Steal an old man's groceries

[Revet]

I pass this along as it's just one more thing to watch out for.

My very elderly, but independent father went grocery shopping tonight in a neighborhood I wish he could avoid (he has a CHL, but will not carry). As he returned to his car, a "very polite young woman" (his description) approached and offered to assist. You can probably imagine the rest of the story. When he turned to open the trunk, the "polite" young woman took off at a trot with his cart and groceries. A low rider with blacked-out windows was waiting a safe distance away and they made their getaway as my dad stood there flummoxed.

In my book, people who prey on children and the elderly deserve an especially warm spot in perdition. But with food prices being what they are, I'm almost surprised this sort of thing doesn't happen more often. At least they didn't hurt him.

[AEA]

Exactly where did this happen? Did he report it to the Police?

[Revet]

Exactly where did this happen? Did he report it to the Police?

Wynnewood shopping center, in Oak Cliff, Dallas. He did not report it--just went home and called me. I probably should have called for him, but I couldn't take the time because I was rushing out the door at that moment to help another family member whose car had broken down in heavy traffic. It has been one of those days. At any rate, not calling the police is fairly typical for him. He hasn't even called them after thefts at his home. He doesn't like to "make a big fuss out of things."

[Excaliber]

Exactly where did this happen? Did he report it to the Police?

Wynnewood shopping center, in Oak Cliff, Dallas. He did not report it--just went home and called me. I probably should have called for him, but I couldn't take the time because I was rushing out the door at that moment to help another family member whose car had broken down in heavy traffic. It has been one of those days. At any rate, not calling the police is fairly typical for him. He hasn't even called them after thefts at his home. He doesn't like to "make a big fuss out of things."

It should still be reported, even if it wasn't immediately. This is very likely a crime that is committed repeatedly by the same people in a definable geographic area and a common time frame.

Details gleaned from multiple similar incidents are often necessary to put together enough pieces of the puzzle to identify bad guys and make an arrest. Unreported incidents leave missing pieces that may allow the predators to victimize lots more people before they're caught.

[KD5NRH]

I pass this along as it's just one more thing to watch out for.

Oh, wait...you weren't posting this as a contest announcement?

Excuse me, gotta go give back some groceries.

He doesn't like to "make a big fuss out of things."

I tend to respond to this sort of excuse with "Then why are you bugging me with it instead of the people that are paid to deal with it?" It usually gets the point across.

[starrbuck]

That is so sad. They deserve a special seat in Hell.

[lanternlad]

People who steal food are usually those who cannot afford to buy it.

I'm not saying what the young lady did was right, or defending her. What she did WAS wrong. But I surmise she saw an elderly white man and thought "he can afford it, and I can't" and so she did what she did regardless of what was right or wrong.

Again, I'm not standing up for her, just offering another outlook.

When I was a kid, my mom and I would volunteer at soup kitchens even though we were one step away from having the lot of those who ate there.
She'd reason "We have been given to, so, we should give."
I met many people who have stolen food in just the manner depicted by the OP. Its a survival tactic for the desperate.

That said, your father, in his wish to not get the police involved, shows great christian charity. Trust me, he will be taken care of.

Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Wise words that even an Atheist like myself can appreciate.

I hope your father is ok.

[MTICop]

That said, your father, in his wish to not get the police involved, shows great christian charity. Trust me, he will be taken care of.

OK, I usually don't get involved in things like this but I couldn't disagree with you more. If she would have come up to the man and asked for money, food, etc, and he gave her his groceries, he would have shown Christian charity. Getting robbed, no matter how it's done, is not Christian charity and the police should have been called. These people are preying on the "weak" and "feable" and are dispicable. I can agree that in this society if someone is stealing food it is probably out of necessity but there are all kinds of places to go and get that food without stealing it. I also doubt very seriously she would have done that to anyone not elderly or that she presumed to be weak.

You can ask anyone that knows me and they will tell you I will give the shirt off my back to help anyone but if they steal from me or my family, I call the police and press any and all charges allowed.

[WarHawk-AVG]

People who steal food are usually those who cannot afford to buy it.

I'm not saying what the young lady did was right, or defending her. What she did WAS wrong. But I surmise she saw an elderly white man and thought "he can afford it, and I can't" and so she did what she did regardless of what was right or wrong.

Again, I'm not standing up for her, just offering another outlook.

When I was a kid, my mom and I would volunteer at soup kitchens even though we were one step away from having the lot of those who ate there.
She'd reason "We have been given to, so, we should give."
I met many people who have stolen food in just the manner depicted by the OP. Its a survival tactic for the desperate.

That said, your father, in his wish to not get the police involved, shows great christian charity. Trust me, he will be taken care of.

Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Wise words that even an Atheist like myself can appreciate.

I hope your father is ok.

Great philosophy...until next time they see an elderly person..or a woman and they need the "cash" she has more than they need it...and are willing to take a life to get it.

And yes....it does show what grade of man with fine character by not letting it bother him and turning the other cheek...but a criminal is still a criminal..they are the wolves that prey upon the sheep.

A sheepdog says "I will lead the way. I will set the highest standards. ...Your mission is to man the ramparts in this dark and desperate hour with honor and courage." - Lt. Col. Grossman

[ELB]

I read that whole passage of Matthew and didn't see the part condoning robbery. Your dad is a big boy and can make his own decisions, but he is not doing anyone else favors by foreclosing the opportunity to catch some thieves by not reporting to the police. He can turn the other cheek when it comes to the sentencing phase.

And, I don't buy assuming people steal groceries because they need it. Any young woman and young woman with enough initiative and energy to set up an old man can go find a job, ask for help at a church, and while they are at it sell the low-rider (it didn't become a low-rider for lack of money).

I hate to see your pops preyed on. But I am afraid, as others point out, they will come back for more than groceries next time, and they may not be so gentle about it.

[anygunanywhere]

People who steal food are usually those who cannot afford to buy it.

I'm not saying what the young lady did was right, or defending her. What she did WAS wrong. But I surmise she saw an elderly white man and thought "he can afford it, and I can't" and so she did what she did regardless of what was right or wrong.

Again, I'm not standing up for her, just offering another outlook.

When I was a kid, my mom and I would volunteer at soup kitchens even though we were one step away from having the lot of those who ate there.
She'd reason "We have been given to, so, we should give."
I met many people who have stolen food in just the manner depicted by the OP. Its a survival tactic for the desperate.

That said, your father, in his wish to not get the police involved, shows great christian charity. Trust me, he will be taken care of.

Matthew 6:25-34
"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."

Wise words that even an Atheist like myself can appreciate.

I hope your father is ok.

A thief is a thief.

Anyone these days who is hungry can get food without stealing.

Anygunanywhere

[Lodge2004]

When I was a kid, my mom and I would volunteer at soup kitchens even though we were one step away from having the lot of those who ate there.
She'd reason "We have been given to, so, we should give."
I met many people who have stolen food in just the manner depicted by the OP. Its a survival tactic for the desperate.

When I was a kid, my mom would drive while I tossed newspapers from the back seat because my paper route money was the only income we had coming into the house at the time for groceries. Life is tough sometimes and many can feel desperate. Stealing food from the elderly is not a survival tactic, it is making a terrible choice about the value of another person.

[dewayneward]

Thieves will get more brazen (sp?) and reckless the more they are successful. thieves will take the path of least resistence (the elderly for example). While there are exceptions to every rule here, in my mind a hardened murderer didnt start out doing that, it was petty theft and with each success came a "oh yea, no one can catch me" attitude.

Everyone needs to do what they think is best here, but there is nothing "Christian" about getting taken advantage of and letting the people go. I do know about scripture that talks about revenge being the Lord's and we all need to forgive...but if you want to use that logic then you need to apply it evenly and let ALL the criminal's out of jail. Any argument against that will result in me using your argument "revenge is the lord's" and "God forgives". turning the other cheek has nothing to do with it as that passage has to do with verbal insults. Basically, nothing Christian about about letting someone get away with robbing you. Actually there is scripture that talks against it (if anyone is interested, I can get examples).

I think another poster mentioned that this may be the M.O. and they may have done it a number of times before. At the very least REPORT it to the police so that they can file it and maybe match it to someone else. Hopefully those people will be stopped before they decide to move on to "bigger and better things".

Oh yea, and never let an atheist quote scripture

[Purplehood]

What if he had been an individual with a CHL that DID carry? She might have been dead as a result. She shouldn't have been doing that to anyone, let alone an elderly man.

[Revet]

I never expected that this thread would veer toward a criticism of my father's decision not to make a police report--I sure didn't post the story to have others debate the Christianity of his decision.

I hope I'm misreading the tone of some of the comments and that they were not intended by strangers to impugn a very religious man's Christianity. There's quite a bit said in the Bible about people who think they have a right to judge others. My father is a dignified and stoic individual. He's been through hardship and injury that would have destroyed most people. The experiences he survived in the very many years he's lived taught him not to sweat the small stuff. But beyond that, he also felt he didn't have enough information to make an actionable report since it all happened so fast and he was completely taken off guard.

While he didn't say so, I can imagine that the elderly must feel embarrassed at being tricked like this. That's probably especially so when they've been victimized by trusting their fellow man too much for modern times.