Every day, people age 12 and under become less "customer" and more "annoyance".

[theredbaron47]

Preface: my hardware store prohibits the sale of certain items (spray paint, DUCO cement, lighter fluid, certain solvents) to anyone under 18. It's not that uncommon a practice.

About a year ago, two kids (they couldn't have been older than 13) come to the counter, each with a can of cheap black spray paint. I obviously refuse the sale after they don't have ID, so they sulk away with the paint. Next thing I know, a co-worker came up and told me that he saw two kids make off with spray paint to the new construction across the street (vandalism would ensue).

It's a good thing the police station was RIGHT NEXT DOOR to the construction. :D They were caught, but honestly... this is why it's so hard for me to respect kids like that who come into the store.

Any similar stories? Since that happened, we were told to watch out for people under 18 to steal whatever it was they couldn't buy.

[bars.of.a.rhyme]

This is my friend's story, not mine, but she doesn't have an account here, so I'll go ahead and tell it for her.

This friend of mine works at a drug store in the same strip mall where I work (I actually met her back when she worked with me at Hollywood Video - shared hardship produces strong friendships :D ). Anyway, there are these kids that always come into my store and steal video games. They're banned from the store, but it's difficult to enforce that policy as preteens are becoming increasingly homogenous in appearance, and not everyone at the store has seen them in person.

So yesterday, this friend calls me to tell me that she busted the kids trying to steal cigars from her store. My friend's register is on a raised platform at the front of the store. The cigarettes are all kept behind the counter, and the cigars are shelved on the front of the counter. She noticed the kids acting kind of sketchy, so she paged her manager to the front, where he posed as a shopper so he could watch the kids. She saw one of the kids put something in his pocket RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER, and then she nodded to her manager, who charged at the kid "like a bat out of hell."

Once the kid had finished soiling himself, they called the cops and stowed the kid in the back room.

The really funny thing is that they were stealing the cigars to unwrap and reroll with pot instead of tobacco. Unfortunately they're too stupid to realize that that trick only works if you're old enough to smoke cigars without arousing suspicion in the first place. :lol:

[AmericanZero8503]

Not just kids under 12 but most teenagers too. Those little bastards try to steal/rip us off all the time. They'll come in say the coke machine took thier money, then act suprised when I won't give them a refund. It's the same kids, all the time. We try to kick them out but their parents call in to bitch at the service manager...UGH annoying.

[Tito]

their parents call in to bitch at the service manager...UGH annoying.

Yep, gotta love parents who think that their kids are just perfect angels who can do no wrong.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

They'll come in say the coke machine took thier money, then act suprised when I won't give them a refund.

I give them the benefit of the doubt at my store...but I cover my own ass.

I tell them that I'm more than willing to give a refund. But they have to fill out the reimbursement form on the back of the little paper change pocket that the vending machine company gives me.

If the guy comes in and sees that the machine has more money than inventory paid out then he'll put the extra into the envelopes. So far the only people who bother filling out the form are adults who actually lost something...I've only had three kids fill it out and according to the vendor...they actually lost money.

Making them work for their scam usually prevents them from bothering with it.

Mongo

[theredbaron47]

Now that you mention it, Zero, I should broaden that range to include teenagers as well. I can't tell you the number of ****-faced punks that come in and think it's a free-for-all, and that they don't have to pay for anything.

Recently, between me and two maybe 14-year-old punks:

*they come up to my register with a candy bar each*
Me: "Hi, how are you two?"
*both stare at the ground; one mumbles something*
Me: "Are you going to pay for those screws and bolts I saw you stash in your pockets, or do we get the managers and police involved?"
Both of them: :eek:!

The almost-stolen merchandise was on the counter and they were out the door before they could say "juvenile hall".

Seriously, what the hell is it with these punks and "rebels" these days?

[Rapscallion]

The fact that youths shoplift doesn't surprise me. What does surprise and worry me is what they were stealing.

Screws and bolts?

Sheesh...

Rapscallion

[kerrisan]

I used to work at Kroger as a cashier. I was on my break and using a computer in the Internet Cafe when I saw these 2 kids (males, probably 9-11 years old) messing around the remaining 3 computers and being loud and obnoxious. :burnup: I assumed that they had been there for a while when my friend who worked Customer Service and is normally very patient with children responded with an annoyed "no" when the kids asked her if the coffee was free. Well, I just kinda went on my way after my break and forgot about the kids until I was ringing up some customers and all of the power goes off and the alarms start ringing. This was after 9-11 so I duck down behind my register having no idea what's going on (might be kinda sad, but hey! you never know!). Customers are becoming upset because it is dark outside and therefore nobody can see much of what's going on around them. Pretty soon we find out that the little angel children made their way out behind the building and were messing with the power when they shut it off!!! They made a run for it but WERE TACKLED IN THE GRASS BY A BIG BURLY GUY FROM THE DELI!!! It was fantastic. Then later I saw them with their parents and a cop crying and being lectured by the cop. Again, fantastic. I just glared at these kids when I walked past them to get carts. I'm very glad that they were treated like adults for pulling an adult-style crime.

[theredbaron47]

Pretty soon we find out that the little ngel children made their way out behind the building and were messing with the power when they shut it off!!!

Now THAT is just funny! Kids need to learn that there are prices to pay for screwing around with stuff, and that includes stealing. Props to the deli guy for tackling them, and props to whoever got the police and their parents involved. Maybe they learned a lesson... hopefully.

As a sidenote, I don't think the schools assign enough homework, as proven by cases like these :rolleyes:

[Kiwi]

we used to sell spraypaint at the craft store

headquaters was too cheap to give us a locking cabinet, so we ended up with a gang of young boys taking 3-4 cans a week

to DUMB to figure out that a group of teenage boys in a SEWING and craft store kind of stood out....

we pretty much had to post a staff member infront of the cans for a few weeks, and/or we to page "security risk in craft, all managers to the area immediately" over and over and over

all that time of staff wasted when $100 cabinet would have solved the problem....

[kibbles]

I think a lot of kids grow out of the rebellious stage eventually, we were all kids once and can probably remember doing stuff that would now make us mad with rage. :) ;) Getting caught is probably what will give these kids a higher chance of not remaining in that phase well into adulthood.

But I gotta agree with Raps, it's not the shoplifting, it's what's being shoplifted that's disturbing :P :D

[phillippbo]

This reminds me of my c-store days. The store I worked in was a little ways back from the main highway in a residential area, so we were more like a neighborhood store. Long story short, we saw the same customers day in and day out - if it was a new face they were probably lost or not from the area. I got to know many of the little devil-spawn... err, "children's"... parents very well. Amazingly, all but one of them would side with me if it was a "he-said/they said" between me and their children.

At any rate, when I worked there we still had the silly cigarette displays across the front and behind the counter (the ones on the back faced the register). The geniuses that had designed this particular store way back "when Jesus walked the Earth" (as I used to quip - you should have seen it, the wiring alone was a fire hazard, but that's a whole 'nother story), and had placed the counter in the middle of the floor with the register facing one of the side walls. This meant that I could not see half the store, and the cigarette displays were behind me on a counter within reach of anyone on that particular side of the store.

After one month with a tad shy of $500 in stolen cigs, I did something about it. First, I built a "wall" of our old cardboard signs across the back of the counter and attached to the displays themselves with tape (it wasn't as tacky as it sounds - I used two layers "face to face" so it was just white cardboard). They stood high enough that you would have to be a minimum of 6' 5" to reach over the top and it was not possible to go around the sides. In addition to that, I taped all of the cigarettes in the displays together (clear tape all the way around the group and tape across the bottoms) so it was not possible to simply remove a single pack. This included the displays on the front of the counter, which ticked off some of the regulars who liked to whip cigs off the displays onto the counter, but what did I care.

Anywho, I can't begin to count on both hands and feet how many times one of the gaggles of "children" would come in, and as one was trying to distract me, I'd hear the unmistakible "rip" of lots of tape trying to be removed. I'd just smile sweetly, ask the thief if I could help them with anything, and report them to their parents the next morning (who would most of the time punish the kid AND make them come into the store to apologize to me). Some days, that's the only way I could make it all the way through the day!

Sorry if it was so long, but it brings a smile to my face just thinking about it now, and one of the few things I actually miss about that job....

[karma_gypsy]

How about those kids who come in unsupervised (around 12-13ish) and come in to wander the store and put there hands all over everything and move stuff around and swear a lot. O.k., guys, swearing that much doesn't make you cool, you sound like morons . . .

[Lehk]

How about those kids who come in unsupervised (around 12-13ish) and come in to wander the store and put there hands all over everything and move stuff around and swear a lot. O.k., guys, swearing that much doesn't make you cool, you sound like morons . . .

just throw them out as soon as they start swearing. if their parents complain to management just say the foul language was bothering actual customers

[Lace Neil Singer]

I always hate it when the brats break up for the summer holidays and always, without fail, come into the supermarket and try to buy Lambrini and White Lightning. :rolleyes: We're talking kids of 12-14 who look it too; they then get annoyed and start swearing and threatening when I refuse to serve them. One little brat even threatened to get his mate to come and get me when I wouldn't serve him... I almost bust a gut laughing. :lol:

[Think Blue]

to DUMB to figure out that a group of teenage boys in a SEWING and craft store kind of stood out....

That is so true. While in high school me and my friends set off a bunch of stink and as our punishment,we were placed in a arts and crafts class:D. It was so funny when we would walk in and actually buy yarn and other stuff like sequins, I actually learned how to crochet and I did bette than most of the girls in that class.:lol:

[Crosshair]

I HATE the dipsh*ts who take the cap off a can of spray paint and spray the shelf to, "Make sure it matches the cap." Hey dumbarse, the cans with the yellow cap will be *gasp* yellow paint and so on. It's damm spray paint, buy a can and get the hell out.:mad:

[protege]

I HATE the dipsh*ts who take the cap off a can of spray paint and spray the shelf to, "Make sure it matches the cap." Hey dumbarse, the cans with the yellow cap will be *gasp* yellow paint and so on. It's damm spray paint, buy a can and get the hell out.:mad:

That's why some paint companies (Tamiya, Testors, and a few others) seal their lids with paper wrappers or clear plastic. That makes it harder for people to spray things.

[Brighid45]

Here in Upper Yuppy there was a series of news reports in the paper this past spring on how the hordes of teens hanging out downtown after school were causing all sorts of headaches for the shopkeepers. I know the assistant manager of the local independent bookstore, and he says they've had trouble for years not just with shoplifting but with active vandalism--like someone walking the shelves of books with an uncapped magic marker, leaving a thick black line over the spines of the books. Or even tearing off the covers of the books and magazines. I usually wait until later in the day to shop downtown for just this reason--the kids are brats, really obnoxious.

In their defense, they do get left on their own by absentee parents who expect the shops to do free babysitting. And there is noplace else for them to go--someone tried to get a teen center started once, but it ran into trouble and was quickly abandoned. It's a shame--most of the kids I've met are just in need of some attention and a place to hang out where they aren't in the way.

[Knightmare]

... and a cop crying and being lectured by the cop. Again, fantastic.

Why was the cop crying? Did the call take him away from his precious donuts?
:devil:

[HYHYBT]

The fact that youths shoplift doesn't surprise me. What does surprise and worry me is what they were stealing.
I feel sorry for them, really. That's probably the only way they can get a screw.

[Ree]

I despise thieves of any age.

I have mentioned before that I have been in retail for almost 30 years now, and I have certainly seen my share of shoplifters.

I can also say that the ratio of teen vs adult was a lot higher for the adult side.

I don't doubt that teens steal, but to treat every teen who walks into your store as if they are a potential thief is really shooting yourself in the foot.

A couple of years ago, our daughter, who just happened to have her entire pay in her wallet, and was in a spending mood, walked into a rather pricey giftware store in our town. Our foster daughter was with her.

While our daughter was looking for a gift for a friend, our foster daughter was looking at a music box.
She was due to get her pay the next day from her part time job, and was considering coming back.

The lady asked, "Can I help you?"
Our foster daughter said, "No, thanks. I'm just looking at this music box."
The clerk said, "Well, I suggest you just move along then."

My daughter came out of the other display room at the rear of the shop, having found nothing she liked. As the girls moved to the door, a display caught my daughter's eye, and she stopped to check it out.

The clerk again asked, "Can I help you?"
My daughter then said, "No thanks. Just having a look at these suncatchers."
The clerk then snapped, "Well I told you to move along, so please do it."

I was livid.

She lost a lot of business from our family because she had assumed, ebacuse they were teen girls, they were there to rob her blind.
Had she not been so rude, my daughter might have bought the suncatcher, and our foster daughter might have gone back for the music box the next day.

Teens have a lot of disposable income. They know what they want and they go out and buy it. Not all of them are out to rob you blind, just because a few of them have given all teens a bad name.

[JuniorMintz]

DAMN YOU, HYHYBT! I was totally going to say that, too! *shakes fist*

Back when I worked at KB, I caught SO many kids shoplifting it was unbelievable! I love kids, don't get me wrong. Since I'm such a tomboy, the place was perfect for me. I'd go out on the floor and play with the kids while they were shopping-I'd give balloons or candy to the little ones, and chat about cartoons with them. People were always shocked that I knew so much about cartoon characters when I didn't even have kids yet!

But even though I love kids, I hate shoplifters, and was constantly catching and dealing with the little punks. I'd tell the employee I was working with to take care of the register because I was going fishing. :D

With the little ones, I'd tell them I saw them trying to steal and gently tell them that if they gave me the item back and promised never to steal from anyone again, I wouldn't call the police. (Hell, it's not their fault, if their damn parents had watched them instead of dumping them in my store maybe they wouldn't have been tempted!)

When they were a bit older, I was a little tougher. No "Sweetie, I saw you put that candy in your pocket without paying for it, you did know that stealing is wrong and could get you in trouble, right?" It was more like "Hey Smart Guy, drop the Yu Gi Oh cards and hit the road before I have Big Steve haul you out of here!" (Big Steve was the BEST COWORKER EVER!!!)
Again, if they did what I said and seemed apologetic about it, I'd be nicer to them and tell them that if they promised not to do it again they could continue to visit the place, but that I'd be watching them carefully!

When they were even OLDER, I got grouchier. One kid (13?) I chased out from behind my counter with a broom. Another (older, maybe 15 or 16?) I snuck up on and said "Aw, are those my Playstation games in your pocket, or are you happy to see me?" (He dropped the games on my floor and I had Big Steve "escort" him out the door)

Older teenagers and adults received no sympathy from me. Security was called and statements were given. Occasionally, the police were involved. I have a few stories, but I'll post them later.

On the flip side, I had a TON of kids and teenagers who had perfect manners and money in their pockets that they were more than happy to spend at my place. It was always cute to see the kids who came in with their piggy banks that were excited to be finally getting that toy or game that they had saved up for. Once I even had a young kid who had saved up more than $200 for a Gamecube (when it was new!), and he was so happy to be getting it I almost thought he was going to pee himself! His mom was so proud I thought she was going to burst. She told me he had done extra chores for months to save up for it, and that the deal was if he saved up $200 (enough for the system) then she'd match him *another* $200 for games and accessories. Even though almost $100 of that kid's money was in change *sob!*, I really couldn't bring myself to be annoyed. Hell, if he could save it, then I could count it and put it in the drawer!

*sigh*

Good times, good times!

[chainedbarista]

we currently have this 'mini posse' of four eight year olds that show up at almost any given time of the day, wanting water, samples, what have you; no parents anywhere in sight, just these four gansta-bes bugging us for anything free.

i've taken to warning anyone on shift when they show up to keep an eye on our tips, since those asking for free things tend to be thieves...

[wj_737_700]

I'm still I teen (17) and i've never shoplifted...I know I would get caught.
The only thing I "steal" are free stuff. Like if a company is giving out free pens or notepads (little things like that) you can be damn sure i'll have 4 or 5 of those suckers in my pocket. :) Yea i'm pathetic:o

it's not the shoplifting, it's what's being shoplifted that's disturbing
My mother busted this big biker guy lifting multiple pairs of frilly lace panties and bras. So who knows.

[HYHYBT]

Oh yeah, the third reason people shoplift: not because they can't pay, or think it's fun, but because they want something that they're too embarassed to buy :D

[TYFSOK]

When I was working at the B&N, the information desk was right by the magazines. One day, a boy came over to the magazines and tried getting a copy of Maxim. Naturally, we put those on the top of a 6-foot high magazine rack, and he couldn't reach. He made an attempt to climb, which got a loud "a-HEM!" from me, so he came over to the desk.

Boy: "Can I get a copy of Maxim?"
Me: "How old are you?"
Boy (not thinking): "12."
Me: "No."
Boy (desperate): "It's for my brother!"
Me: "How old is your brother?"
Boy: (not thinking): "13."
Me: "Let me think--No."

And then there was the video game magazines...

"Can we use your copy machine, to copy these codes?"
"No."
"Okay, can we borrow a pencil and some paper?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Well, since we're a bookstore, we want to sell those magazines. And, since you've already ripped open the polybag and taken out the (freebie), you need to get your parents over here so I can explain to them that you just bought them."

They invariably ran away at this point.

[Rine]

In our children's department, some of the tee shirts will sometimes come with little toys. I've had to make missing merchandise reports for so many shirts because little kids decide to rip out the toy and take it. Though, there are times where we will find the discarded toys on the floor. I wish that the store would put the clothing with toys attached on the highest racks, because some kids can't keep their hands to themselves. (I mean, I know there's not adults going around and stealing rubber dinosaurs and plastic sonic toys off the shirts. :lol: Of course, I could be wrong.) The toys are probably not that expensive, but it's rather annoying and disheartening that parents won't watch what their kids are tearing off the shirts.

[Lace Neil Singer]

At the garden centre, one of my coworkers caught a little brat red handed trying to palm a fish ornament in the fish section which was next to the pet section. I watched his till while he and the manager went off with the kid, who was crying.

When my coworker got back, he told me what had happened. Basically, the garden centre's policy with shoplifters was to punish them to the full extent of the law. Obviously, a kid of 12 (as this kid was aged) can't get much done to him, but the manager did call the kid's parents and the police. The kid's mum arrived and was livid with her son; the police eventually arrived and gave the kid a bollocking. In the end, he was banned from entering the store again and he left with his mum, who apparently had a look on her face like she was thinking "Wait til your father gets home!"

Also, this kid had 4 mates with him at the time, all of who cowardly ran off when he got nabbed. Hopefully he grassed them up and they all got done by their parents too. :D