Why do people steal?

[Scar]

Why do people steal? I mean its so easy, and its also so easy to just buy stuff.

People not having any money isn't an excuse because most of the crap people steal nowadays are just things that they don't need anyways.

I know some people close to me who steal all the time. They have more money than i do, but they still steal, and i can't even conceive of me doing so. I just feel too guilty afterwards, and i just don't like it. I figure if i don't want to spend the money for something, then i just don't need it. I have stolen things when i was a little kid, and even then it made me sick to my stomach.

today at the store i work at two people loaded up a shopping cart with tons of stuff. I saw them going around the store, but i didn't think much of it. The policy at our store is to never accuse anyone of stealing unless we actually see them, so with that atmosphere we just never think of it.

Anyways i remember seeing some really expensive items in their cart such as a brand new intel dual core 2 acer laptop, and some other things (the laptops were only on the shelf and not behind locked glass because they are on sell this week and only cost around $700). anyways soon after they moved on and i was busy doing my room, so everything was normal.

Soon the alarm went off out on the patio which is connected to the Garden Center. It's winter here and Christmas has recently passed, so that section is mostly not monitored since there isn't much over there due to it not being the season for garden (there are staff there during the weekday setting everything up for spring, today was Saturday so they were off) and it turns out that couple went out through the garden center, and out the door on the patio which is only there for fire safety as an exit, which triggered the alarm.

There was probably over $1000 in that cart. There is no doubt in my mind that those people will be tracked down since there are camera's everywhere, and almost everyone knows everyone in that area (besides me it appears, ha) so it was just stupid. I'm not sure of the laws but im pretty sure that any theft over a $grand is a felony which probably includes a hefty jail sentence. So why would they even attempt this?

and it's not just them. People steal crap on a hourly basis. I'm always finding casings, boxes, and other things that belonged to items stranded around the store. Do people not have consciences anymore? They even still simple crap like candy and makeup.

if they steal because they are poor? then maybe they are poor because they don't care in the first palce about sociaty? Maybe i could understand someone stealing food or something for their families, but no one needs a laptop really.

Wouldn't these people feel much better if they worked and got the money to buy the stuff themselves?
Anyone can get a job. There isn't a shortage of jobs in the world. I saw on the news that people are finding ti hard to find jobs, thats bullcrap. They are finding it hard to find high paying jobs and don't want to make $10 or less an hour, which is the real world. So I don't think thats a correct excuse. I could be wrong though.

I just wonder what goes through these people's heads. Alot of times it just doesn't make any sense. Like maybe they just do it for the adrenaline? or what?

What do you think of all of this?
By the way, i'm not saying im better than anyone, or judging people that steal. I'm judging what they do and i just don't think its fair or right. I'm saying this because i confronted a past friend about it and they were like "sorry i'm not perfect like you" or some other lame *** whatever.
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[Pie32]

Nobody wants to part with their money. It's as simple as that. Think about it, if you could get something for free or pay money for it, which option would you choose? Obviously getting things for free. Unfortunately, some people don't have sufficiant morals not to steal. One can't always get what one wants, compromises must be made, and in this case, it's paying for stuff.

In this day and age, stealing is such a bad idea. Chances are, you will get caught unless you can pull off some sort of Arsene Lupin stunt.
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[Rashy]

Its an easy way to get stuff for free. Face it, the police have a lot better things to do than track down somebody who stole $10 or $20 of items from Target, such as catching speeders

But in all seriousness, having nothing but a face really doesn't help them track down the theives, especially in a larger population. It sounds like they did grab some higher priced items so the police might make a bigger effort on it, but still your chances of getting caught shoplifting if you make it out of the parking lot is pretty slim.

A lot of retail chains here in the U.S. have started putting "security guards" at their entrances, but I don't believe there is a whole lot they can do other than confiscate their items and kick you out of the store. Its not like they can detain you or anything. I guess it is a matter of
convenience.
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[RohitMalhotra]

easy money to get things the easy way shortcut to success ..

to get things what seems too difficult to attain

when they need something desperately for a just cause ..
there could be a thousandass of reasons for some one to steal .. but it is the morality which has considered stealing to be bad .. a man made notion .. not that i am putting stealing to be good .. but isnt stealing a way to satisfy a need ..
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[Michael]

I used to shoplift stupid things when I was younger. Some people do it because it's a rush, some people are broke and lazy, others are cheap. Many shoplifters who steal from large stores argue that they aren't hurting any one person since it's a corperation they are stealing from and not a person as it would be with mom-and-pop stores. It's not harmless, but it barely makes a dent in the sales of the corperations, so they lose very little. In fact, they would probably lose MORE money investing in equipment and staff to prevent shoplifting than they would without it. So the loss is minor.

After a few close calls I decided to quit stealing things from stores while I was still ahead of the game. I just outgrew it when I discovered that making money isn't hard and is far more satisfying.
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[mellymoo]

Because they are scum??

[Kovacs]

Just to back up what Michael was saying, I work in a clothing store and we have monthly figures that tell us how much profit we lost due to shoplifting.

For the month of December (our busiest period) we lost 1.16% of our potential profits, and we get a LOT of shoplifters. That isn't much at all really, and that was in our busiest month, which means shoplifting was at its highest too.
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[clpo13]

Thieves are mainly opportunists. If they see an opportunity to get something for free, they'll take it. But if they have enough money to actually buy things...well, that's probably just greed.

I'd never do it, simply because I see the risk as too high. I'd rather work and buy something than steal it and risk punishment.
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[mcwkm]

ok so i categorize it into 3 sections why people steal.
first lack of money need/want of product. This should be the most common and has the most reason behind it. People need to eat even if they can't afford food. I throw want in there for things that arent exactly necessities but your actually going to use the stolen item
Second the fact you can steal the item. Easily the worst reason to steal items. You have no actual desire for the product and just take it because it is there and you can.
Third the thrill. Ok so the other two categories can fall in here. Stealing is like a drug. Some people get a high from it, they get joy out of the act of theft. This group helps the rest of society the best seeing how the thief sells the product for a minimal price or gives it away for free.

I don't consider myself a thief although i have quiet alot of stolen products. Stores prices expect theft so they overcharge for products, its just balancing out the universe in my mind because people won't stop stealing so why should I suffer

[Desbrina]

I know people who steal (my brother for one)

he's even been caught a few times, but he's always let off with a warning.

Unless people are actually going to get into serious trouble then the stealing will carry on.

As far as my brother is concerned, he's done it several times, each time he's gotten away with it, so he thinks the next time he'll get away with it to
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[martinz]

There can be many reasons why people steal, some steal because they are poor, lack of money, some steal because its a habit, some steal for the sake of convenience, and some steal because they get a kick out of it.

I thought its important that kids need to be taught its ethical wrong to steal. And once they have this in their mind, they won't do it no matter how poor they are.

[coralvalley]

Honestly when I was younger I had a friend who would constantly go into stores and either steal things or do what he felt he could in changing the stickers or prices on something to make it look like what he had purchased was at a much lower price than what it would actually be going for. Then in those instances when he would switch the price stickers on the items he would go to a line where the woman working behind the cash register looked like someone he could flirt with and get away with the price tag sticker changes without her noticing what he had done. He did that a lot and usually the things that he bought or stole were things that he did not need at all, but rather it was more of a hobby for him just to see what he could get away with. He had money and no practical reason for stealing, but he did it so often just for the sheer thrill of trying it and entertaining himself. I always wondered if he would get caught, but he never did. Though I cannot tell you how angry I would get in learning what he had done because that is simply wrong.

If someone steals simply for recreation and the sport of seeing if they can get away with it, there is just something seriously wrong with them. It is like they feel like they are entitled to take whatever they want because they can while the rest of the world has to follow rules and regulations. That is not right at all and I really cannot understand why people would do that either, so I can sympathize. I am sure the people who stole from where you work will undoubtedly be caught and in some big trouble when the authorities get their hands on them.

[kenoodo]