Among Friends

[lovesrecess]

I would do nothing. The alarm made the store aware of the theft. They have cameras that show every person who enters and exits the store and also can see the plates on most cars. They will get busted eventually. The most dangerous thing you could do would try and stop anyone in that scenario.

[lovesrecess]

My mother was in management of a large retail chain many years ago.....oh, the stories she could tell about how and what people would try and steal!

[blackhole99]

I would not put myself in danger for stuff, not even in my own house, it's just stuff that can be replaced. You have no idea what that thief is all about, he or she may even be mentally ill. Rose Kennedy stole nail polish and other small items regularly from the local drug store for sport. I guess if you saw her stealing you'd turn her in, right!

[Desertdi]

NO............I'm not big enough to tackle anybody but a 3rd grader..........

[NYC Susan]

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@RedTop wrote:

I would have done nothing, as you have no proof the woman did anything other than set the alarm off.   

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Exactly.  Alarms go off all the time when no one has done anything wrong.  It's happened to me at a local chain pharmacy several times.  I'd have to see a lot more than the OP saw for me to give it another thought.

[CalminHeart]

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@Seannie wrote:

Yesterday, leaving SuperTarget around 3, as I was walking out, I heard the alarm go off for the woman 10 feet behind me.  She just kept on walking, had a large black tote on

her shoulder.  She quickly walked to an ancient station wagon with temporary license plates which was waiting for her and they quickly took off.

i was rooted to the spot and in shock.  I'd be willing to bet they hit a few stores like that.

What would you do?

Seannie

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I would not intervene.  Who knows if she had a weapon.  But I would get her description and write down her license plate number and give it to the police.

[AuntMame]

I wouldn't stop a thief, but I would take a cell phone photo or get a lisence plate number if I could. In fact I once did the latter when I witnessed a store robbery. The thief was arrested while I was talking to the police for the report. They were able to run the plate number, get an address and dispatch officers that quickly. A few months later I received a letter saying that the robber had been convicted and was serving jail time. The family that owned the store, which was a small, struggling business, was very grateful that I had gotten the plate number. Curiously my description and memory of what the robber looked like was totally inaccurate. But I had focused on committing the plate number to memory. 

[BirkiLady]

Mind my own business and stay out of everyone elses way. Let them, their security or the local police go after the woman. That's the store policy; not my business or responsibility.

ETA: The item is insured against theft. A customer's life is far more valuable than trying to be a hero.

[stevieb]

I let the stores handle their own security. I'm not on their payroll.

[Booksamillion]

No, too dangerous.