General Chat

Question one: How do I know this woman really IS poor and not just a thief who got old? I worked for years in a very posh Tea-rooms. An elderly woman came in every day for coffee,(we were more expensive for coffee than any other establishment in the town) made the same loud remarks about how the cakes were too expensive for her - someone nearly always bought her one. Eventually she died, leaving no less than five houses and a small fortune. I also had a small business which sold mainly second-hand costume jewellery. My heart used to sink when a coach-load of elderly women came in - they ALWAYS pinched something. Sorry, I'm a cynic - thieves don't miraculously change their habits just cos they got their pension. I know plenty of pensioners who don't steal loaves of bread or anything else either.

Chrissie, Don't apologise...I might have worded it badly. Didn't take it as a criticism. Emx

Sorry Emma, I'm afraid I obviously didn't read it properly. Wasn't criticising you as I knew what you meant :))) Chrissie x

Chrissie, I agree with you totally. That's why I specifically said 'my experience of elderly women is all the same' and not 'all elderly women are the same'. Two very different statements. Emma

p.s. I would like to add, by the way, that when I said try to help, I meant through the proper channels.

Emma I don't mean this to sound harsh and I do know that SOME older people are grumpy etc (possibly because they are unhappy for some reason) but isn't that just the same as saying ALL teenagers are wayward and thoughtless. I don't think age has a relevance here. There are people of all ages who are kind, thoughtful and caring. Similarly, there are people of all ages who are not (and often, I believe, because they have experienced this harshness done to them). There but for the grace ........... Chrissie

Arguing with partner cos of this question now. He says it's not your responsibility to do anything about it regarding the shop but would be nice to see if you could help the old dear. My experience of elderly women is all the same....as they get older they seem to think the world owes them everything, they're more important than anyone else, can be rude whenever they feel and because their husbands fought in the war they shouldn't have to suffer this!! I had that last excuse when an elderly lady walked out of the shop I was managing with a video of the Yorkshire Dales - it wasn't even watchable in this country as it was US format!

geoffrey, i really hope you were joking,as acting in the way you described could well have given her a heart attack!! bryan.

id turn a blind eye, she might have thought she had paid for it, then when at home realised she hadnt and felt really bad. or she could do it for a living and sell it down oap's club(only joking)

I wonder if our age has anything to do with how we feel on this one? I am 69 and go with Chrisie and no I am not that short of cash and could afford to pay. Clive Evans

Me being me would have takenher to the counter and paid for the bread. nodoubt would have given her 50p . If she habitually did this then I have been taken for amug. I would rather this than take a chance that she was'nt desparate for food. Rupert Bear.(there but for---)

This day and age you would not be aloud to approach her on that subject because most of us havn't taken a certificate in shop security, and the elderly woman might have an MVQ 2 in shop lifting.

I`d have paid for the bread myself. Baz

Evening Daniel, I remember once seeing a youngish couple take a sliced loaf and put it in their bag, in our local supermarket, I just felt shocked, trouble was they knew I'd seen them do it, and every time I went down the aisles and they were there, they kept looking at me! I got to the checkout and daren't say anything to the girl there, and by the time I got outside I felt guilty! I just hoped I did'n't bump into them round here anymore! quickly got on my bike and pedalled off fast! :))

Wait until she was away from the store. Tell her I was Security and demand the loaf be handed over. Threaten to "take her in" anyway........unless she wanted to pay me the equivelent of the £20 fine. Loaf of bread...20 quid......and a stupid ole git cured of nicking to boot. hey hey hey

My only term of jury service was to judge on an old dear which nicked a jar of marmalade from Woolies and elected to go to Crown Court. She got off. Apparently she had a string of similar convictions we heard later.

i would look away! ...but chrissie,your an angel. bryan.

Yes, it can be quite amusing - it certainly dont stop me taking her out.. there are thousands like her up and down the country and many don't have much help. Lynda

Oh Linda the picture of your Mum helping herself to the pic n mix is so sweet-Rose Sorry about the pun

We have an 82 yr old serving at the moment for murdering her husband.So in the eyes of the law you are still guilty.However murder and a loaf of bread are poles apart.I like the humanitarian answer as it shows compassion and pays for the 'lost' loaf. She would only have been put on probation and a Social Services report would have been asked for by the magistrate.If she was in dire straits then this might not have been a bad thing.- Something good may have come out of it.Rose