Should Society Really Feel Very Sorry For Addicted Shoplifters?

Whilst we can feel and show compassion, it is still important to face and deal with the subsequent consequences of any actions. Sympathy tendered strengthens and nurtures a good society that forgives.

Sad scenario. I feel sorry for the shame he has brought upon his family in all this.
What I can't understand is why it was the fifth or sixth visit they decided to pick him up for and not the earlier thefts.
I would agree with you regarding the reasons though CS.In certain cases depression and addiction do go hand in hand and we would have to try to understand the why's and wherefore's in each individual case.

It was certainly very strange behaviour by AWT and I'm not sure whether feeling sorry for him is the right response. I don't know how you distinguish a person with a real psychiatric problem from a common thief but it is certainly easier for a 'celeb' to claim that he needs help. The fact that Tesco security did not arrest him on several previous occasions show that they were astonished by his behaviour. It is probably kindest to accept his statement that he needs help to overcome his problem and that he has no idea why he did it.

Well as they say in the adverts for Tesco every little helps so he took them at their word and promptley helped himself.A thief is a thief celebrity or not.

Whichever way you look at this, it is common theft and needs to be dealt with appropriately .... these people know how to turn on the tears and sympathy vote if they get caught ( oh hard done by me etc ) and at best they are onto a nice little earner with the ultimate satisfaction of having got one over the store and its customers.

This AWT case is interesting ... apparently he had been observed doing this on four or five previous occasions but Tesco did nothing as they were not 100% sure an offence had been committed. How can that be? People I meet who are 'in the know' state that AWT had a lot of money problems ... so was that the root cause or did he genuinely have a psychological problem that he 'would be getting treatment for'? Or is that just the 'escape clause' of the day?

I guess the only sentiment left is for the truly poor, say with kids, who simply have to steal to fed them and we are aware that happens. Can you imagine the choice a mother or father would make with no money and the desperate need to feed hungry kids? It's a big question.

But as you say, each case on its merits ... you just have to see past the crocodile tears. WE should be a caring society and I guess that sometimes, just sometimes, we have to leave room for that. It's just a question of who make that decision .. the stores, the police or the criminal justice system? It should of course be a case of 'once bitten, twice shy' but in practice that seldom happens ...

When I worked for Asda many year's ago it was unbelievable how many people stole. I remember a well dressed man coming through my till and we talked of various things. He was really charming. Two minutes after he was served he was stopped by security as he had changed the price of the shoes he was buying. Before coding this was always being done especially on the meat counter. Another day a man came and bought a small item only to be stopped as he had a new pair of trainers on his feet and his old ones kicked under the trainer stand. One day a young woman was stopped who was a regular and was found to have bottle after bottle of spirits under her shopping not paid for. Children would be stealing all the time and Mother's pretend not to see they had toys in their hands not paid for and crisps, chocolate bars, etc. There was always a good excuse.

Even the staff were stealing and it was a terrible feeling of betrayal when one of your colleagues was caught. Although there was a ban on serving anyone related to you and any close friends, many ignored this ruling and put the goods through at peanuts and were often caught out and instant dismissal. I could never understand the mentality of doing it as what a stigma to have to carry for the rest of your life namely a thief. I know times have changed a lot and people view it differently, but I felt sick to see one of my friends being walked out of the store by security. In the end there were cameras on all the tills, routine locker checks and full trolley loads gone through with every item noted just in case someone was helping themselves.

This is a difficult one, CS. Part of me says that a crime is a crime, and should be punished, but the other part says he (or anybody else) might be ill and in need of help.

It reminds me of the argument about whether or not George Best should have been given a liver transplant. Alcoholism is an illness just as much as cancer is, although it attracts much less sympathy from those fortunate enough not to have suffered it or lived with someone who did.

I conclude that each case should be assessed on its merits.

However, I do agree with others who have said it's a bit odd that Tesco had seen him doing it several times and taken no action.

I wonder what AWTs attitude would be if someone eats at his restaurent and walks off without paying the bill.Im sure he would not be amused and be quick enough in prosecuting them.

I suspect he'll get community service, making soup for the homeless...and that's just for starters!!

However, if he had shoplifted some milk, yeast and flour he would certainly have had enough dough to pay for these items!!

Very good Parchester I like that one. I got your joke instantly. Very clever.

Another possibility is that, by mistake, he found that he had got through the self service checkout without being caught (because staff couldn't believe he would be doing that). He then tried it again (deliberately) and suceeded again, or so it seemed, so continued in the belief that he would not be caught.

I thought it could also have been a cry for help but his subsequent statements don't back this up.

no lock them up

Why pay in his restaurent if he does'nt pay for the ingrediants why should the customer pay him to cook them.Dont eat there you could end up being done for recieving stolen property.lol

We do know the circumstances.

Bored celebrity with all the money that can buy what he wants except a thrill.

Why do you think they all snort coke and go to orgy parties - precisely because they have all the money and are bored so need some excitement to liven up their staid existence.

Whatever he's done, I'm still hanging on to my Antony Worrall
Thompson blender. Better the Breville you know.......

So the cats out of the bag Tesco's profits are down AWT milked em dry what a crook.lol