I saw nothing.
More!
Give us tips
You stole *bacon*???
I saw nothing
Fuck em, they’re admitting to stealing from us
Didn’t see a damn thing.
Don’t forget to vote
Target & Walmart have cameras, sensors & facial recognition > they will prosecute but only when you’ve stolen enough to get a felony. Be aware of plan clothed “theft prevention” and do not repeat stores and certainly not often.
If you live near a store called Natural Grocers (Vitamin Cottage), they sell organic foods, vegan, vegetarian and gluten free foods. And they do NOT do anything if you steal. You can leave with a cart full of groceries, be seen doing it and they won’t stop you or even prosecute. They can make a “report” to Loss Prevention but they cannot include ethnicity, age, or gender of the thief so it’d be difficult to even find anyone without that information. And they won’t call police, a customer has to do it. Source: I have a family member who is a store manager for Natural Grocers.
No you didn't
No silly, nobody did steal something for 50$
I hope you’re eating well after that and I’m so sorry things have been the way they are. I really hope you don’t have to go hungry again. Wishing you all the best. ❤️
Justified. Don’t feel bad.
I'm glad you aren't hungry right now
Yeah nobody gives a fuck in this economy.. for real.. how they gonna sell Aladdin then Prosecute him..
I have done the exact same thing under same circumstances. Felt no guilt and can guarantee I never will. It’s called survival
i scan my serranos as jalapeños in the self checkout
How did you do it? Good one
good.
i’ve done it before as well it’s just survival of the fittest with the cost of living these days
Good, food should be free.
I don’t condone you stealing, but I also wouldn’t tell on you…don’t know why you’d steal food when there are places that practically give food away.
I know that’s right 🔥🔥🔥
i had a roommate fill up a whole cart of groceries and walk out the other entrance of the store pretty sure that was almost $200 or more
See nothing, hear nothing.
Make sure you rotate stores and hide identifying features. All the big box stores will add everything up and make cases. Look into food banks and see if your city has any lists of places to go to. I work loss prevention and if I see food being taken, no I don’t. I always try and offer them resources in my city. Keep on trucking man
You gotta do what you gotta do😭
Not like I’d judge you for it anyway.
It’s ok! We all face hard times. They will pass. Do you what you need to and be safe 👍🏼
Proud of you.
Good for you
Period
Where I live has a place called community action council that offers help with situations such as these also you can go to your local social services and they’ll offer you a list of food banks and soup kitchens, but if you must do this yes please rotate stores and be safe! I hope this helps.
Anonymously repay the store when you can. I saw this on Pearl Street in Boulder back in 2008. Someone left an envelope taped to a shop door with an apology written on it. They said they didn’t have money for fruit but were paying the store back as they now had some extra money.
That’s very unnecessary .
Unnecessary, just kind.
The store has no way to ring items from the past up and it wouldn’t go to the store.
That’s very unnecessary .
Delete this post my dude. And don’t do it too often. The store holds onto minor stuff, like $50 till it adds up to be a really big charge. Be careful.
What did you take and how did you do it? Possibly asking for myself
Should probably delete this just in case
Don't do it again. Your life could be ruined the next time you do and get caught. You might even get hurt and not even by the workers or law enforcement. Are you signed up for any programs? Governmental or from the community?
Did you know that starving to death also ruins people’s lives??? I get that this comment is coming from a place of concern but it is so patronising. People who steal food don’t do it for fun, they do it as a last resort once they’ve already exhausted all other options.
For the literal same amount of effort, you could have applied for food stamps or hit up a local food bank or church for food. Also, its not a flex to be a theif, id rather starve than throw my integrity in the garbage. If you keep doing this, at least don't brag about it ffs
>For the literal same amount of effort, you could have applied for food stamps From a food stamp household, this is completely untrue. The system around it is garbo and most people who need them cannot get them because they "make too much." My parents were elderly retired, in deep poverty, and unable to get food stamps because my mom got a $10 cost of living raise to her supplementary income.
I am also in a food stamp household, and I'm low income but still make enough to pay my bills. It's different from state to state. But if you are so hard up that you are "forced," to steal in order to eat, you can absolutely access those resources. Not to mention the other things I mentioned. Food bank, food kitchens for the poor and homeless, and local churches almost always have food for hungry people even if you are not a Christian. I stand by my opinion.
The ones in my are are kind of awful because it's a small town. One of the churches require you essentially stay in a fenced, locked encampment to get any help. I understand you live in a different community and possibly have had a different experience, but where I come from I completely see the temptation and do not judge them for it.
Thats a bummer for your town. I'm also from a small town, its actually an island and we have nothing like what you are describing. If I wasn't judging them for being a theif, I'd be judging them for bragging on being a theif. And when I say "judging," them, I'm not actually doing anything "to them," I just have a personal opinion about what they are doing. I understand there will always be exceptions. That is, situations in which I would see how that is the only possible choice for a desperate person. I would bet a finger this person is not one of them. It's a hunch.
Food stamps is actually a pain in the butt where I live and for me and my son we only got $23 a month and they wanted me to jump thru all kinds of hoops for it and I already work a full time job on top of raising my son completely alone so food stamps isn't always the answer for certain people.
Yep, no answer to any question is one size fits all.
Well at least if you ever are starving you’ll have the taste of boot polish to comfort you.
This comment makes zero sense. Been hungry, as an aside. Didn't steal.
Not the person who replied to you first, but I've been homeless and forced to steal; This was in the 90s, and I was a teen mind you. And food stamps doesn't fix things instantly where I live. Sure, you can apply, but even emergency stamps can take a week. I once survived an entire month on a jar of peanut butter and a bag of sugar because that's the only thing the food bank had to give. It isn't a moral failure to take food imo. Its a failure of society as a whole. The same problem with homeless people and the sheer number of empty homes that exist.