Makiki couple arrested over $5 sandwich

[Chewy]

I disagree. In September, we threw my mother a birthday party. My boyfriend and I ran out to the grocery store to get a few last minute things the night before. My father reminded us to get ice before we left.

Walking into the store, I said to my boyfriend "Please help me remember to get the ice when we get to the register. Otherwise, it will melt in the cart as we shop."

Did he remember? No. Did I remember? No. Did I pass the ice freezer on my way out of the store? I sure did. And I got up early to get ice the next morning.


Also, $50 might not seem like that much grocery-wise, but to me it doesn't sound like they were in a terrible hurry. They probably strolled through the supermarket, going down every aisle, looking at different products. If they were new to the area, they may have been getting acquainted with the store, where things were located.. that sort of thing.

That's just my two cents.


ETA: Dad looks like a surfer to me - not a "meth head." I didn't realize he ate one too, but stand by my opinion. To be honest, the best thing to do would have been for Dad to say "Okay, let me run and pay for these sandwiches - you stay here with the kid." But hindsight is always 20/20.

This is a totally different example. Come on. Of course two people could forget to pick something up. But two people forgetting to pay for something they ate in the store?? Which is stealing?

I don't believe it at all. I still say it was a con.


Kat NYC is like that too. Scruffing looking people are quite often filthy rich. And gussied up people can be real low lifes.

I'm not talking about his dress but his pallor.

 

[Peliman]

Am privy to a few conversations on this subject and each stores policy maybe a bit different but they don't employ loss prevention people because nobody's stealing. Each store has a shrinkage rate and inventory determines their loss due to various reasons. When that shrinkage reaches a certain level, loss prevention is hired.

Loss prevention employees several steps including auditing cashier drawers to placing employees at fitting rooms and usually has to observe someone shoplifting before approaching them while leaving the store. Cashiers are not authorized in most cases to challenge customers about what they place on the counter or examine wrappers for what a customer may have eaten.

There is discussion about issues concerning customers grazing on certain food items sold by weight, deli meat, grapes, bananas, peaches etc. Some people will even hit the donut case and eat a donut while shopping.

Hey it's cool, you got low blood sugar. Grab a candy bar, soda, orange juice, just check it out on the way out the door. Have a receipt.

Those $4 sandwiches add up, they form the shrinkage rate. Right along with the underclothing some people put on in the dressing room and walk out.

Most stores will use a limit to prosecute for, $5, $10, $20 depends. Your receipt tells a story too. Stores also have troubles with items walking out the store and customers coming back to return items they never paid for, without a receipt.

If you don't reach their limit they may issue a no trespass citation.

Every store is different on their policy.

ETA: Will someone tell me what a shoplifter looks like?

 

[HiHater]

Am privy to a few conversations on this subject and each stores policy maybe a bit different but they don't employ loss prevention people because nobody's stealing. Each store has a shrinkage rate and inventory determines their loss due to various reasons. When that shrinkage reaches a certain level, loss prevention is hired.

ETA: Will someone tell me what a shoplifter looks like?

Respectfully snipped by me!

They look like you and me...they come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and ages---from delinquent African American youth to middle-aged, middle-class white women all the way up to the affluent who shoplift only for the thrill of it. No group of people is excluded.

 

[jjenny]

If I go into a store and drink something I keep the empty bottle and pay for it. Those sandwiches were likely wrapped into something, so why didn't these people keep the wrapper to pay for the sandwiches?

 

[Quiche]

Wow, interesting thread. I guess I'm an oldster when it comes to this subject, because I remember shopping when we were encouraged to sample the grapes and the cherries. They had little baskets set out for the pits and seeds. It was commonplace to see folks eating a bag of candy or some such while they were shopping, all to pay for when checking out of the store.

It's not something I do all the time, but if I have a sniffle in the store that persists to the tissue aisle, I'll grab a box, open it, and throw the box in my cart. I am also prone to grabbing a Starbuck's Mocha from the refrigerated case and taking a swig or two before I finish up my shopping. It's never been a thing at all.

I also admit to shopping at the same store for nearly 20 years, so I may be realllly out of touch, but I would be terrified if someone called CPS on me for that infraction! OMG!! Especially since this family was fairly new to the area! Terrible customer relations, terrible.

I can tell you right now, I'll never go to a Safeway-- if they don't trust me, I don't trust them. And THAT'S also the way it is.

MOO

 

[MissJames]

You left out the lack of common sense on the parents' part as well.

This whole episode stems from the fact that no one educated the parents about the fact that consuming food before you pay for it (and subsequently not paying for it) is stealing. However the store handled it may have been wrong (although I don't think we have enough facts to determine that), but this should also serve as a lesson to people. Stop eating food that you do not own. Take a moment to pay before you enjoy a meal.

In this case, as far as a lawsuit goes, I have 3 words. Clean Hands Doctrine!

At most I believe this was a misdemeanor offense that should not have resulted in both parents being taken to jail and the toddler placed in foster care.
I don't know if this was a scam or an honest mistake,but the child is the one that concerns me.
It's not easy for toddlers to go to a strange home overnight. I was a foster parent and it was rough for the kids . I usually took babies,but I had several toddlers ,a few 4 and 5 year olds and an 11 year old. It didn't matter how nice we were or how comfortable we tried to make them feel,they were scared.
There had to have been a better way to handle the situation while still holding the parents responsible for the two sandwiches they ate. JMO

 

[Dogface]

What a mess of a story this is! But seriously, I HATE HATE HATE when people eat/drink/snack through the grocery store. Its gross and unsanitary IMO. They didn't wash their hands, they ate food, and then touched things around the grocery store. After working in a microbiology lab, all I can say is ICK, and point fingers at people who do stuff like that because it really does aid in the spread of germs. (soapbox: if you are in a grocery store, seriously, don't put your hands even near your face, shopping carts are notoriously disgusting - go home and wash up before you decide to shove some food in the old piehole!)

Just because there is food around you doesn't mean its a free for all to eat....I wouldn't eat while shopping at Neiman Marcus/Macy's/Autozone/Walmart/Target or wherever because its not a place to eat...unless there is a designated diner area. Then, I would pay for my food and THEN I would eat it. I seriously went off(well, not really, but I did fuss and lecture them for a good five minutes) on two kids right in front of their mother last time I was at the grocery store, she was just letting them have a free for all on the candy where you are suppose to drop a quarter in the box while she talked with a friend taking up the entire aisle also....like, really??? Who does that? People are rude, and just because its food or snacks they don't always consider it stealing...I have even heard people joke they are just "testing" the food...its like NO - you are eating something that doesn't belong to you and that is theft.

I think the fact they ate TWO sandwiches makes it even harder to believe they simply forgot. Either way, forgetfulness is never a defense, at least to me I do think the cops could have given her a citation and a date she had to appear in court by without taking the child into custody though.

 

[HiHater]

At most I believe this was a misdemeanor offense that should not have resulted in both parents being taken to jail and the toddler placed in foster care.
I don't know if this was a scam or an honest mistake,but the child is the one that concerns me.
It's not easy for toddlers to go to a strange home overnight. I was a foster parent and it was rough for the kids . I usually took babies,but I had several toddlers ,a few 4 and 5 year olds and an 11 year old. It didn't matter how nice we were or how comfortable we tried to make them feel,they were scared.
There had to have been a better way to handle the situation while still holding the parents responsible for the two sandwiches they ate. JMO

Touche...but, it is not Safeway's problem that CPS got involved. They followed their stores policies, and the police followed their department's policies. It's not like CPS removed a child for undue reasons, CPS provided care because no other entity was available.

I say again, these parents should have a back up plan---what will they do with the child when the new baby is being delivered? I know here, children under 12 are not allowed in the labor/delivery section of the hospital at all for any reason (started because of H1N1 and continues to this day).

This situation was a perfect storm of sorts, and I just think the blame has to be evenly distributed, because nobody had absolutely clean hands.

 

[Chewy]

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is that they didn't ask the parents if there was someone who they trusted to come pick up their child, like a grandmother or a friend. I can't imagine they wouldn't have allowed that to happen.

But it does seem like a paperwork nightmare.

 

[MissJames]

The only thing that doesn't make sense to me is that they didn't ask the parents if there was someone who they trusted to come pick up their child, like a grandmother or a friend. I can't imagine they wouldn't have allowed that to happen.

But it does seem like a paperwork nightmare.

They said they were new to the area.

 

[MissJames]

I understand being pregnant and hungry. But stealing is stealing,and doing so in front of a child is irresponsible. I have never understood people who feel they have the right to go into a store,and sample produce. I think it is disgusting and tacky. The sandwich had to be wrapped up in something,and it's not like they have trash cans everywhere. They concealed the wrapper for a reason,unless they ate that too. This is Hawaii also,$50 there is like $20 here. Did the store handle it in the best way? No,but if you owned a business and experience theft often,you usually become immune to the bs stories people tell when caught. I am 30 years old,and honestly say I have never stolen anything in my life. I don't understand how people rationalize taking/eating something that doesn't belong to you. Until you pay for it,it belongs to the store.

OT,but I want your avatar . :seeya:

 

[MissJames]

Touche...but, it is not Safeway's problem that CPS got involved. They followed their stores policies, and the police followed their department's policies. It's not like CPS removed a child for undue reasons, CPS provided care because no other entity was available.

I say again, these parents should have a back up plan---what will they do with the child when the new baby is being delivered? I know here, children under 12 are not allowed in the labor/delivery section of the hospital at all for any reason (started because of H1N1 and continues to this day).

This situation was a perfect storm of sorts, and I just think the blame has to be evenly distributed, because nobody had absolutely clean hands.

I don't blame Safeway. I think LE and CPS could have come up with a better plan. It was the child that suffered and over 2 sandwiches ,it was not necesarry,IMO.

 

[HiHater]

I don't blame Safeway. I think LE and CPS could have come up with a better plan. It was the child that suffered and over 2 sandwiches ,it was not necesarry,IMO.

Yeah, in some articles, the mom says that the police did try to arrest them one at a time. No word as to why that didnt work out or what else was going on with the situation.

 

[Tinsamd]

Jeez, & while I'm at it what's up with the assumptions that the dad does drugs? My god.