13 yr old shoplifter

[C_Dave45]

http://www.globaltvcalgary.com/story.html?id=4405488

13 year old boy of a single Mom gets caught stealing a chocolate bar from Zellars. First offense. Police decide charges are unwarranted and instead enroll him into "alternative measures program for youth".
Zellers decides to hit the Mother with a $595 bill. Global has a poll going, I'm curious to see what most here think.

Zellers: Too harsh?

or..Punishment fits the crime.

[focusdriv3r]

Electric chair jeeeze

[Jeremiah]

WOW, that's a bit steep, the chocolate bar is $1 and then they send her a $600 bill? LOL..

Thats a hefty "restocking fee"

What happened to public humilation by putting their photo up, or banning them from zellers for a set amount of time??....

Have fun explaining to Grandma why you can't go into zellers with her to buy you a gift. Thats more of a punishment than anything...

[Sugarphreak]

...

[revelations]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak
How is punishing the mother going to teach the kid a lesson?

Teach her to not have any more kids until she can raise the ones she has better :nut:



(seriously, who hasnt stolen a candy bar, even by accident - ive walked out with stuff in my jacket pockets before after forgetting to pull them out at the checkouts)

[lellowrx7]

zellers cant legally charge the kid.
theyre losses are covered by insurance.

personal experience with this issue at the bay :banghead:

[Xtrema]

Zellers doesn't give a shit, they are all probably renamed as Target soon anyway.

[shakalaka]

Originally posted by lellowrx7
zellers cant legally charge the kid.
theyre losses are covered by insurance.

personal experience with this issue at the bay :banghead:


They may not be able to sue for monetary compensation. But there are no guarantees from getting criminally charged, if the offence warrants for it.

[max_boost]

LOL

Way too harsh.

[revelations]

Originally posted by shakalaka
They may not be able to sue for monetary compensation. But there are no guarantees from getting criminally charged, if the offence warrants for it.

Good juck finding a judge who will convict a 13 year old, especially a first time offendor. Complete waste of the courts time and public money.

[tobypaddock]

Originally posted by revelations

(seriously, who hasnt stolen a candy bar, even by accident - ive walked out with stuff in my jacket pockets before after forgetting to pull them out at the checkouts)

how did you get into the habit of putting stuff in your jacket pocket in the first place? i have never once done that in my life...:dunno:

[Graham_A_M]

Its harsh, but their trying to make an example out of this kid. With this getting the news attention the Zellars managers wanted it to; each parent is going to have the same conversation with their kid.

[syritis]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
Its harsh, but their trying to make an example out of this kid. With this getting the news attention the Zellars managers wanted it to; each parent is going to have the same conversation with their kid.

more reason for the rest of us not to shop and zellers.
I can says i'd be willing to avoid the place based the their inability to be reasonable. so what could have been a 1$ loss for them has become loss of my business and others which could count for a loss of a couple hundred dollars.

[dexlargo]

This isn't new. A number of stores do this all the time - they send shoplifters a demand to be paid their 'costs' in controlling shoplifting. It's usually a letter threatening that if you don't pay, they'll sue you (in trespass, I think).

I don't think they ever actually follow through and file a lawsuit, though. They just send a letter and hope you pay.

[beyond_ban]

Originally posted by tobypaddock


how did you get into the habit of putting stuff in your jacket pocket in the first place? i have never once done that in my life...:dunno:

I haven't put anything in my pocket, but i left Canadian tire with some new signal bulbs in my hand and drove home before realizing i just walked out without paying because i was talking on the phone and didn't even think of it. Perhaps i'm subconsciously a thief :dunno:

[revelations]

Originally posted by tobypaddock


how did you get into the habit of putting stuff in your jacket pocket in the first place? i have never once done that in my life...:dunno:

When I run in to grab a lunch (safeway for eg.) I used to be lazy and didnt grab a basket.

Usually I ended up with stuff in my pockets because I picked up more items than just lunch (dinner items) and ran out of hands.

I carry a basket now.....

[xxviet]

the kids first offense, they should scare him straight and make sure he wont do it again, making the mother pay that huge fine wont solve shet. the kid can easily go back and steal again if he wants, learning nothing... the person being punished here is the mother shouldnt it be the kid?

[cream]

Originally posted by max_boost
LOL

Way too harsh.

Werd.

Also, who even shops at Zellers?

[Mar]

Zellers' self checkout software is a piece of shit. I write software and I would be embarrassed to put my name on that, I tried using it and it was a huge fail. I swiped a jug of milk, leaving it on the scale, waiting for it to allow me to scan my only other item and get the hell out of there. This machine absolutely refused to do anything until I put the milk in a bag (there are no bags, WTF?) and because it was sitting in front of the barcode reader, it rang in the milk about 35 more times while I was standing there. What a fucking pile of garbage.

This was all while the 15 year old girl working there was guarding the plastic bag lockup like a damn ninja. That place is an embarrassment, I don't even go there anymore.

[911fever]

Absolutely ridiculous

[Muji]

Zellers doing a Charlie Sheen here, total fail on public relations 101. Walmart ought to anti up the restocking fee and score some points.

Might I also suggest Charlie Sheen as the face of Zellers in Calgary? Win/win.

[FraserB]

I would simply ban him from Zellers property. Scare him straight with a visit from the cops and be done with it. If you really have to, send them a bill for the man hours needed to deal with the issue, not some trumped up amount.

At my part-time job I offer people I catch stealing a choice, they either leave and never come back unless they speak to the GM or district manager or they can talk to the police next time they set foot on the property. Most drop the stuff and I never see them again.

[shakalaka]

Originally posted by revelations


Good juck finding a judge who will convict a 13 year old, especially a first time offendor. Complete waste of the courts time and public money.

Perhaps you didn't notice, this is why I mentioned, 'if the offence warrants for it.' Obviously a 13 year old, stealing a chocolate isn't going to get criminally charged.

And I wasn't speaking about this particular case. I was simply just adding to what he was originally stating about such conglomerates like Zellers having insurance companies to cover them against theft, thereby, not being able to sue people who steal for monetary compensation.

[403Gemini]

$600 IS a bit steep, but the kids 13, he knows the difference of right or wrong. Guess that's what happens when you break the law and get caught :dunno:

</devils advocate>

[turbotrip]

it seems like the kid will likely become a career-criminal. $595 may be a bit low

[Disoblige]

$595.00 "restock fee" lol..

Loss prevention guys there acting like transit cops?

[core_upt]

I'm surprised no one was said they should have chopped off his hand!

Punishing the mother means she HAS to be a parent and punish her child as she sees fit.

I'd say good on Zellers for actually trying to do something. I'm not saying that I feel bad for Zellers, but I'm sure theft costs them a significant amount of money each year, and this sends the message that they are trying to take it seriously, even if it is 'just a $1 chocolate bar'. if the cops weren't able/willing to do anything, then the store has to, otherwise it's a free for all.

[raceman6135]

I'm glad Zellers is taking a stand.

Theft is a crime and needs to be dealt with, and frankly, I'm not happy when retailers have to raise prices to make up for the theft that happens every day.

I'm fine with subsidizing things like universal health care, education, etc. when it ultimately will benefit society. But I'm not okay with subsidizing some kid's sweet tooth, video game habit, or just some piece of shit adult who thinks that "the store won't miss these 2 shirts and that screwdriver."

[Mibz]

This is kinda hilarious. I was caught stealing Gatorade from Zellers in Chinook when I was 13.

They called my Mom and sent me home. I remember my Mom's sandals were making farting noises as we walked to the car so I giggled.

Worst.Mistake.Ever

FYI, I never shoplifted again.

[jazzyb]

I would say that the kid needs a lesson, but a 600 dollar charge? thats not teaching the kid didly squat.

[dezmarez]

How do they enforce the $600 "charge"?

[tictactoe2004]

LOL at the suggestion for Walmart to pay the bill, why don't we just send a message to the kids who steal that Walmart promotes this type of behavior.

I'm glad Zellers did this, I think it's a fair to assume that any kid who steals shit and hears about this is less likely to steal from Zellers vs another store. I would hope other stores take the same stance.

It's sad to see how many people side with the mom and the kid, he's not 5, he's 13. He's old enough to be on the roads driving alone in the next 24-36 months. Anyone that close to driving age knows the difference between right and wrong.

The main problem here is serious criminals can get convicted for BRUTAL crimes and only go to jail for 3-5 years or sometimes even less. Obviously the punishment and repercussions for this particular crime don't sit properly on the scale of our already far too lax justice system...

[Cos]

Originally posted by tobypaddock


how did you get into the habit of putting stuff in your jacket pocket in the first place? i have never once done that in my life...:dunno:

happened to me once at 7-11.





But I had a broken leg and was on crutches. Free hotdog FTW.

[GoChris]

I can't believe ~27% of the people think what Zellers did is okay. I hope I never have to interact with that 27% of the population.

[Shlade]

Originally posted by lellowrx7
zellers cant legally charge the kid.
theyre losses are covered by insurance.

personal experience with this issue at the bay :banghead:

Dont talk out of your ass.

Zellers Loss prevention hits you with a fine once youve been arrested by them.

In other words your getting sued by them for the sum of $500 or whatever they decide for you using up their time and you stealing from the company.

Zellers, The bay, Sears, any company that has a Loss Prevention company does this.

[littledan]

ZELLERS is a piece of sh*t.

I went there a while back to grab some gatorade mix while i was waiting for my gf to get her haircut at a salon nearby. The gatorade was 5 bucks and change and I gave the girl at the checkout a 20. She started to count out loonies and quarters for my 14 bucks in change. I told her I wanted a $10 bill or two $5 and she just told me they were out. I asked her to grab it from the till beside her but the two cashiers just looked at me with deer in headlight looks. They acted like I was the idiot because i didnt want to walk around with $14 in loonies and quarters jingling around in my pocket.

[FraserB]

^That is 100% retarded employees and not a corporate policy

[CapnCrunch]

What is the 600 dollar charge for? You can't just give someone a $600 bill for nothing.

[dino_martini]

Zellers sucks anyway, store is never faced, run by idiots. Why waste time/money shopping there?

[JAYMEZ]

Way to harsh.. Is this a sad attempt for Zellers to try and make a buck? No wonder they are doing shity.. Cant wait for Target.

[abyss]

Yeah, I'm normally all for harsh punishments, but this one made me spit out my tea at it's sheer ridiculousness.

The kid is 13, I was working part time 5 days a week at Canadian Tire at 14, there's NO reason this kid can't make up the $600 on his own by cleaning their washrooms for 6 months. Much better lesson IMO.

Plus if you read the comments on the article it was 2 kids who were caught shoplifting but only one mom got the bill. Hmm.

[bastardchild]

I remember getting caught at Chinook Zellers and my mom was so pissed because she was too poor to pay the bill so I went to Walmart (across the street) and stole a bunch of DVDs & PSone stuff. I then sold them to kids at school to pay the $500 bucks (it was 500 at the time) :rofl:

Damn I was a terrible kid.

[D'z Nutz]

People who think this kid should be let off the hook because he's "only 13" should be sterilized. When I was 13 I knew the difference between right, wrong, and feather duster wrong. Hell, I knew that when I was 8.

http://image.shutterstock.com/display_pic_with_logo/63695/63695,1250700904,1/stock-photo-angry-male-parent-with-feather-duster-cane-on-white-background-35554906.jpg

I hate you feather duster :cry:

[revelations]

Originally posted by D'z Nutz
and feather duster wrong.

I'm just a Gwailo, but I LOL'd at that.

[FraserB]

Thank you for that pic. I now understand the feather duster.:rofl:

[Shlade]

LOL feather duster?

I still fear the wooden spoon to this day...

[Orbie]

The memories...bamboo > wood for beatings, my parents didn't try to hide it though like this, they made it well known what was about to happen...
http://www.chinasmack.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Chinese-boy-getting-ass-whopped-by-feather-duster.jpg

[stealth131]

Is it stealing if you steal a chocolate bar to feed your family? But your family doesn't like chocolate bars, they like cars?

[Shax]

Stealing is stealing, hit him hard right now so he won't grow up and act like the pieces of shit who find this kind of attitude alright.

Letting him off easy now is just showing him that the system sucks and he can easily get away with it in my opinion.

[Buffalo Soldier]

I was caught stealing from London Drugs when I was about 10. My mom whipped me with a belt multiple times on my arms. Even after that I continued to steal alot into my teen years. I just made sure I never get caught. Eventually I did get caught again and had to do alternative measures. No big deal had to write a couple 500 word essays on my parents and write an apology letter. No fucken fine though thats ridiculous. My parents could not afford very much for me so I resorted to stealing. A fine would just encourage more theft as more family stress would have arised from such bullshit.

[clem24]

I don't think anyone is disagreeing they should let him off easy but fining the parents is tough.. I'd just make him do community service.

[maxwinedog]

the kid should have at least tried to steal a tv.

[btimbit]

Most companies do this. I know for a fact that Shoppers Drug Mart, Safeway, The Bay, and sometimes Co-op as well, all do this. Loss Prevention, cameras, etc, isn't cheap.

Sure it looks like a vein attempt for the companies to make more money, and okay, these policies are more geared towards the crackheads that attempt to steak $100 worth of steak, rather than a kid that wanted a chocolate bar, but the simple fact of the matter is the kid stole.

What? Breaking the law gets you a punishment? Who knew!

[ReasonOne]

I'm sorry, but at that age he knew the consequences of his actions. If you don't want to give your mom a $595 fine, then DON'T STEAL ANYTHING.

It's that simple.

I happened to have a conversation about this with people at work. Most say it's overkill. When I asked them "What if that kid stole something from YOUR house while visiting?" - the tune suddenly changed very rapidly. People's punishment ideas ranged from full-fledged lawsuits to beating up the kid (I'm serious)! :nut:

Why does everything change when it's YOUR property and not some faceless corporation's?? :banghead:

[chkolny541]

Originally posted by ReasonOne
I'm sorry, but at that age he knew the consequences of his actions. If you don't want to give your mom a $595 fine, then DON'T STEAL ANYTHING.

It's that simple.

I happened to have a conversation about this with people at work. Most say it's overkill. When I asked them &quot;What if that kid stole something from YOUR house while visiting?&quot; - the tune suddenly changed very rapidly. People's punishment ideas ranged from full-fledged lawsuits to beating up the kid (I'm serious)! :nut:

Why does everything change when it's YOUR property and not some faceless corporation's?? :banghead:

WTF?! you seriously think that someone burglurising your house and a kid stealing a 1$ chocolate bar from a multi-billion dollar corporation can be treated in the same way?

[ReasonOne]

I'm not talking about burglary.

I'm talking about a hypothetical situation in which a kid pays a brief visit to your house and steals something inconsequential during that visit. It could be anything. A handful of change.... a chocolate bar... a cheap everyday household item...ANYTHING.

Those were the reaction I got.

[Sugarphreak]

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[btimbit]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


So... your coworkers would resort to lawsuits or beating a 13 years old kid up if they stole a 1$ household item from their house?

That sounds reasonable :rolleyes:

Have you ever been robbed? Regardless of what it is that gets taken, it's not a good feeling.

Sure it's a bit different when it's a large corporation, but why should that make it alright? $1 doesn't make it any less wrong.

[Sugarphreak]

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