Old People who Steal

[Exarch]

when i used to i moonlight as a shop clerk for extra moolah when i was a student, one of the most surprising things i discovered was that most of the shoplifters werent young kids, but rather, the elderly and pensioners.
and i became wise to their tricks, for eg
pretending that i'd shortchanged them when i knew i hadnt, and some would even try to walk out without paying or shoplifting items.
and the thing was, some of them knew they could get away with it because they were old and the cops would usually let them off.


i mean, shouldnt these ppl know better?
some would say, sure they should but even for a country as generous as australia, the pension isnt that much, but still, ppl shouldnt steal....

what d'ye reckon?

[Eastern Roman]

Old People who Steal should get a Metal

[gambit]

I guess it's a mix of not caring and realizing most other people also dont care

[Exarch]

I guess it's a mix of not caring and realizing most other people also dont care

perhaps if we hacked off their stealing hand with an axe, they'd start to care?

[bushbush]

it happens a lot in japan i saw in a documentary. reasons:
1. most of them really can't live off their pensions in such high cost living environments.
2. asian societies respect elders so they are generally let go. Little consequences gave them more incentives i guess.

[Exarch]

it happens a lot in japan i saw in a documentary. reasons:
1. most of them really can't live off their pensions in such high cost living environments.
2. asian societies respect elders so they are generally let go. Little consequences gave them more incentives i guess.

it's a damn pity, cuz it's setting such a bad example for their kids/grandkids;
i woulda thought most of the elderly would've been living with and being taken care of by their kids and grandkids?

[Elfdude]

it's a damn pity, cuz it's setting such a bad example for their kids/grandkids;
i woulda thought most of the elderly would've been living with and being taken care of by their kids and grandkids?

In Japan the check goes to the oldest pretty much. If you're older and cant flip the bill it's a great dishonor to yourself. The same could be said of a lot of hard working older people. They've always been able to work hard and get what they needed until they're older. So not only have they had 75+ years to not ask for help but they've received 75+ years of praise for not seeking it. It's little surprise that they feel like asking for help would be betraying themselves.

On the flip side it's not hard to feel entitled to something. I've worked 75+ years just to pay for welfare addicts to steal why can't I steal what little I need?

You can also view the elderly and children much like two sides of the same coin. They have more in common with each other than they do with those in between. Elderly people who feel like they've lost control are significantly more likely to commit little acts of rebellion because A. They get away with it. B. They can't exert control of their own life anymore in any other way.

Not to say of course that the elderly have puerile minds but their bodies are quite similar and their ability to control a situation is quite similar. It makes sense to me that their motivation to control their own life would lead them to similar rebellion that a teenager might go through.

[Exarch]

In Japan the check goes to the oldest pretty much. If you're older and cant flip the bill it's a great dishonor to yourself. The same could be said of a lot of hard working older people. They've always been able to work hard and get what they needed until they're older. So not only have they had 75+ years to not ask for help but they've received 75+ years of praise for not seeking it. It's little surprise that they feel like asking for help would be betraying themselves.

On the flip side it's not hard to feel entitled to something. I've worked 75+ years just to pay for welfare addicts to steal why can't I steal what little I need?

You can also view the elderly and children much like two sides of the same coin. They have more in common with each other than they do with those in between. Elderly people who feel like they've lost control are significantly more likely to commit little acts of rebellion because A. They get away with it. B. They can't exert control of their own life anymore in any other way.

Not to say of course that the elderly have puerile minds but their bodies are quite similar and their ability to control a situation is quite similar. It makes sense to me that their motivation to control their own life would lead them to similar rebellion that a teenager might go through.

i think you're referring to kleptomaniacs-ppl who steal for the thrill of stealing, as opposed to old ppl who steal either because
1) they gambled away their pension $$$
2) family not providing for them
3) they haVE no pension $$$ and gov. welfare isnt enough for their food, drink and other pleasures.
4) they really need the items they're stealing and do it because they know they can get away with it.

also,
most old people i know in taiwan, japan and China tend to be quite reserved and proud-too proud even to steal-and if their children arn't providing for them then there's something seriously wrong there.
in china, my experience is that the working kids (20s-40s) take the bill.

in my opinion, i think the gov should subsidize a portion for the elderly/retirees but that lion's share of one's pension should've come from their hard earned $$$ in the first place.

in australia we have a superannuation system where a portion of one's pay is already taken out automatically and put away with one's superannuation fund-tax free of course-and this continues from the day one starts working til the day they retire.

[Elfdude]

i think you're referring to kleptomaniacs-ppl who steal for the thrill of stealing, as opposed to old ppl who steal either because
1) they gambled away their pension $$$
2) family not providing for them
3) they haVE no pension $$$ and gov. welfare isnt enough for their food, drink and other pleasures.
4) they really need the items they're stealing and do it because they know they can get away with it.

No, I am not referring to people who steal because they have an addiction to the thrill of stealing; however I would not discount the idea that they do it in concert with preexisting needs to justify why they're doing it.

[Oswald von Wolkenstein]

*

[Banana Jelly]

Man I thought most old people who steal are those guys from the goverment and some from IRS

[Exarch]

Man I thought most old people who steal are those guys from the goverment and some from IRS

embezzlement is a form of stealing yes,
taxation....debatable lol

[Prodigal]

They take my money without my consent, I call it stealing.

[gambit]

I, personally, cant wait till Im old and can basically take over the world while young people sit by and laugh and call me cute and insane

we'll see whos cute and insane

[Manco]

I, personally, cant wait till Im old and can basically take over the world while young people sit by and laugh and call me cute and insane

we'll see whos cute and insane

And all that by just waking up early!

[Elfdude]

As if anyone thinks old people are cute, IMO their visages range from moderately tolerable to completely horrifying.

[Exarch]

i think old ppl who steal are quite sad and pathetic;
the ones i've caught tend to be ones who try to skip the joint without paying, or who attempt to claim you've shortchanged them-and i've seen one old bloke do the whole 'keeping the cashier occupied by talking to them...leaving to go...checking their 'change...turning back...and trying to claim the cashier's shortchanged them'.
i had to step in and say i saw the whole thing and i even pointed towards the vid cameras pointed towards the cashier saying 'we can always check the records, sir'.

[iudas]

Most politicians are old, so, obviously.

[ndemetti]

i mean, shouldnt these ppl know better?
some would say, sure they should but even for a country as generous as australia, the pension isnt that much, but still, ppl shouldnt steal....

Yeah, you raise a good point. Old people shouldn't steal. Besides, I saw cans of cat food on sale at Target for like $0.25 per can the other day. They expect me to believe they can't sit outside the entrance and beg passers-by for quarters?

[Enigmonaut]

I believe in Europe it isn't considered criminal offense if you steal for survival.

I agree with this position. Its been well gone over by Philosophers for atleast two centuries, and the conclusion is: If you need to steal to achieve basic comfort/survival it can be wrong in an ethical sense not to. Need of course, is different than want.

I think old people have more reason than most to steal, and I wouldn't hold it against them. The old age pension is less than a student on welfare receives where I live. Yes, thats to you Mr. Australia