Several of the group members concurred. “Rosie,” who said that she has had 26 various convictions in her 31 short years, was arrested with her sister-in-law for stealing $100 worth of items after paying more than $300 in the same store. She said that she had put the items in a separate shopping bag because they were holiday gifts for her daughter, and when the cashier failed to ask her for those items to ring up with the other purchases, Rosie stated that she couldn’t resist the urge to walk out with items that she hoped would go unnoticed. “I knew the moment I was walking away from the register that I had made a bad decision and that I was going to get caught,” she said. “‘Why did I do that? I am going to get caught.’ I just knew it like a bad feeling in my gut.”
Rosie was tearful when she described how her 11-year-old daughter was present when she was arrested and processed in the Town of Ulster police station, and even sat outside the holding cell until her mother and aunt were released. “[My daughter] said to the police, ‘I can’t believe my mother and aunt did this. I would never be this stupid.’”
Rosie said her daughter no longer trusts her when they go out together, and feels that her daughter is watching for her to steal or do something else wrong. Put bluntly, she said, “I feel like an asshole.”
Rosie also said that she finds herself puzzled, disturbed and frustrated by her own behaviors, and yet seems unable to collect herself to not re-offend. “Do I regret it? Yes. Am I going to do it again? Yes, probably.”
But, we have no money!
Much of the group excitedly argued that social services are not providing enough funds and support to help them with their food and living expenses. Facilitator Adrianne Theetge explained how to access available supplemental resources, such as Toys for Tots for one mother who felt she needed to shoplift because she couldn’t afford Christmas gifts.
“Bonnie and Clyde” have been married for 40 years and raised nine kids. They were arrested together at Wal-Mart while their 3-year-old grandson waited in the car. “Bonnie” stole a bottle of Tide detergent, lauding the benefits of the superior cleansing detergent and citing how nice her son’s clothes smell after they’ve been washed in the pricey suds. “Clyde,” who was a very active and enthusiastic participant in the class, stole a four-inch teddy bear for the grandson-in-tow. “Bonnie” said that the Ulster town police were very professional. However, she was deeply offended when Wal-Mart security went through her bags and into her medications, and felt harassed by as they went down the receipt of purchased items, arguing over several misunderstandings. “Clyde” said that since he was the one pushing the cart he tried to take the rap for both him and his wife, but “Bonnie” wouldn’t have it. They said their adult kids were extremely disappointed with them, and that the youngest was furious with them, insisting that they were “too old” for this behavior. They both claimed that this shopping trip was their very first foray into shoplifting.
Well DEFINITELY there are better choices than shoplifting:better to become a Psychiatrist, that way you can rip everyone off legally.