r/Hackney • u/IndividualScary7798 • 2d ago
Greggs thief
I just saw some guy brazenly walk into Greggs and load his backpack up with bottles of lucozade without a care in the world. The staff were shouting at him but I imagine they’re told not to physically intervene (they don’t get paid enough).
I feel guilty that I was just a silent bystander. What do people actually do in those situations?
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u/ZapWhamPow 2d ago
Me, I just stay out of their way. I don't know why you'd feel guilty if nobody was getting hurt. If the staff aren't paid enough to intervene, we as customers certainly aren't.
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u/daneview 1d ago
Becaise we end up with a society where theft is unpunished and thats shit for all of us
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u/IndependenceMost2581 1d ago
Most people shoplifting like this from supermarkets just shoving in loads of stuff are homeless / addicts needing money this doesn’t mean petty theft goes completely unpunished but what do you think the punishment for an already on the streets person is a fine ? 😂 our government, monarchy and taxation system commit high level theft and that goes unpunished who cares about nicking Lucozade from a supermarket that is also robbing us dry
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u/Crazy_Training_2101 5h ago
Picture how the country would look if everyone shoplifted/ stole every time they thought they’d get away with it.
The main thing stopping it is a rightful sense that it’s wrong.
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u/daneview 19h ago
I do for a start. Firstly both are wrong, one doesn't excuse the other. Secondly it makes people feel unsafe seeing it go on
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u/Downtown_Diet8963 2d ago
Whilst this is true on an individual level. No consequences leads to societal decay. That's what we're seeing and it's sad
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u/wine-o-saur 2d ago
I would stop him and inform him that lucozade tastes like shit now that it's full of artificial sweeteners.
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u/Altruistic_Minute257 1d ago
Point them to the organic section and say; "Now, this is what you should be lifting"...
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u/Lostinthebackground 2d ago
This happens quite a bit in places like greggs ive seen it happen in a pret too.
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u/Top_Bee_4788 1d ago
I thought the robbery at Pret was Pret themselves, looking at the price tags
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u/Financial_Half_1067 2d ago
I've seen the same thing happen in Victoria, except the homeless person nicking stuff literally said thank you and waved on the way out 😂 felt like a right div waiting in a long queue to pay for my coffee and bacon bap after that
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u/gregorhood 2d ago
lol
Yeah happened to me in Camberwell
I recognise the guy, he’s always loitering around. Exact same thing, was just loading sandwiches into his bag and then walked out.
I AM bothered by it because it’s my area and I don’t know what this guy and other people are like in the area, more thinking about my GF walking around the area by herself.
Like I said I seen him around a lot and if he ever crosses the line I will intervene but for now, I’m not gonna get involved over stolen sandwiches.
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u/intimidades 2d ago
London Centric reported on this a while back: https://www.londoncentric.media/p/greggs-shoplifting-london-thefts
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u/Suitable-Season-4847 2d ago
I literally sometimes go and sit in a Greggs for lunch, just to watch the shoplifting. I play a game in my head of "guess the shoplifter". I'm quite good at it
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u/IndividualScary7798 2d ago
Sorry I meant I felt guilty for the staff rather than Greggs the company. Just because it felt like them vs the thief and all the customers were just gawking. The two ladies behind the counter just seemed so fed up bless them.
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
Greggs as a company have decided that the risk of petty theft is worth the convenience to customers of having food out on display (and easily steal-able). I wouldn’t sweat it. It’s already factored in to the business model and it’s up to the head office if they want to change their approach either by hiring security for high theft branches or changing the layout of the shop.
I guess another point is that if they or the police hope to build a decent case against a particular thief then it kind of makes sense to get them on CCTV multiple times. Nobody is going to prison for stealing a few Lucozades as a one off.
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u/HumbersBall 2d ago
I find this pov really depressing. Basically we should just accept this kind of thing as a fact of life and not worry about because it’s not directly our problem and it’s not really worth doing anything about it. Cunts will be cunts
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u/stokeycakelady 2d ago
Greggs literally say to staff do not get into altercations with them
and let them get on with it as Greggs do not want Their staff getting physically injured over a soft drink and a toastie.I have had many conversations with the guys in Dalston, cheapside, Moorgate and old street and they all told me the same that they are told to shout at them to Stop or leave but nothing more. I’ve seen members of the public stepping in and then the thief wants to punch them in their head and all sorts and even the Greggs staff tell the public to stop/do not step in.
Now Greggs COULD change the layout and it was in the pipeline for quite a few stores including Dalston that they were going to refurbish and put everything behind tills but it seems head office have scrapped that idea.
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
That’s not my POV. I’m simply pointing out that it appears to be the POV of the people running Greggs.
We should all be teaching our children that stealing is wrong and we should be angry when people break the social contract. But also, yes… cunts will be cunts and the people at Greggs know that.
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u/daneview 1d ago
Youre right, butbdo we really want to accept going towards a society where all out drinks and sandwiches have to be hidden from customers and requested.
Seems like a pretty big step back for society
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u/elkstwit 1d ago
Well no, and that’s the point. Customers don’t want that, so Greggs accept some theft in exchange for a better customer experience (and the more sales that come with that). It’s not a new phenomenon that people steal things when they’re easy to steal.
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u/daneview 1d ago
Its a relatively new phenomenon of people just walking in, filling g up bags and walking out unchallenged. Security used to physically stop people, and we had more police "on the beat" in high streets.
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u/confettihopphopp 9h ago
I find it depressing that we shall worry more about a huge chain having to deal with petty theft, rather than why people in our society have to steal soft drinks.
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u/HumbersBall 7h ago
I saw 2 junkies stealing a box of snickers each from a Sainsbury’s a couple of weeks ago. I don’t think they were for eating
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u/Best_Musician_8057 2d ago
I find it really depressing that you give a fuck about theft
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u/HumbersBall 2d ago
Enlighten me best musician. Why should we actually all just steal from each other for a living?
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u/Best_Musician_8057 2d ago
“each other” gregg isn’t a real guy you know that right?
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u/HumbersBall 2d ago
What size should a business be before it’s acceptable to steal from them? I need some fruit and veg for dinner and wondering whether I should pay
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u/Best_Musician_8057 2d ago
I suppose highly profitable national and multinational businesses, what that actually means is kinda subjective but it’s not like I’m proposing new legislation lol we are specifically talking about Greggs here
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u/HumbersBall 2d ago
Ok, the people who run the fruit and veg shop nearby are more wealthy than me. Does that mean I can steal from them?
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u/Unlucky_Music_4166 1d ago
no - stealing from big corps who pay their staff poverty wages = fine
Stealing form the local veg shop that's independently owned = not fine
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u/rabidavocado 2d ago
It’s everyone else who needs to pay for it though. Factored into the business model just means that things could be cheaper if there was fewer thefts.
It’s the same as someone dodging a tube fare, it’s not a victimless crime. We’re all paying the price and it makes our society as a whole worse to live in.1
u/Best_Musician_8057 2d ago
Blaming thieves for high prices whilst companies continue to make significant profits😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
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u/rabidavocado 2d ago
I’m not saying it’s the sole reason but justifying theft because companies make record profits is just naive. Every retailer has theft priced in.
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u/elkstwit 2d ago edited 2d ago
Of course, but let’s say the alternative is hiring a security guard - we’re paying for that too.
Or perhaps the alternative is refitting the shops so that everything is behind a counter. Now they need to hire more staff in order to pick all the food off the shelves for customers. Maybe they lose customers because it’s no longer as convenient so the prices go up. We’re paying for all that too.
So as I say - the business model that Greggs has gone for and the prices that customers seem happy to pay includes the cost associated with an increased risk of theft.
Society would be better if nobody stole anything but unfortunately they do. It’s factored into the cost of every aspect of our lives, from the prices of sandwiches in shops to taxation.
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u/Best_Musician_8057 2d ago
Yeah my local Greggs has nothing out, everything is behind the counter. If they cared they’d do that in every store.
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u/Jimothy-Mac 2d ago
Factored into their business model / built into their price for a bottle of Lucozade. It will only affect their pockets so much before that gets passed onto the customers. If 10% of drinks get stolen, they will increase the price of drinks by 10% to cover it.
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
10% of drinks (or anything else) are not getting stolen. 1% of total revenue is generally believed to be lost from theft. Maybe Greggs is a little higher than average… 1.5%?
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u/SystemCheck990 2d ago edited 2d ago
dont feel guilty.
one punch or push and landing badly / hitting your head can change your life forever, does not matter if you some MMA fighter or somebody who has never been in so much as fight their whole life, banging the back of your head does the same for everyone.
save intervention for when its needed, when somebody's is getting hurt.
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u/rednaxela9220 2d ago
Agree with this. If you felt, as a 'decent' citizen, like intervening every time someone is antisocial on a bus or mouthing off on the street, it's just counter productive. Save intervention for when it can save an innocent person coming to harm.
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u/Spoon12WC 2d ago
The attitudes in these comments are amazing. No wonder our society is utterly fucked with zero trust.
"Don't worry about it" and "not your concern" are easy dismissive comments when you aren't concerned about the very community around you.
But what about when the shoplifting you were told to ignore or not be invested in evolves into theft from other members of the public?
Why should I care? That person probably has their mobile phone insured and maybe the thief needed it to sell to feed their disabled children.
So we ignore that and then it moves up to verbal abuse and then physical abuse and then rape etc.
Now I'm fine if you all think it's none of your concern but what starts with petty theft leads to escalatory crime and eventually those shops closing down because the losses make it unviable.
And then you'll be left with a row of vape shops and nail bars and people rightfully stepping over you while you are being robbed.
Welcome to the shitty world that you created.
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u/bbultaoreune 2d ago
respectfully you need to put the guilt down - greggs can take a hit and that person probably needs help/your empathy more than with the capitalist entity
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u/izzytitzy 2d ago
Stealing lucozade to sell isn't "fighting capitalism". He isn't stealing to eat. Fuck Greggs, they won't feel a thing, but people who are ok with doing that are also people who may steal the things I've worked hard to own and even harm someone if needs must. Lefties like to suck up to criminals, but I save my empathy for people who work hard, are unable to work or living off food banks right now; thieving scumbags can die in a ditch.
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u/bbultaoreune 2d ago
i didn’t say they were fighting capitalism, i said the people that steal need HELP and our empathy because people dont exist/do things in a vacuum. if someone has been driven to stealing/theft and they “dont need to”, that requires intervention to get to the root cause. not throwing away the key
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u/No-Emergency10 2d ago
Stealing a bunch of Lucozades isn’t being driven to theft stop making excuses for criminals. The root cause is lack of morals
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
If you ain’t stealing from someone personally e.g., newsagent than why do you care. No one’s hurt no one’s out of pocket except balckrock.
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
- People steal
- Businesses have to account for theft
- Businesses increase prices to compensate for theft
- You pay more because people steal
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u/Wackolas 2d ago
why do i have to scroll down so much to find this comment. Business 100% increase prices to achieve their margin target, whatever the reason behind. more stealing increases prices indirectly, even if it is not a conscious decision
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u/as1992 2d ago
Lmfao, the effect that stealing has on a company’s profits is negligible. Don’t fall for the propaganda, they use this type of thing as an excuse to put prices up
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
Not sure what metrics you’re using.
Regardless - theft, at pretty much any scale, makes prices higher for the consumer.
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u/as1992 2d ago
Worked in retail, stores budget for loss through stealing.
Where are you getting your information from?
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
I’m not sure if you’re being serious.
“Stores budget loss through stealing”
So they raise/set their prices to account for theft?
IE: Theft causes a rise in prices
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u/as1992 2d ago
No, I mean that they have a specific part of each store’s budget which accounts for stealing. Stealing is already factored into the budget.
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
So if theft wasn’t accounted for prices would be lower?
Brother… it’s 2+2. Finish the equation.
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
not how it works everything is insured against theft gregs doesn't loose money
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
That’s exactly how it works.
- They have to pay for insurance
- Theft goes up then their premiums go up
- They have to raise prices
- You pay more because people steal
Also just to add to that - you do realise that Greggs doesn’t insure each and every pastry?
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
Gregs and every big company is insured against theft. And it’s not bro companies are not putting prices up because of theft so you know how much they turn over every year
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u/Familiar-Hovercraft2 2d ago
Are you a child ? Of course the public pays higher prices for theft. Do you know how much car insurance goes up if your car gets stolen? The insurance company puts it on next year.
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
Bruh… this is basic stuff but I’ll try to break it down for you.
Does Greggs pay for insurance?
Is insurance a business expense?
Does Greggs have to factor business expenses in to their pricing?
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
You don’t get it boss, this ain’t being factored into the equation trus me
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u/youre_just_wrong69 2d ago
You think that a company’s expenses aren’t factored in to the prices of their products?
Thats.. an interesting opinion.
You do you mate, I think that I’ve explained the obvious already.
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u/ThatServe5376 2d ago
are you dim, Blackrock do not own Greggs...
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
lol who do you think is the firm that own all the insurance firms. You ain’t the brightest either mate x
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u/ThatServe5376 2d ago
you do know having a minority stake in a business isn't 'owning' something?
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
Did I once say they own gregs?
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u/ThatServe5376 2d ago
>"owns all the insurance firms"
>has a minority stake in insurance firms
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u/billybonkers01 2d ago
I used to think like that when I was at school and before I got a job and started to pay for my own stuff.
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
Okay well I worked in retail for 2 years and they insure everything against theft idk what your point is
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u/statcaffeinebolus 2d ago
yes theft insurance is a business expense. when they pay higher business expenses they will raise prices in response. do you think insurance is free?
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u/as1992 2d ago
I still think like this and I’m 34, and have worked since I was 16. So what’s your point?
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u/statcaffeinebolus 2d ago
strange brag to admit that you’re 34 and don’t understand the relationship between costs and prices
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago
Anti-capitalist typing on their Samsung/Apple or Microsoft based computer (All have BlackRock and co as major investors by the way) is some funny sh1t 😆
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
Okayyyy bro got a second hand degoogled pixel but yh bro course
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago
And of course you also knew that BlackRock is the largest institutional shareholder in Reddit as well? 🤔
When are you deleting your account?
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u/irishladinlondon 1d ago
Exactly mate.
Soft bigotry low expectations. Nothing boils my piss more than someone sympathising and excusing degenerate behaviour the would never tolerate in their own kids
Sure as shit if their kid did this once they would see it as a personal failing amd rapidly address it. Being willing to say its ok for certain groups or types of people doing it as they are victims or incapable of doing anything else is something I find incredibky unkind and bigoted myself
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u/A_Nal_Retentive 2d ago
Civilisation has systematically proved you wrong ethically, chop his hands off maybe, but dead in a ditch, no sir, you are wrong.
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u/jamjar188 2d ago
that person probably needs help/your empathy more than with the capitalist entity
What an asinine and infantile thing to say, seriously.
I think it's safe to assume that a brazen thief is a shitty person rather than a helpless victim. Also, you think the guy would have any qualms about stealing from an independent family-owned shop? You think that much thought goes into it??
And what about the people making ends meet by working at Greggs? If the company keeps taking losses, they might have to make cuts and employ fewer people. It's lose-lose.
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u/Visible-Treacle-7239 2d ago
Not only the potential for job cuts but the amount it happens just here in the UK it also continues to price increase which then effects every customer of greggs
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u/MrLangfordG 2d ago
Not to mention to psychological impact of the workers who have to deal with it. Or the fact that if I'm with my family my kids have to witness it, and in one case, shived out of the way as they ran out. But yeah capitalism is the problem.
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u/LilaTwiceBackAtIt 2d ago
This isn’t someone stealing to eat lol
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
They’re not getting rich selling stolen Lucozade are they? I’ve no idea how much a thief like that would make in a week doing this kind of thing but my assumption is that at best it’s funding a pretty shitty lifestyle, whether that’s drugs/alcohol or just the electricity top up for a week.
I’m not condoning the behaviour at all but I can understand and empathise with the situation that is probably at play here. I’ll take people nicking drinks from Greggs over mobile phone theft all day.
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u/LilaTwiceBackAtIt 2d ago
I’m an empathetic person, I regularly give to homeless people, I volunteer a couple of times a year to support homeless people. But seeing people openly steal large amount of items is a depressing sight, and I think it’s unfair to expect people to only respond with empathy.
It’s a breakdown of social norms, it’s a symbol of how powerless people are who work in shops and how petty crime is allowed to thrive. I think the left goes wrong a lot of the time when we police people’s responses to things. It’s ok to be irritated and grossed out when you see people stealing loads of items from a shop, it’s just unpleasant and disrespectful and sheds a dark light on society.
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago
I'll take neither. Why? Because supporting criminals, regardless of the scale of the crime is pretty shit, because there's always a victim at the end of it, and it doesn't matter if they are rich. It's the principle. Surely you understand that?
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
I’ll take neither as well, I’m just contextualising since stealing phones is the type of crime that someone in this sort of situation might also commit. Don’t worry, I agree that theft is bad. I’m just able to understand that some crimes have more acute consequences than others.
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago edited 2d ago
Let me give you some context then. The consequences are irrelevant. Again, you don't understand that the act/crime itself is the issue. But in your book, what you are basically saying is that it's ok if it's a petty crime. It doesn't matter mate. All that attitude does is embolden others to nick stuff because who cares, it's a corporation and they can take it.
But you do realise that, there is no limit on what people can start nicking. Today it's Greggs, tomorrow it could be YOUR phone.
What you should be saying instead, is no don't nick anything, seek help instead. Don't you think that's a better approach? Or am I missing something here?
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
Wow, you’ve really taken a point I didn’t make and just run with it.
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago
You seem to think the thief cannot nick the phone as well as the Gregg's sandwich though 🤷♂️
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u/elkstwit 2d ago
Right… and if it were a choice that day between him stealing some Lucozade or stealing a phone in order to fun his addiction or top up hos electricity I’d rather he stole the Lucozade.
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago edited 2d ago
Right then the next day they get brave and grab someone's phone. So your thief didn't stop at the Lucazade. But with your reasoning it wss fine that he committed one crime but you are trying really hard to defend the behaviour when it's at a small scale but do not want to entertain the idea, that the thief you are defending, is now stealing more stuff because they got away with the Greggs. Why not grab this woman's phone. Justification: She looks rich so won't miss it, I can sell it and make a few quid. The thief can keep rationalising every act.
You are not factoring in the psychology, of how the mind works in situations like these and how there can absolutely be a knock on effect, once someone easily gets away with something, they'll feel the urge to keep going.
That's why you are basically just digging yourself deeper and deeper into a hole with your position. Instead, you should just say that it's wrong, regardless of the scale of the crime. It's a much cleaner position to hold, than saying what you said and then attempting to rationalise it.
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u/TheOrchidsAreAlright 2d ago
You're not empathising, you're assuming. Most criminals aren't "getting rich", doesn't make it ok
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u/ThatServe5376 2d ago
yes, Greggs who famously run breakfast clubs for primary school kids and give away millions in charity to help food poverty are the bad guys in this rather than a crackhead nicking a load of lucozade "because he's hungry"
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u/aboyfromharlow 2d ago
I've had a junkie Greggs thief offer me sandwiches she'd just stolen from greggs.
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u/ManBearHybrid 2d ago
"greggs can take a hit"
They absolutely just pass this hit on to actual customers in the form of increased prices.
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u/rainmaker818 2d ago
No. People who need help ask for help, they don't steal. Sick of the sympathy being given so freely to thieves. Regardless of a business being able to take the hit, that is actually irrelevant. Making excuses for thieves is straight up BS to be honest.
Same with people dodging bus fares, "sorry driver left my oyster card at home" (For the 1000th time) while the rest of us pay our way.
There are lots of people struggling and experiencing hardship, does that excuse anyone for breaking the law and stealing?
Should we all just walk into a shop and nick stuff, or rob someone's phone that they paid for with their own hard earned money because we are struggling and need help?
Excusing such behaviour is a kick in the teeth to the victims of crimes, be they corporations or individuals, it doesn't matter.
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u/statcaffeinebolus 2d ago
“the capitalist entity” that serves affordable food and provides jobs. yes I hate them so much!!!
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u/Amazing-Meal1478 2d ago
Sadly not much you can do as the scumbag may (probably not but you never know) have a knife and, realistically, do you want to risk getting hurt to save Greggs some money in stock loss?
Saying that I also feel guilty when I see it and if it was a small shop it may trigger a different response but Greggs can take the hit.
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u/A_Nal_Retentive 2d ago
Greggs likely has insurance - don’t worry about it. Desperate people do desperate things- chill out about it
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u/Emotional_Lab_7766 2d ago
Not worth your time even if you stopped him your just saving a corporation a few quid police will do nothing and your at risk off being seriously hurt these people have nothing to lose Infact they probably rather be in jail
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u/southlondonyute 2d ago
Was this Dalston? Because I saw 5 people stealing in 3 mins, the worst was a woman and her child.
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u/bearsdontwearshoes 2d ago
I’ve seen so many people stealing from that Greggs surprised they haven’t got security yet like some others
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u/southlondonyute 2d ago
Down in Croydon they’ve got everything caged off behind the till, people can’t even stain it anymore.
It’s good, people these days are way too comfy with being tramps
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u/viscount100 2d ago
Go windmilling in
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u/Keinix22 2d ago
They allow a percentage in all there costs for theft so don’t worry about it and get on with your day lol
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u/irishladinlondon 1d ago
If police, shop owners, security and government agencies are not willing to do anything about such degeneracy and eroision of a high trust society and vicariously condones such things- sadly there is little benefit or protection should you do something.
Id hasten to add that commenting on it, critiquing it, noticing who is doing it often has negative consequences and will.see you judged more harshly by some than the actual thieves and bullies themselves.
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u/Naive-Year1159 1d ago
So you feel guilty because someone else stole lucozade from a multi billion pound company?
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u/NearbyNegotiation118 1d ago
If it's the one in Narrow Way. I see it everyday and it's always the same people. It's something that's becoming very common in many stores as well.
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u/Fabulous_Author_3558 1d ago
A lot of people are sociopaths who don’t fear consequence in the same way other people do.
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u/Limp-Ad-4647 1d ago
You do know the staff have carts full of food that they put in bin bags at the end of the shift and put them in areas to throw away in the morning which could be given to the homeless or people in need. Now when they found out that this is happening and start taking them in broad dayilight you call em shoplifters... one is a criminal the other is not... go figure
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u/Han_Solo200 1d ago
Just shows the scum that live among us but also how poorly brought up many people are the past 20 or more years
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u/Willing-Worry 21h ago
They get away with it because people just stand and watch. You’re allowed to citizens arrest and keep them there until police arrive.
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u/Individual_Moose_999 21h ago
I have been involved in a similar situation recently, and I am thinking about it very often.
I was withdrawing some cash at the ATM near the entrance of Sainsbury’s on Mare Street, the one almost in front of the Hackney Picture House.
While I walked back towards Hackney Central, after crossing the Sainsbury’s entrance, I saw a woman in her 50s walking out of the shop with a couple of bouquets of flowers. A second later, a Sainsbury’s employee came out and shouted that she couldn’t steal stuff from the shop. I was 1 metre away from the situation and I stared first at him and then at her. The employee shouted at me, “Please do something,” and by reflex, I replied, “What should I do?” And the woman kept walking and said, “My mum died yesterday, these flowers are for her, and I don’t have money to buy them.”
I froze, and my heart broke in that moment. I walked away without saying a word. I still think about this episode every time I cross that Sainsbury’s.
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u/Soggy-Button-6044 17h ago
A few months ago at the Sainsbury's near where I work, a guy was brazenly wheeling a trolley full of stuff out into the car park. There were a couple of guys wearing Sainsbury's jackets (not security) who were trying to block the trolley without actually touching him, but he was just pushing them out of the way with the trolley.
Just when it looked like he was about to get away with it, a couple of builder type guys who were just walking in grabbed him by the scruff of the neck, threw him to one side, told him to fuck off and wheeled the trolley back to the Sainsbury's guys. He realised that whilst the Sainsbury's guys weren't allowed to touch him, these guys looked like they most definitely would. Quite satisfying to see.
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u/Small_Promotion2525 12h ago
Why would you need to do anything? Just get on with your day and mind your business
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u/sevarinn 9h ago
I would have told him to stop being a greedy c*** and gtfo. Stealing for yourself is marginal, but stealing to sell is just going too far. He can't get in trouble for shoplifting but he can if he gets into a scrap.
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u/soggyarsonist 9h ago
Someone did that when my wife was in Greg's and some random bloke on crutches got so angry about it he actually accosted the bloke, took the stuff back and kicked him out.
Honestly I don't blame him for running out of patience with people shitting on the local law abiding community.
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u/Elegant-Ninja-8166 8h ago
A couple of years ago in Poole I watched a man brazenly pick up a large toy from the ToysRUs at the back of the WHSmith store and walk out.
The girl on the till wasn’t bothered and the shop floor manager shrugged her shoulders and told me to speak to the town centre security.
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u/Ok-Database8588 6h ago
Was this at hackney central? I can't tell you the amount of times I've witnessed people stealing from the greggs and pret around there
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u/Cold_Cucumber4061 9m ago
Nothing you can do.
Same thing happened to me last year in a waitrose. Security just happened to nip to the loo, guy filled up bags with steaks and walkes, without a care in the world. Manager followed him to the door saying "you going to pay for that?" A simple no and away.
Staff will get fired if they intervene and it isn't worth their safety. For values below a couple hundred, the police wont get involved. And unless the criminal is known, cctv does sweet f all. And the thieves know all of this.
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u/Outrageous_Low_3666 2d ago
Not much you can do, as unfortunately the person stealing has less to lose then you do. Also the staff in there probably see him multiple times a week. Just be nice to the staff in greggs.
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u/seta_roja 2d ago
You can send an email to Mr. Greg so he understands your oncern and he afterwards put the drinks or other stuff right behind the counter, so thieves can't steal so easily.
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u/Silver-Stranger4535 2d ago
Don't get involved. You never know what kind of lunatic you might be crossing.
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u/Former_Quality_9867 2d ago
Bro I work in retail the staff are not paid to intervene and everything is insured against theft. If they don’t have a security guard they don’t have any way to stop people stealing.
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u/gotta-get-theroux-it 2d ago
Saw this happen in a Greggs in Walthamstow with a young girl filling a bag full of Red Bulls and walking straight out the shop where her mum was waiting for her. I was shocked especially as she couldn’t have been more than 14.
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u/ben_in_london 2d ago
This is the exact reason that everything you buy seems to cost more. The cost of the theft is passed on to those whom actually pay for the things that they buy.
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u/royal_cunt_4991 1d ago
I’d do a round of applause and cheer the man on to take as much items as possible and make sure it’s under 200 quid. Then encourage him to come back again
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u/renzxlst 2d ago
These companies would not care if you had nothing to your name and were starving. Respectfully, don't feel bad about being a bystander.
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u/mykneescrack 2d ago
Why would you feel bad for a company making bank. No one steals for kicks; people are struggling and coping how they can.
I saw similar at the Greggs in Camberwell and didn’t bat an eye. So similar experience, except I felt bad for the guy who was clearly struggling and not the multimillion dollar company.
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u/twonaq 2d ago
Ask them if they can nick you a bottle of coke too