andygardener Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I agree completely. However I don't feel reports of shoplifting food to eat rather than sell can be dismissed lightly - whichever way you look at it, a great many people are feeling seriously squeezed at the moment. Homelessness figures are rising steeply. It doesn't suprise me in the least that it's a growing phenomenon. I suspect that when there is a backdrop of reporting of "hard times, recession, economic woes, etc" a tiny proportion of people then feel justified in going out and stealing. For any of those caught "stealing to eat" you'll find vastly more with the same income and needs who didn't steal and scraped by ok. It would be great if every British person had a good standard of living but due to a number of factors that is not possible until some of those factors are dealt with. In the meantime theft is still not acceptable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjodeano Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 A fence is worse than being a thief sometimes,I just cant believe in such a rich country that we live in people have to steal to eat,they must be misappropriating their finances somewhere along the line, even on the lowest income you should be able to eat reasonably well without having to revert to stealing,most shop lifters have drug or alcohol problems and steal to try and make money for their habit. You tried living on £64 a week when you have all the usual bills for a house..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I work and have never been on the dole and I get sick of paying so much tax vat and council rates and water rates I have often said to my self I would be better off on the dole,their is a bloke who lives on our road who has never worked in all the twenty years he has lived on our road,he smokes and he is constantly walking up and down to the beer off with a bag full of cans,I feel like I am paying my taxes and supporting people like that,he is supposed to be on the sick and has had loads of heart attacks I was walking up the road with him the other day and I am a fit bloke and he was walking along with me with out any problem,I think there is a lot of people struggling at the moment with things but from my observation all I see is people smoking boozing and always the same old faces you see hanging about the beer off a lot of them need to sort their life out and get their priorities right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjodeano Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 I work and have never been on the dole and I get sick of paying so much tax vat and council rates and water rates I have often said to my self I would be better off on the dole,their is a bloke who lives on our road who has never worked in all the twenty years he has lived on our road,he smokes and he is constantly walking up and down to the beer off with a bag full of cans,I feel like I am paying my taxes and supporting people like that,he is supposed to be on the sick and has had loads of heart attacks I was walking up the road with him the other day and I am a fit bloke and he was walking along with me with out any problem,I think there is a lot of people struggling at the moment with things but from my observation all I see is people smoking boozing and always the same old faces you see hanging about the beer off a lot of them need to sort their life out and get their priorities right. Yeah, i get your point, i have worked all my life as well, i have paid more than my fair share into the system after 35 years of graft, but when you become redundant and are desperately looking for new work, then to be told that you are entitled to £64 per week after all you have given, is a kick in the teeth.......dont class all the unemployed the same.......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeX Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 You tried living on £64 a week when you have all the usual bills for a house..? £64 per week = £3328 pa Average water bill pa = £379 Average dual fuel bill pa = £1,318 Leaving £31 per week (nearly half) to eat and cloth yourself. ---------- Post added 18-12-2012 at 21:21 ---------- Yeah, i get your point, i have worked all my life as well, i have paid more than my fair share into the system after 35 years of graft, but when you become redundant and are desperately looking for new work, then to be told that you are entitled to £64 per week after all you have given, is a kick in the teeth.......dont class all the unemployed the same.......... the benefits system is not an investment that the more you put in the more you are likely to get out. Its a safety net that is there for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister M Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 On my way to work I have seen a youngish man 'stealing' food out of the bins at the back of Waitrose. I've seen the poor guy around town, and obviously struggles with mental health difficulties. Similarly I remember a debate was sparked a little while ago on the back of someone that was prosecuted for stealing from supermarket bins. It does seem really petty to prosecute someone for stealing food from a supermarket bin. No theft is not acceptable, but I hope those on here who comfort themseves by being sanctimonious about other people's misfortunes, or apparent inability to live on the largesse that the government hands out never find themselves in need of understanding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
banjodeano Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 £64 per week = £3328 pa Average water bill pa = £379 Average dual fuel bill pa = £1,318 Leaving £31 per week (nearly half) to eat and cloth yourself. Trust me....i have been there and done it...i couldnt live on it.....my savings went down faster than the titanic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swampster Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Leaving £31 per week (nearly half) to eat and cloth yourself. And good luck with that... That aside, out of that £31 does that cover the rent as well.. because not everyone on JSA get housing benfit or council tax benfit... If you're on contributions based JSA.. don't get ill either, as you'll have to pay your prescriptions, and dental treatment... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WeX Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Trust me....i have been there and done it...i couldnt live on it.....my savings went down faster than the titanic I'e been there and done it for years and I survived. The only reason why you would not be able to survive on that amount is because you didn't cut your cloth accordingly. You had the benefit of savings and so you used them, but that does not mean you cannot survive on that amount in reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wednesday1 Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Coffee, meat, razor blades and booze are the most targeted items by shoplifters for resale on the black market. Be as dubious as you like, it's a fact. Perhaps, but why is shoplifting (apparently) going up so much now, when real incomes are being squeezed for all and benefits are being cut for many? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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