I don't understand petty theft

[John Connor]

Don't forget it could be due to mental illness.

 

[Away]

Well, it's just a simple fact.
When I want something,
I don't want to pay for it.

Nice Jane's Addiction reference.

 

[MrColin]

Some degenerate stole the light bulb from my front porch last week. I think its time for me to take up axe murder as a hobby.

 

[angminas]

Well, it's just a simple fact.
When I want something,
I don't want to pay for it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SBkppkWYFc

 

[Doppel]

Low level criminals have a much lower average intelligence than the rest of us, so you need to remember this when thinking about their motivations. Their reward/risk algorithms are not properly calibrated.

 

[rudeguy]

This, plus petty theft hardly means "prison time" unless maybe you're extremely habitual and extremely black and male.

I dunno...I was locked up with a guy who caught a felony for stealing a pillow case. Nothing special, just a pillow case.

 

[rudder]

Go smoke some meth for a month or two. Then you will understand the need to rob people of petty cash.

 

[Rakehellion]

This don't underestimate people who has nothing to lose.

I'm not cordoning such acts, but is the OP so detached from reality that he has to ask this kind of stupid question? What are you, born and lived in some rich gated community your whole life?

That, and and the privileged assumption that everyone who steals is a drug addict.

 

[Rakehellion]

"They're drug addicts"
"They're unintelligent"

-Rich white people of Anandtech


Unemployment in America is at 9%. When it comes down to it, you sometimes have to do things you don't want to do to survive.

I'm sure some of you geniuses have taken bigger risks by stealing office supplies.

 

[rudeguy]

"They're drug addicts"
"They're unintelligent"

-Rich white people of Anandtech


Unemployment in America is at 9%. When it comes down to it, you sometimes have to do things you don't want to do to survive.

Don't believe what you read....

http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/06/news/economy/employment-rate/index.html

About 58.6% of the civilian population over age 16 had a job as of April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

So 41.4% of Americans over the age of 16 don't have jobs. How many of the 58.6% have jobs that don't pay enough to pay all the bills?

 

[SlitheryDee]

I don't understand a lot of what people do. Spending hours clipping coupons and comparison shopping so they can save a few cents on groceries? Suffering through the hottest days of summer to save $50 on their electric bill? Driving 15 miles out of their way to get $0.05 cheaper gas? This is that same mentality. People are willing to go through massive amounts of trouble for relatively little gain.

 

[Rakehellion]

Don't believe what you read....

http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/06/news/economy/employment-rate/index.html



So 41.4% of Americans over the age of 16 don't have jobs. How many of the 58.6% have jobs that don't pay enough to pay all the bills?

I think that incorrectly makes the assumption that everyone over the age of 16 needs of wants a job.


The point remains that people aren't just stealing to buy iPods and crack, but may people out there need the money to pay rent and feed their children.

 

[rudeguy]

I think that incorrectly makes the assumption that everyone over the age of 16 needs of wants a job.


The point remains that people aren't just stealing to buy iPods and crack, but may people out there need the money to pay rent and feed their children.

its a much more accurate number than 9%

If only 9% of America were unemployed, we'd be celebrating in the streets. Use the real numbers not some pretend number that gets fudged and refudged every month.

 

[Doppel]

"They're drug addicts"
"They're unintelligent"

-Rich white people of Anandtech


Unemployment in America is at 9%. When it comes down to it, you sometimes have to do things you don't want to do to survive.

I'm sure some of you geniuses have taken bigger risks by stealing office supplies.

They are unintelligent. There is an undeniable negative correlation between intelligence and destitution and likelihood to commit petty crimes.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

This is as much an a explanation as any.

 

[tokie]

I don't understand a lot of what people do. Spending hours clipping coupons and comparison shopping so they can save a few cents on groceries? Suffering through the hottest days of summer to save $50 on their electric bill? Driving 15 miles out of their way to get $0.05 cheaper gas? This is that same mentality. People are willing to go through massive amounts of trouble for relatively little gain.

Never thought about it, I guess it is the same type of people.

The gas thing really gets me. The calculation is very simple to do of gas spent travelling the further distance vs lower price. Yet the turds still somehow manage to do that wrong.