Failed Theft or Brainfart - You Decide

[Andara Bledin]

So, I hit up Costco last Thursday to stock up on soda and pick up a snack or two for the gaming convention that was this last weekend.

Ahead of us at the self-checks is a guy with a case of bottled water on the very bottom of his cart, and a box of something or other. I watch him scan the box and note that he completely fails to do anything about the water in the bottom of his cart.

So, being the busybody I am, I watch as he trundles all the way to the other side of the checkouts to the exit, where two lovely ladies are watching the doors and checking off receipts. (no, this isn't about them, so no comments please)

I get distracted with getting my own purchase finished up, and then look back towards the doors to see mister case of water heading back to the doors from the service counter, having been made to actually pay for the water before he can take it out the doors.

Based on his general attitude and the way the cart was set up - water in the very bottom, box of whatever in the upper part of the basket - my guess is that it was failed attempt at theft. There was something about him that made me pay attention to him in the first place, and I got a certain amount of warm fuzzy to see that he wasn't allowed to just walk out with un-purchased merchandise.

^-.-^

[Pojodan]

My mother and I went to Costco a number of years ago to buy a home stereo. We put it on the bottom of the cart to give us space to load the cart with everything else we went there to get.

On reaching the car, I noticed that the recipt total was only about $100 more than the cost of the stereo, and there was at least $300 in groceries in the cart, to which I noticed that the cashier, and the door chekcer both had failed to notice the stereo at the bottom of the cart, which had been left there due to its weight.

At the time, I felt justified in taking it home, but my mother turned us around to properly pay for it.

From the way the cashier's eyes went wide and the furious look on the manager's face as he checked us out, I wouldn't be surprised if both people lost their jobs over it.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

While working, I don't put anything beneath the basket of the cart. I always wind up forgetting it.

Thus, while out shopping I don't put anything underneath the basket either.

[PepperElf]

mom's done similar things by accident. she once bought some kind of tin-pan product only to find out there was 2 stuck together instead of just 1. she WILL bring it back to turn the extra item in. once she knows she didn't pay for it, she feels keeping it is stealing.

[Mishi]

I had that happen recently with some plastic collapsible crates. I paid for everything and then realised that it was cheaper than I'd calculated. Looked at the reciept while still at the checkout, showed the cashier that she'd only scanned one of the crates and got the weirdest look from her because I insisted on paying for both.