crochet thief

[cupcake]

This is a rant. I do some volunteer work for an agency that runs thrift shops. They receive donations of old clothes, bric a brac furniture etc to support a telephone counselling service for people with depression, kids help line, abused women etc. They are a well respected charity in this part of the world and have a huge distribution cente where I assist in one of the larger warehouse type stores.We have a craft section that has lots of fabric remnants, balls of wool etc.

 

Yesterday a big box of craft stuff came in and I was assisting in the pricing etc. I love this job! Half finished tapestries, old skeins of embroidery cotton, zips etc you name it we get it. Sometimes I see something I like and I buy it, but I generally try not too as I have so much stuff in my cupboards already.

 

There were several bags and boxes of crochet cotton, with various ammounts of thread on them. I tidied up the boxes, sorted the weights (20 with 20 etc) and distributed the hooks arround the boxes. This makes it a bit of a lucky dip when someone purchases them. The process is then to tape down the boxes and write the content and a price on the outside. I try and price them reasonably but at a bargain. 8 balls of mercerised cotton for 5 dollars plus a few crochet hooks is pretty good. It can be hit or miss as sometimes the thread is stained, and customers are welcome to open the box with a staff member to inspect things..

 

Later while I was putting out some bags of tapestry cottons I noticed that the crochet boxes had gone and the remaining box was opened and empty, except for one weeny bit on the cardboard core.

 

I checked with the cashier and one box had been sold. The other had disappeared. It seems that the cottons were stolen.

 

Funny thing is I reckon I know who it was. There was a lady trying to convince the cashier earlier that a few metres of perfect fleecy was a dog blanket and only $1. She was a bit huffy and then bought some purple fabric for 50c. As she was leaving I noticed her poking things into her bag. I reckon she had stuffed the cottons in her pockets.

 

this makes me sooo angry. People kindly donate things for the charities to recycle and raise funds for people in crisis.

 

How low down are some people? and she crochets!!!

 

I did say to the lady on the cashier ... "I hope it is all stained" nasty me!

[Mandys76]

Oh you've got to be kidding! How awful. I can't stand that, people who steal from others who are giving so much back to society! How would they feel if one day they needed this help line, and there was no funding for it because of some theif stealing donations.

 

Can you put a sign up in the store saying "smile for the cameras" something to discourage this kind of behaviour?

[Ladycrochat]

Takes all kinds to make a world! Guess she felt that she did not get a good enough deal on the fabric so she rationalized padding her haul with the cotton thread.....it is sad as this sounds like an excellent charity and people in need will suffer because of this....some people are so self centered!

[Cherri]

That's terrible! I will never understand why people do the things they do but I take comfort in believing that they will have to answer for it some day!

[misssmaggie]

That is just so wrong!!!

[cupcake]

I am amazed at how many people actually do steal from this charity. Apparantly people come in and change clothes and walk out. we also lost a pram last week. They seem to think because the goods are donated that it doesnt matter.

[grand05ma]

how terrible...too bad these people weren't raised by my mother...we were taught to take anything that didn't belong to you was stealing...period..even a paper clip from work...

my brother was in a religion class that said that to steal from a big company wasn't as bad as to steal from a little old lady....zippity do dah ...he was out of that class and the teacher got an earful from mom...

[lhasaapsolady]

What a shame, if she couldn't afford to buy anything, she shouldn't have came to the store.

[cupcake]

we get lots of people who are trying to make ends meet, some who I think clothe the family from thrift stores. They are good honest people who have limited means, but would never steal. I just dont understand some people, and probably never will understand these values.

[mizduck]

Some people are heartless! Here in the states, we have drop-off locations to donate clothes, furniture, and other goods, and they are basically little huts. You can drop things off without someone in attendance, yet I refuse to as I've heard of people taking things from these little huts! As you said, just because it's donated, doesn't mean anyone can just take it. Like your agency, this charity sells the items to provide money for people in need. How rude! The only way I can feel better about that is to convince myself these people really need whatever they're stealing (and I'm sure she didn't NEED that cotton!)....and to know we're all judged one day. Ok, of my now.

[sonnets_and_stitches]

I hope it was all stained, and stinks, too. Maybe the cotton will be mildewed and she has allergies and will get hives the size of marbles. On a date night.

 

Oh wait. I'm supposed to love my neighbor and pray for my enemy. Dang.

 

Vengefully ~ Joy

[smg55039]

I worked as a cashier at Goodwill for a little over a year. It's astounding the things people do. From stealing things, to picking off price tags, trying to cut a deal, and complaining that things are too expensive (um, it's $4. When was the last time you found a shirt for $4? Goodwill has overhead just like everyother store. Deal with it).

 

I've seen folks get huffy when they are told what Goodwill will NOT accept. And get upset when we won't tell them how to calculate their tax receipts.

 

Most thrift stores can't implement the same inventory controls as other stores. Budgets are tight, things tend to be MacGuyvered rather than planned, many workers are volunteers or managers without a formal background in Retail. No one has time to monitor the customers. The entire situation is very vunerable to opportunistic theft. And they know it.

[iamnichole]

sheesh, anywhere that you can get 8 balls of cotton yarn and hooks to go with it, you shouldn't NEED to steal! i love thrift stores and will only buy my jeans there. (maybe i'm just too cheap to go to the mall to buy stiff jeans for $80) i think i am too goodhearted, honest, and a little paranoid to steal something, even if it is only $4. shame on that lady.

[sewnsew]

How horrible that anyone would do something like this.