As regulars to these pages possibly remember, one of the many "hats" I wear is that of being proprietor of a small art gallery here in our home town.
Sometimes the world-- and the people in it-- simply amaze me.
Our Thieving Nature?
Scotch Broom in bloom
This morning, I arrived at work and did my usual sweeping of the common corridor in front of four adjacent shops. I noticed a couple of clipped cable ties on the debris. Seemed like a rather odd thing... so I looked around, and then realized that someone had actually taken the time to cut down and steal a spotlight moounted to one of the beams outside.
Now... understand, this wasn't just your casual "walk and grab" of some loose object... this was someone who actually had to stop, get a tool out and cut a couple of stout nylon cable ties to get the spotlight.
Meanwhile, the proprietor of the neighboring shop keeps a nice little fountain outside her shop. A few weeks ago, in broad daylight-- during opening hours-- someone walked off with a stone Buddha statue that was part of the fountain.
Purple flower on my way to work
OK, so it's pretty ballsy to walk off with an 8lb stone figure in the middle of the day... but to steal a BUDDHA figure? That person's Karma must be heading towards rock bottom-- if you believe in that sort of thing.
Same neighbor also told me that she had had a couple of small items-- that were originally gifts to her-- shoplifted right off her sales counter, possibly even while she was standing there.
Thinking... and Not Thinking
In talking to a friend of mine who allegedly "knows things," I grudgingly have come to understand that people steal from small shops because "it's easier" than risking the dozens of security cameras and staff at WalMart and other large chain stores.
Things are a little different from my seat... I can see being able to rationalize stealing from WalMart because you can say you are "sticking it to the man," and all your pilfering is doing is making the size of some executive's yacht slightly smaller. For a small store, theft may mean the difference between being able to pay the electric bill... or not.
Miniature purple lupin
But that requires someone to be consciously thinking about-- and accountable for--their actions, and that's probably an oxymoron, in the context of stealing.
The thing I don't get here, though... stealing a small stone Buddha Statue? Stealing a spotlight? That's neither like stealing a loaf of bread and a steak because you're actually hard up and starving.... nor is it like stealing a TV or an expensive watch so you can pawn if for drug money. Or whatever.
These things make no sense to me, at all. As much as anything... these incidents suggest either "stealing as a hobby" or "stealing because you feel entitled."
Both of which are approaches that make me feel rather sad, and worried about the state of the world, and the people IN it.
What do YOU think? Do the above strike you as "odd" things to steal? Do you believe "petty crime" is on the rise? Do you think it's related to a poor economic situation, in general? If you believe in such things, what do you think stealing a Buddha figure would do to someone's karma? DO you believe there are occasions on which stealing is OK? If so, what are they, and why? Leave a comment-- share your experiences and feedback-- be part of the conversation!
(As usual, all text and images by the author, unless otherwise credited. This is original content, created expressly for Steemit)
Published 20170823 18:11 PDT
People steal the oddest things in the world.
4 months back we noticed 5 or 6 bushes and flowers where missing out of our back yard. Flat out dug up out of our yard and medium size holes where left in their place. They don’t even try and cover up the holes or anything.
To steal them you had to walk past 2 posted no trespassing signs, and all the way around to the back of other side of the house. One side has a fence where the missing bushes where on. We also have motion detection lights for the night time so it had been during the day or I would have noticed the lights turn on.
Not even 6 doors down the neighbors just happened to that same day plant exactly what was missing in their front yard for everyone to see. Naturally we could not prove 100% that those belong to us. A few weeks later someone stole pellets out of our pool hopper and guess who also happens to have a swimming pool…
Some people are just greedy and cheap. They think the world owes them everything. Sadly a lot of cultures out there seem to focus around “you get what you take.” These people centrally fit the bill as they have been accused of stealing other things as well from other neighbors.
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Wow.... that's pretty damn bold @enjar. Stealing bushes? You're right of course, people steal the strangest things. Although this particular set sound like they are the scourge of your whole neighborhood... I hope someone catches them live on "film," doing whatever it is they do.
Some of this pattern does seem to have cultural roots. I actually asked a friend (from a particular unnamed country) about it once and he said that many (there) believe that if you haven't taken steps (chaining down, or tall fences) to protect your property, it's pretty much open season.
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Yep the nerve of some people. Most everyone around here has “no trespassing signs” and own guns. A few are also small business owners who work from home and protect their stuff. While I never wish harm like that on anyone it won’t be the first time.
I wonder what the deep roots of psychological impact is in these types of behavior. I know next to nothing about such topic. It currently seems to be a learned behavior at the very least (outside of extreme conditions like drug usages, or a dying loved one and not being able to afford medical bills). I’ve known some very well off to do and people next to be homeless with varying childhoods growing up as well. I can’t think of a pattern.
Some grew up with rich parents and never had any wealth themselves so they feel the world owes them. Then again I’ve known people in the same situation and they are always so thankful and giving.
Then you have people who grew up below the poverty line. Some of them steal; others, would never steal even if their life depended on it.
While I am more interested in such a topic. I could easily see myself spending weeks researching for a better answer. I’m hoping someone with more knowledge can jump in and shed any light.
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I hate to say it, but a lot of people think that if you are a shop owner, you are automatically rich! They really have no clue.
I would guess the thief was likely some youngster who thought it would be cool to have a spotlight for their pad. Same for the budda.
However, it is often NOT young people that have the urge to steal. While holding garage sales (where everything is already dirt cheap) I had an old man steal a cassette tape and a middle-aged lady steal a large bowl. If they had asked me, I likely would have given it to them for free if they told me a sob story of how they couldn't afford to buy it. I think these people are just kleptomaniacs and can't help themselves. I didn't bother to confront them and allowed them to think they got away without me noticing. Looking back, that was probably the wrong thing to do.
I like to believe that what goes around comes around, so the bad they do will come back to haunt them in one way or another.
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That made me laugh-- thanks! I did encounter that a lot, especially with the last store I kept... along with the perception that everything in the store is-- somehow-- "mine."
The "youngster theft" is usually pretty accurate, when it comes to theft and shoplifting. We notice there's always a sharp uptick in shoplifting during the summer break period... and then it drops back to a "dull roar" in September.
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It is said that laughter is the best medicine, so I'm happy to have provided you with at least a little comfort medicine!
Owning your own business can be a lot of work and a huge financial risk. I have seen many shops fail and going bankrupt definitely does NOT make one RICH! It is curious where people get their perceptions from. Ignorance can weave such erroneous ideas. Perhaps every shop should have a sign outside that says: 'How would you feel if things from your room suddenly went missing after your friends left?' I wonder if that would make them think twice before stealing stuff?
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Theft is theft, no matter the item. The mentality of I want it therefor I am taking it is getting worse and the sad fact is it really reflects on their parents not teaching them the difference between right and wrong...
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Indeed, theft is theft.
I also think that not only are there many who were not taught the difference between right and wrong, but there's a deeper secondary issue of kids having been taught the "deserve" anything and everything in life... so there's a subtext of entitlement there.
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I do feel like where I live it has become a serious problem and is correlated to poverty and the rise of drug addiction. Recently my grandmother died after being beaten up by a man who robbed her home. He stole got her pain pills and a little money. I do think where I live the culture has changed so that people steal odd things they think they can resell because there is a lot of addiction and poverty. Things like laptops and phones can now be locked down if stolen making them useless. They have serial numbers that can be traced and have GPS tracking so you can locate them. Maybe thieves are targeting things that may seem odd but have value and are safer than stealing compared to electronics. I don't have compassion for petty theft but I would for someone who was starving and stole just to feed their kids. Not malicious theft but theft to stay alive.
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@marxrab, I am always sympathetic towards the "homeless mother who steals food to feed her children" example...
Being in the retail trade around here, we primarily experience two kinds of theft... petty theft done by bored middle class teenagers doing it mostly "on a dare" and also because they feel "entitled," and drug/addiction related theft.
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Give people free stuff and they feel entitled to anything they want. If you understand the work that went into the ability to purchase or make something, you are more apt to respect other people's property.
As a child, I had parents that belived in cause and affect. This meant that if I disrespected other people's property, that was my ass that got affected. Mom didn't play. Period.
In an entitlement society, personal responsibility goes out the window. Just one man's opinion.
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I pretty much agree with you @bigskykilroy.
The mantra I grew up with was "Choices have consequences." And there was no "farming out" those consequences by trying to blame someone else, or the weather, or the dog ate my homework. I "made my bed" and was expected to sleep in it... at the same time, there was also a lot of freedom there, in that I was invited to experience different results, not constantly micromanaged in my activities.
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Amazing effort.
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Oh, we definitely had options but our parents always reinforced that poor choices had consequences and good ones had rewards. Steem On brother!
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I personally don't believe in karma, life is a bitch and that some people are superficial and driven by other values. And you know what is the bitter truth? These types of people are individuals without scruples that makes real money without looking anybody in the face.
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Unfortunately, that is also true... for them "getting ahead" is far more important than "getting along." Sadly, they are also the ones who whine and complain the loudest when they are on the receiving end of the behavior they dish out.
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I rather like the muslim solution to stealing.
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If it were enforceable, I'm sure we'd have a lot less theft...
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I'm personally against any kind of theft. I'm not a Buddhist, but respect other's personal property. A thief of anything is detestable. No excuse.
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I can have empathy for a homeless mother stealing a loaf of bread from her children to eat and such... but that's about where my compassion ends.
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The world before and the world today is still the same, only time is changing! Whatbhappend yesterday is still happening today!
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A version of "The more things change, the more they stay the same."
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I'm no phycologist, not by a long shot. But it sounds like to me that you may have a kleptomaniac in the area. As far as I know, what you describe is the classic manifestations...
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