I do my best not to cheat or steal even by "accident". My friend left Home Depot with a group of items after doing self checkout. I watched as her ran 2 90 degree bends as one item and complete the purchase. I asked the friend before, never do that kind of BS around me. I believe in the bargain, and asking for any discount but, dishonestly pisses me off.

Would you do what my friend did? Would you impose your ethics on a friend? Who else is he cheating?

I don't necessarily impose my ethics on a friend, but if their actions violate my ethics, I have to decide if I'm still going to be their friend.

Went to Sams Club and got a new flat screen yesterday. It was suppose to be around 600 bucks but the wrong tag was on it. I could have walked out of the door with a LED tv for 259 dollars but I told the cashier who was stunned when I said it was miss marked. The cashier said he would have taken it for 259. I told him it would not sit well with me knowing the dirty secrets of the new tv.
As far as ethics go there are only a few things that bother me. Taking something that does not belong you is just a dirt bag move. I will tell my thoughts to a friend doing something i'm against. I like rules, others dont, end on story.

[This message has been edited by 87antuzzi (edited 07-17-2011).]

If the so-called friend made a habit of doing that kind of thing, then I don't think I'd hang out with the guy much. Because if he's that nonchalant about cheating someone else, he probably isn't afraid to cheat you as well.

But if it's an isolated incident, then I'd probably just razz him a bit and then forget about it.

I had this happen one time at a store and my friend got busted for shop lifting. Man, I was so freaking mad! This was a store I shopped at all the time in a small town. The few times I went in the store after that they watched me like a hawk. Needless to say I was too embarrassed to shop there anymore. … Thanks buddy for being a thief

walk away, I don't have many friends so the ones I do have are pretty good match to my own ethics.

Swtching price tags in superstores was a pastime of a 'friend' of mine. I knew I was wasting my time remonstrating with him. So a few days later, I went and spoke to the store manager, and told him that I 'believed' a few unscrupulous clients were switching price tags, and then half an hour later an accomplice would come into the shop, locate the item which had the 'new' price tag, and buy it.
He even carried a roll of the store's sellotape to reseal anything he opened. Switching tools in boxes was his favourite scam. Taking a Bosch angle grinder selling for $ 250, and switching it with a Chinese copy worth $15, and then resealing the box with the store's sellotape. He made it into a very lucrative business, ending up doing it to order from other people.
The Law breaks down because he would have to leave the store with the article before he could be charged with shoplifting...and because HE didn't 'buy' it, and his accomplice could prove' he had no idea what he was buying' because it was sealed when he picked it up ...
Now, every box is opened at the cashier desk.
Oh, and he is no longer a 'friend', and I never ever bought anything from him anyway
Nick
Oh, and another favouite of the unscrupulous here At the serve yourself fruit and veg counter, you put your choice into a bag, and weighed it, and the machine produced a sticker with the price on it, and you seal your purchase with it. I have seen MANY people simply place the bag on the machine, and hold it so the weight the machine sensed was a lot less than was in the bag.
They now have a scale at the cashier desk, and if they suspect the weight isn't correct, they just weigh it again...IF the cashier can even be bothered

[This message has been edited by fierofetish (edited 07-17-2011).]

If he was caught, you might also get in trouble... depending on how expensive it is.

I wont impose my ethics on someone else while on their own time, but if they get me involved in any way on something i don't feel is 'right' they will either stop getting me involved, or that is the end of that.

I'd get rid of him....I dont need the hassle or expense of dealing with legal issues over his stupidity....besides, an elbow is what, 29 or 39 cents?....if he cant afford that, then he should be spending his money on food and not plumbing supplies.....

quote Originally posted by MidEngineManiac: I'd get rid of him....I dont need the hassle or expense of dealing with legal issues over his stupidity....besides, an elbow is what, 29 or 39 cents?....if he cant afford that, then he should be spending his money on food and not plumbing supplies.....

Unless his plumbing is broke, and cant afford a plumber.. most people don't buy plumbing parts for fun.

quote Originally posted by Nurb432: most people don't buy plumbing parts for fun.

Unless he owns a Fiero

quote Originally posted by Jake_Dragon: Unless he owns a Fiero

Yeh, for the fire-extinguishing system !! ROTFLMAO..........

quote Originally posted by FriendGregory: I do my best not to cheat or steal even by "accident". My friend left Home Depot with a group of items after doing self checkout. I watched as her ran 2 90 degree bends as one item and complete the purchase. I asked the friend before, never do that kind of BS around me. I believe in the bargain, and asking for any discount but, dishonestly pisses me off. Would you do what my friend did? Would you impose your ethics on a friend? Who else is he cheating?

I'm with you. I try not to hang out with people who steal. I would probably just distance myself.

OTOH, I freaking *hate* the self checkout. Just on principle. One of my pet peeves - rational or not.
If they don't have at least one regular line open, then I have little sympathy for them if they get stolen blind.
I have been known to take a double arm-load of stuff and drop it on the floor and walk out, if they only have one regular line open and there is a long line.

[This message has been edited by Raydar (edited 07-17-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Raydar: I'm with you. I try not to hang out with people who steal. I would probably just distance myself. OTOH, I freaking *hate* the self checkout. Just on principle. One of my pet peeves - rational or not. If they don't have at least one regular line open, then I have little sympathy for them if they get stolen blind.

Agreed, but thats a different topic.....not like I have never just left a shopping cart full of purchases in the line-up and walked away. I dont need the crap bad enough to stand in line for 1/2 an hour, and can buy it somewhere else...if the store cant be bothered hiring enough staff to provide decent service, then I just take my money elsewhere.

quote Originally posted by MidEngineManiac: Agreed, but thats a different topic.....not like I have never just left a shopping cart full of purchases in the line-up and walked away. I dont need the crap bad enough to stand in line for 1/2 an hour, and can buy it somewhere else...if the store cant be bothered hiring enough staff to provide decent service, then I just take my money elsewhere.

Not to drag it on, but if you're an understaffed company, you're only hurting yourself (as a corporate executive). Very FEW corporate guys actually hang around a store long enough to even get an understanding of how things work.
All they see is the dollar sign. I used to work for a warehouse. When we got super busy, with only 2 cashiers... You'd see people pushing carts of product out the front door w/o checking out. You can stop them, but they'll pull the "Oh my gosh I forgot! So sorry where do I go?!".... But the cashiers, who should have caught them stealing 500lbs of stuff won't, because they each have 20 people in line.

As for friends that steal, I still have a few that do. But I don't judge them for it. Not that I see it as a Robin Hood act, you know, taking from someone rich for a better cause. But I don't judge people as much as possible. Everyone does wrong. I just know if I'm with someone who steals, I always pull the "Oh you need help with -(cars, computers, whatev)-, well go buy what you need and I'll meet you at your house".

I wouldn't unfriend them though. I haven't really unfriended anyone in like 7 years. Last person I unfriended was continuously following my g/f's and x-g/fs around trying to sleep with them. I let it happen more than once before I got rude. He did help reveal who the hos were though.

[This message has been edited by chriswf (edited 07-17-2011).]

The self-checkout is being discontinued in many stores.
And replaced with the single line where people are shuttled to the next available checker.
People seem to like that method best of all becouse they feel they are more quickly 'chosen' to be next.

[This message has been edited by Boondawg (edited 07-17-2011).]

quote Originally posted by Boondawg: The self-checkout is being discontinued in many stores. And replaced with the single line where people are shuttled to the next available checker. People seem to like that method best of all becouse they feel they have been 'chosen' to be next, quickly.

I can confirm this, as the Albertsons down the street closed theirs down and when I asked why, they said it's a nationwide decision.
I hate it, because at 11 or 12 at night, people in my area like to go to the store, and Albertsons will only have 2 people running the store. A manager who watches, and 1 cashier.

I should take a picture of one of the Walmarts in my area. It's busy 24/7. And has no self check out lanes. And the 10 items or less lanes are constantly filled with shopping carts full of product anyway.
Makes emergency toilet paper runs a nightmare.

quote Originally posted by FriendGregory: Would you do what my friend did?

No.

quote Would you impose your ethics on a friend?

I wouldn't be friends with someone if I had to ask that question about him.

quote Who else is he cheating?

He is cheating you. Losses like that are reflected in the prices of items you buy legitimately.

I'll put it this way, I have a great number of acquaintances, I have a few friends. One of the things my friends and I share are very similar values.

------------------
Ron

quote Originally posted by blackrams: I'll put it this way, I have a great number of acquaintances, I have a few friends. One of the things my friends and I share are very similar values.

I have a few great friends....brothers...I know I could pick up the phone and call Paul or Bernie...we might have fought it out, might have raced horses......if I was laying in a bed broken, the 1st one I would call is Paul...He aint no rodeo rider, gets terrified around a goat and pretty much crapped himself when I got on a camel........LMAO--but its always him picking me up, dustin me off.........

Ya know the differnce between a friend and aquaintace ????....the friend is the dude who stood in front of a 2,000 pound horse, jusr cause he thought he could cover your azz because you were being stupid and riding......

quote I do my best not to cheat or steal even by "accident". My friend left Home Depot with a group of items after doing self checkout. I watched as her ran 2 90 degree bends as one item and complete the purchase. I asked the friend before, never do that kind of BS around me. I believe in the bargain, and asking for any discount but, dishonestly pisses me off

I don't really understand what it is, that took place. 2 90 degree bends as 1 item? I don't get it.

As for the question:
I have no friends that are known theives--I have zero respect for anyone who does steal-- nor will I ever have any.

Its BS. I'd not put up with it...unless they've been screwed over by said company and were trying to get back at 'em...but even so this isn't the way to do it!

Edit: stealing something as cheap as that is just pathetic. My morals are worth more than saving a buck here and there.

[This message has been edited by Stubby79 (edited 07-18-2011).]

quote Originally posted by maryjane: I don't really understand what it is, that took place. 2 90 degree bends as 1 item? I don't get it. As for the question: I have no friends that are known theives--I have zero respect for anyone who does steal-- nor will I ever have any.

I worked at a store for a while that sold plumbing parts. People would stick some elbows and couplings together to try and pass them off as one part. Sometimes removing a upc sticker or two so there was only one sticker. Alot easier to pass them off if you are your own checkout person.

This place also would take returns without a reciept, some people would bring a bag in from previous purchase, put things in it, then get in the return line and return things they never bought. Poor store policy.

I am not sure at what point someone becomeas a friend, or if there are different levels of friend. But I would like to think I would not become friends in the first place with someone who would do that, usually there are other signs.