Shocking Sad News From Hometown

[TelephoneAngel]

I've just heard that my best friend from school has been jailed for fraud getting money from people by deception. We were best friends for over twenty years and went on holiday together and slept for weeks at each others houses etc.

But here's the thing.I loved her dearly but I knew she was a shoplifter despite living in an amazing house and being given loads of pocketmoney.On occassion she stole little things from me like lipstick but I always forgave her.On a few occassions I was with her when she travelled by train without a valid ticket and gave a false name to the ticket inspector when she was caught (I never shoplifted or travelled without a ticket).

We lost touch a few years ago when we both moved house.

I just feel a bit lost over this I never expected it to come to this.

[BookstoreEscapee]

That's too bad for her but at least she didn't involve you in her illegal activities. I was at an amusement park with a friend when I was in high school and she stole a 50 cent ring from one of the shops. She got caught and we both got questioned (I had no idea she did it until a security guard came out after us and asked to speak to her). Luckily they realized I had no idea. They called her parents and I had to call my mom to come pick me up.

Most shoplifters don't do it because they need the items they are stealing. They do it for the thrill and/or because they've got issues.

[TelephoneAngel]

That's too bad for her but at least she didn't involve you in her illegal activities. I was at an amusement park with a friend when I was in high school and she stole a 50 cent ring from one of the shops. She got caught and we both got questioned (I had no idea she did it until a security guard came out after us and asked to speak to her). Luckily they realized I had no idea. They called her parents and I had to call my mom to come pick me up.

Most shoplifters don't do it because they need the items they are stealing. They do it for the thrill and/or because they've got issues.

I know.She used to boast about how easy it was to shoplift and she had a pretty face and a bubbly personality and she was caught once and smiled prettily at the store detective and he let her off.

I'm feeling sick at the thought that like you and your friend if I had remained friends with her she might have dragged me unwittingly into her activities.

More of her old friends have been in contact to say she treated them badly as well but its strange we loved being friends with her and whatever she did we forgave her.We kind of said "oh that's just how she is what does it matter if she takes your lipstick or a little money from your dresser or a blouse from your cupboard?"If she had asked I would gladly have given her whatever it was she took but I guess the thrill was in the taking of the object.

If I'm honest I was glad we lost touch as I was becoming worried about some of the things she said she was doing. But at the same time I'm sad for the length of the friendship and the good times we had together.And still for all the bad things I KNOW she did I'm still shocked that she went too far with it and ended up in jail.But then again no way do I think this is a mistake or that she is innocent.And I also guess that sounds kind of disloyal.

What she is accused of there are too many victims and it is just the sort of thing she would think she could get away with by lying afterwards.But This time she was found out.

I'm a bit confused about it.

[BookstoreEscapee]

If I'm honest I was glad we lost touch as I was becoming worried about some of the things she said she was doing. But at the same time I'm sad for the length of the friendship and the good times we had together.And still for all the bad things I KNOW she did I'm still shocked that she went too far with it and ended up in jail.But then again no way do I think this is a mistake or that she is innocent.And I also guess that sounds kind of disloyal.

...
I'm a bit confused about it.

Totally understandable. It's natural to want to believe the best about people who are (or were) close to you, even if there is evidence to the contrary. When it's small things it's easy to overlook and say "she's not a bad person really."

[Midnight12]

Totally understandable. It's natural to want to believe the best about people who are (or were) close to you, even if there is evidence to the contrary. When it's small things it's easy to overlook and say "she's not a bad person really."

and that may be, but she CHOSE to continue this aware of or not that it was a compulsion/addiction/problem and that it went from small things for the thrill of it to needing bigger and bigger things to lie about or do to continue the thrill. She may have been the best person but that she lied. repeatedly. And yes she was friends and from what you say a very awesome person but still she could have drug you down with her and you would have gotten in as much trouble

[Andara Bledin]

Most shoplifters don't do it because they need the items they are stealing. They do it for the thrill and/or because they've got issues.

Based on the description of how she would do it, the friend was in it for the thrill and because she could. She had gotten by on her charm for so long, she thought she was golden.

Unfortunately, because she was such a "nice" person, everyone forgave her this little "quirk" until it got too out of hand to be overlooked or charmed out of.

I had a roommate that was an actual kleptomaniac. He would take things from the household or from roommates and stash them under his bed. He really wasn't aware that he was doing it, and several of the items we eventually pulled out were his own belongings that he'd been trying to find and that had no business being under a bed.

^-.-^