# General > Politics >  Stealing food to eat :(

## squidge

This is a shocking state of affairs. I understand that police are trying to give help and advice to those people affected but this is another result of punitive welfare policies - what next? Work houses?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...nds-34410936Ch 

Quote

Supt Innes said: "Shoplifting has seen a spike this year."We've seen more shoplifters than ever in the Highlands and our view is that people are stealing to feed themselves."

"The evidence that makes us believe that is what things people are stealing."People have always stolen from shops but we have been seeing an increase in people stealing foodstuffs."

John Finnie, Independent MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said the senior officer's comments revealed a "shocking state of affairs". He said: "The police service works in our communities. They understand our communities."When we have a senior figure like Chief Superintendent Julian Innes, who is well respected, very, very clearly laying out that people are stealing foodstuffs to sustain their living, then that's a shocking state of affairs.Of course there have always been thefts, and no-one is condoning theft for one second, but in the past it has been thefts of luxury items."These are people who are hard pressed. People who are in dire straits."

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## golach

> This is a shocking state of affairs. I understand that police are trying to give help and advice to those people affected but this is another result of punitive welfare policies - what next? Work houses? http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotlan...nds-34410936Ch QuoteSupt Innes said: "Shoplifting has seen a spike this year."We've seen more shoplifters than ever in the Highlands and our view is that people are stealing to feed themselves.""The evidence that makes us believe that is what things people are stealing."People have always stolen from shops but we have been seeing an increase in people stealing foodstuffs."John Finnie, Independent MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said the senior officer's comments revealed a "shocking state of affairs". He said: "The police service works in our communities. They understand our communities."When we have a senior figure like Chief Superintendent Julian Innes, who is well respected, very, very clearly laying out that people are stealing foodstuffs to sustain their living, then that's a shocking state of affairs.Of course there have always been thefts, and no-one is condoning theft for one second, but in the past it has been thefts of luxury items."These are people who are hard pressed. People who are in dire straits."


Shoplifting is nothing new,ask any retail business, nothing to do with hunger, shoplifting is pure theft, and be it a case of whisky or a dozen eggs a crime is a crime, and the full power of the law should be wielded.

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## roshep

People will always buy food from shoplifters more so now as the price of other goods have become more expensive.
Ask yourself, what is the background of shoplifters and of the persons who buy stolen goods.

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## squidge

So you think that the Supt Innes is wrong when he says that people are stealing to feed themselves?It appears from the police comments that the background to those shoplifting food is "hungry" rather than "greedy".

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## BetterTogether

My only input to this is Genuinely hungry....food bank !

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## Alrock

> My only input to this is Genuinely hungry....food bank !


Three 3 day parcels in a 6 month period, which equates to 9 days...

Sanctions for 4 weeks (or longer) which equates to 28 days without money, something doesn't quite add up there.

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## squidge

People seem to think you can just pop along to foodbankx with your trolley and get your weekly shopping. Like alrock says. You can only use it three times and you have to be referred by a social worker, health visitor, JCP adviser CAB! That sort of thing.

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## cptdodger

I used to deal with shoplifters on a daily basis when I was a Security Manager for Tesco's in Kent (1996 - 2000). Back then the favourites were meat, batteries, make up and basically any high value small items that could be swapped for drugs then sold on in the local pubs. I would say 90% of my shoplifters were drug addicts. I was threatened with knives, guns and in one unforgettable incident we were threatened with a guy branding a needle with a syringe full of HIV infected blood. I was on first name terms with the local A & E dept. My worst injury (amongst many) was a bruised spinal column and whiplash due to being punched constantly about the head and body.

The knock on affect of shoplifting is higher prices in the shops, and in some cases job losses. The Police's attitude to shoplifters (not their fault) is a slap on the wrist and off they go.

For whatever reason the person is shoplifting, that is the reality behind it.

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## Alrock

Just out of curiosity....

Hungry, no food, no money...
Tesco full of food on one side of the road, field of lambs on the other...
Shoplift or rustle?
Which caries the lesser punishment?

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## golach

> Just out of curiosity....Hungry, no food, no money...Tesco full of food on one side of the road, field of lambs on the other...Shoplift or rustle?Which caries the lesser punishment?


No brainer, get a job, stop smoking , give up cable TV , etc etc etc

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## cptdodger

> Just out of curiosity....
> 
> Hungry, no food, no money...
> Tesco full of food on one side of the road, field of lambs on the other...
> Shoplift or rustle?
> Which caries the lesser punishment?


The lesser punishment being what? A police caution or a criminal record? Try getting a job with a criminal record, if the prospective employers do not employ somebody that has a criminal record, that will never be the reason given as to why that person was not given the job.

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