York Vicar Encourages Shoplifting

[on]

He believes that shopliflting provides a means to survive for people that are without another option, and that it should be done from big companies instead of from small buisnesses, that way the cost returns to everyone else eventually, so we're then in turn all helping these people out, or being made to pay for their theft? Depending on which way you look at it!?



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/8426205.stm

http://www.wcjb.co.uk/york-vicar-creates-huge-controversy-by-encouraging-shoplifting-35300

 

[calpoon]

shoplifting doesn't cost companies any money because they factor it into their profit margins as an accepted loss that comes as a fact of doing business along with things like lost and damaged merchandise, etc. Actually it's just a prediction and they are not capable of keeping accurate inventory because it's too costly to constantly recount all of their merchandise against the books. It's usually scaled higher than the actual cost of loss so what that means is that really you could be stealing a whole lot more stuff and it wouldn't effect the prices. The only way to effect a lower cost would be if no one stole anything ever, but that would never happen and it would more than make up for the savings in the additional money spent on the security.

That also doesn't factor in litigation against the people that are caught shoplifting, in which case the company re-seizes the item and can write it off, so they have no loss there and incur sometimes up to 200% profit in damages against the offender. Most companies have a flat fine of $100 or more, which is usually more than the cost of any items that they sell. If the item costs more than the fine, then it may also be subject to additional fines.

 

[Wainkerr99]

His point was really reaching out to his congregation in a Robin Hood sort of way. Rather preach that God will provide, then try organise some food or grocery in the local churches. People are dying though. Being hungry over this season just is not an option, not for anyone. In addition, it is unusually cold in Europe right now.

 

[D-rock]

Stealing should be used as a last resort, but if somebody is in trouble and it's a choice between something like starving or stealing things you need I know what decision I would make in that situation. Just because somebody doesn't mindlessly follow the law doesn't make them bad or even wrong.

 

[pete rose]

If you're going to steal, steal from a behemoth.

 

[Gordar]

His point was really reaching out to his congregation in a Robin Hood sort of way. Rather preach that God will provide, then try organise some food or grocery in the local churches. People are dying though. Being hungry over this season just is not an option, not for anyone. In addition, it is unusually cold in Europe right now.

I'm no angel and I've done it myself when I was a kid, but a vicar, someone who's supposed to be preaching the 'right' kind of behaviour and morals (if you believe in absolute right & wrong), shouldn't be positive about shoplifting unless the only other option is death (in which case it would be suicide or murder if the person didn't shoplift).

IMHO it would be better for the vicar to remind all those 'believers' that being generous is better if you want to go straight to heaven and that making profit may make life easier on this world but that it won't pay off in the next (depending on which version of Christianity the vicar and his followers believe in of course)...

Yet people, mostly beggars, aren't dying because of hunger, but because of the cold, which, like you already said, is rather unusual for this time of year in Europe and came as a big surprise for everyone. So shoplifting shouldn't be promoted in this case.

 

[calpoon]

I would assume that a "real" holy man would not believe that the things God created should be able to be owned and divided by man. By that I mean that no one should be deprived of food and shelter for lack of pay.

 

[tartanterrier]

I bet he's the ringleader