Pregnant mom says sandwich arrest was 'horrifying'.

[Ponce]

..HONOLULU (AP) — Nicole Leszczynski couldn't imagine that two chicken salad sandwiches would land her and her husband in jail and her 2-year-old daughter in state custody. But it happened five days ago, when the 30-weeks-pregnant woman forgot to pay for her snack while grocery shopping.

"It was the most ridiculous chain of events that happened," she said while sobbing Monday. "It's still hard to believe what happened."

Leszczynski, 28, and her husband Marcin, 33, were handcuffed, searched then released on $50 bail each. Their ordeal at the police station lasted a few hours, but their daughter Zofia spent the night away from her parents in a case that has sparked nationwide outrage and forced the Safeway supermarket chain to review the incident.

The family had moved to an apartment near downtown Honolulu from California two weeks ago. Still settling in, they ventured out Wednesday to stock up on groceries, took the bus, got lost, and ended up at a Safeway supermarket.

Famished, the former Air Force staff sergeant picked up the two sandwiches that together cost $5. She openly munched on one while they shopped, saving the wrapper to be scanned at the register later.

But they forgot to pay for the sandwiches as they checked out with about $50 worth of groceries.

"When the security guard questioned us, I was really embarrassed, I was horrified," she said. They were led upstairs, where the couple expected to get a lecture, pay for the sandwiches, and be allowed on their way.

But store managers wouldn't allow them to pay for the sandwiches, she said.

"I asked to talk to a manager and he said it was against their policy to pay for items that left the store," she said. "The security guard said we were being charged with shoplifting."

Four hours later, a police officer arrived and read them their rights. A woman from the state Child Welfare Services arrived to take Zofia away.

The pregnant mother said she tried to keep her composure until Zofia, who turns 3 in December, left the store. "I didn't want Zofia to be scared because she's never spent a night away from us. She didn't have her stuffed animal. She didn't have her toothbrush."

But as soon as her daughter left, "I got completely hysterical. I went to the bathroom and I threw up," she recalled.

A Honolulu police spokeswoman said it was procedure to call Child Welfare Services if a child is present when both parents are arrested. The store's management did not know the girl would be taken away, said Susan Houghton, a spokeswoman for California-based Safeway Inc.

The national supermarket chain said it was looking into the incident. "It was never our intent to separate a mother from her child. That was a very unfortunate consequence to this situation," Houghton said. "We understand the outrage. We are concerned about how this was handled."

Leszczynski called the incident "so horrifying, it seemed to escalate and no one could say, 'this is too much.'"

The couple was handcuffed and driven separately to police headquarters a few blocks away, where they were searched, had their mug shots taken and then released after paying bail. A police officer escorted them back to the store — which banned them for a year, Leszczynski said — where they picked up their groceries and walked home just before midnight.

"We basically stared at each other all night. We woke up at the crack of dawn and called (the state child welfare office)," Leszczynski said. While they waited, Leszczynski vented about the experience on babycenter.com and contacted a lawyer for help with being reunited with Zofia. At the lawyer's suggestion, they took their story to the media.

Zofia was returned after an 18-hour separation from her parents.

The couple is charged with fourth-degree theft, a petty misdemeanor, and has a court date on Nov. 28, according to the city prosecutor's office. The family hasn't decided whether it will pursue legal action against Safeway.

Houghton said the company will review the police report and store security footage before deciding whether to press charges.

..http://news.yahoo.com/pregnant-mom-says-sandwich-arrest-horrifying-214407004.html

[Shorty Harris]

How the Hell do 2 people "FORGET" to pay for sandwiches??

[ximmy]

This is getting lots of sheeple news coverage... we can expect much more brutalization of families in the near future. They want you to be desensitized to these actions against families so when it happens to you, you will accept it.

[madfranks]

How the Hell do 2 people "FORGET" to pay for sandwiches??

Because they ate them in the store and "forgot" to scan the wrappers as they checked out. I've seen people grab food and start eating it while shopping, opening sodas and eating their deli food before they pay for it, and it's a very classess thing to do.

[sunshine05]

I wonder about this story. It doesn't sound right. I mean, why would they arrest both of them? If they felt they had to arrest someone over this, why not let one of the parents leave with the child and the other one could take responsibility? It doesn't make any sense.

Or why didn't they catch them before they left the store and simply ask them to pay for them?

[zap]

LOl Sunshine, I think they wanted to show their Authority ! Can't have a pregnant woman snatchin sammiches :)

[Buddha]

LOl Sunshine, I think they wanted to show their Authority ! Can't have a pregnant woman snatchin sammiches :)

lol I know right? She should have been in the kitchen making them.

[Dogman]

lol I know right. She should have been in the kitchen making them.Barefooted or with socks on?

[Buddha]

Barefooted or with socks on?

barefoot of course.

[Neuro]

I never, nor my wife or my children eat anything in a grocery store before we have payed for it. It does seem over the top to arrest both parents and take away their 3 yo over this misdemeanor... But they did steal the sandwiches!

[joboo]

How the Hell do 2 people "FORGET" to pay for sandwiches??

You don't. You trade your baby for them, and try to make a clean getaway. Solves the problem of hunger, and parenthood, in one trip.

[Buddha]

All kidding aside. This authoritarianism is way over the top. They could have eaten the sammies then pocketed the rappers and forgot upon check out, or been slick and figured "I'll get $5 off my grocery bill, no one will know" Either way this was way over the top, they payed for the rest of their groceries. I think the appropriate reaction by the police would have been to make them pay for it and say "dont do it again, and for christ's sake don't eat in the damn store you look like hoosiers." I'm not a father but I would be ENRAGED if they took my 3 year old daughter from me, and put my pregnant wife in jail, someone would have to pay.

[joboo]

All shitting aside, my brother and I (as pre-teenage kids) on more than a few occasions used to walk around the supermarket, and make sandwiches from aisle to aisle, and pretty damn good ones at that, then walk out eating them. Looking back we were either crazy or had serious balls or a bit of both. Nobody even looked twice at us. Got away with so much insane shit back then. I have no idea how.

This is the best way to go. No wrappers. Do it like a boss, do it for your kids.

[sunshine05]

I was reading on another forum. Someone brought up the point - how many times are we overcharged at the store and maybe don't even realize it until we get home? Should we call the police? Or should we give the store the opportunity to correct it? Would anyone even think about calling the police over something like that? It happens all the time though (being overcharged).

[Book]

But they forgot to pay for the sandwiches as they checked out with about $50 worth of groceries.

::) that's called shoplifting in the real world. They willfully concealed the empty wrappers.

[solid]

::) that's called shoplifting in the real world. They willfully concealed the empty wrappers.


They had the means and offered to pay for the sandwiches though. Prove 'willfully'. You can't. This was an obvious mistake, any decent person can see it. These folks were treated wrongly.

[Book]

This was an obvious mistake, any decent person can see it.



You "forget" to pay for stuff much?

::)

[solid]

You know, somehow the whole meaning of "intent" has been lost. We've lost freedoms because, folk don't take the time, to consider intent in their accusations.

What about the intent of the guy abusing food stamps? That seems to be OK, what about the intent of the big banks gambling our future? It's A-OK.

Yet, a couple of folks get their asses handed because they accidentally ate a couple of sandwiches they intented to pay for.

This can really piss a guy off..

[Book]

1462
"forgot" to write a bank withdrawal slip






::) but now offers to return the money because he is a decent guy

[solid]

You "forget" to pay for stuff much?

::)

How about yourself? Are you so perfect you never make mistakes?

Sounds to me, you prefer robots, not people. Ever actually deal with the human race?

[Book]

Yet, a couple of folks get their asses handed because they accidentally ate a couple of sandwiches they intended to pay for.



Which is it? Can't be both...lol.



::) how does Solid "accidentally" eat a couple of sandwiches?

[solid]

Which is it? Can't be both...lol.



::) how does Solid "accidentally" eat a couple of sandwiches?

;D Nice one, Book. They intentionally ate the sandwiches, but accidentally forgot to pay for them.

So, Book, what happens when you make a mistake eventually? Will you forgive yourself?

(I'm just assuming you've never made a mistake...because of course, we all want to be perfect like Book when we grow up.)

[zap]

You know every once in a while I will let her get a corndog at Safeway, in the deli dept, OMG she is starving so I will let her eat it as we shop, I put the bag in the cart so I pay for it with the rest of the groceries, I just thought if I wanted to rip them off for a freaking corndog I could just stop at the bathroom at the back of the store and throw the bag away!!

whooo hoo free corndogs:) what are they 1.50?

[BrewTech]

While I could never see myself eating food in a supermarket that I haven't yet paid for (I hate when I see people doing that), I could very well see myself forgetting that I had done it and forgetting to bring the wrapper to the checker's attention so that I could pay for it. I have a horrible short term memory, and I forget simple shit like that all the time. There's no way I could stand in judgement of these folks, given the story here.

[Tumbleweed]

Fifty bucks doesn't go very far in a grocery store and I'd doubt they'd forget a couple of sandwiches in the time it takes to pick up fifty dollars worth. Two famished people who just ate a couple of sandwiches and forgot. Bullshit. If they really wanted to pay for them they'd have left the wrappers in the cart like Zap suggested.

[solid]

If they really wanted to pay for them they'd have left the wrappers in the cart like Zap suggested.

Zap didn't suggest that.

People make mistakes. In a fair, just, society we see that. This is not rocket science, folks...it's common sense.

These folks should NOT have been treated this way. Bottom line.

[BrewTech]

Fifty bucks doesn't go very far in a grocery store and I'd doubt they'd forget a couple of sandwiches in the time it takes to pick up fifty dollars worth. Two famished people who just ate a couple of sandwiches and forgot. Bullshit. If they really wanted to pay for them they'd have left the wrappers in the cart like Zap suggested.

Fifty bucks goes a HELL of a long way when I shop. Might take me an hour to spend that much.

Zap may have mentioned it, but not to those people.

[vacuum]

Getting lost on the bus, pregnant, toddler walking around, hungry, probably arguing with each other over what to buy because money is tight.....forgetting to pay for the sandwiches is totally realistic here.

[Veni, vidi...evigilavi!]

No, not the bottom line. I see it this way... many folks especially in some cultures outside of Amerika, are told since they were little never to consume or open a package if they haven't paid for it. In some cases if you are caught red handed even if it was not your intention to, you are either banned, fined, imprisoned or even get a hand cut off(only in some 3rd world countries now, but this was quite common all around the world before). Ultimately it is up to managements discretion, so the SHOULD is questionable. Long a go I worked at a grocery store and someone forgot to pay for a snack bar their child ate $2.00, same thing happened. Was management just being hardass on this couple, more than likely, but it was posibly a good thing, b/c hopefully this couple pays more attention next time and become just a tad more aware, I hate seeing this many zombies around doing what they please. In my family, always eat or use the restroom before going somewhere, you're not going to be seriously ill if you're "starving" even for a couple of hours unless you have a bad medical condition, the human body can last a long time w/out food. Also, It's called having manners and respecting others... next topic would be controlling your child while in a public place, especially running, I'm always tempted to just accidentally put my foot underneath one of them and seeing them fly like in a slip n' slide across an isle... damn I'm evil sometimes ;)

[BrewTech]

No, not the bottom line. I see it this way... many folks especially in some cultures outside of Amerika, are told since they were little never to consume or open a package if they haven't paid for it.

While I refuse to stand in judgment of the people in this story, I can't agree more with this sentiment. WTF are people doing consuming shit in a store that they haven't purchased. WTF are people thinking??

I just asked Mrs. BT what she thought, and she figured in most cases it was parents giving their kids things to shut them up. I can't think of a better way to teach a child how money works than allow them to consume something now and pay for it later!

Yay entitlement! Yeah instant gratification!

Still, I'm a forgetful bonehead every day and can't judge these people based on the information provided.

[Tumbleweed]

I still say Bullshit!!

[solid]

Folks, I still say Due Process.

We've got to protect folks that have their intentions right.

Another thread, 1 out 7 folks in our nation are on food stamps. Too many things we need to focus on, than to punish honest folks for a simple mistake. In my opinion.

It's a bullshit mistake. However, it is still a mistake. What's bullshit, is how things that are not mistakes keep happening. That's bullshit.

[Book]

Too many things we need to focus on, than to punish honest folks for a simple mistake.



1463

Man eats raw meat off of shelves at Wal-Mart and puts it back

(Pennsylvania (http://www.cumberlink.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/article_7af93258-de09-11e0-ab51-001cc4c002e0.html))–A Carlisle man faces felony charges after police said he was seen eating raw meat from off of the shelf of the Carlisle Walmart Monday afternoon. Carlisle police said an employee saw Scott T. Shover, 53, opening packages of raw ground beef and raw stew beef in the store and eating some of it at 2:40 p.m. Shover then placed the opened packages back on the shelf to be sold and never paid for them, according to police. The total loss of meat was valued at $24.53, police said. A loss prevention officer and a store manager followed Shover outside and pointed him out to an officer who happened to be in the parking lot at the same time, helping to move trucks along, police said. Shover was arrested at Taser point without any further issues, according to police. He was taken to Cumberland County Prison on retail theft charges, police said. Shover’s record shows that he has four previous retail theft convictions. Since he is a repeat offender, this most recent theft becomes a felony offense, police said.

::) This decent guy with good intentions sure "forgets" a lot Solid. Were you on his jury the first four times?

[solid]

1463

::) This decent guy with good intentions sure "forgets" a lot Solid. Were you on his jury the first four times?



Book, so you take this case, and apply it to the OP.

OK, let's do that. This guy, ate $25 worth of meat. The couple in the OP ate two sandwiches.

This guy, has 4 previous convictions. The couple in the OP, are married and happy and contribute to society.

OK then... Great point, Book. You really showed us something there.

[Tumbleweed]

Solid when you get about thirty years older you'll be able to recognize bullshit just like me and Book.;D

[D sciple]

Here is the just thing to do.

They should have been made to pay 4.5 times the amount stolen, back to Safeway (no cops necessary). If they didn't have that additional money on them, then return some things they bought.

I arrive at this from Law of Moses where penalty for stealing is paying back either 4 or 5 times depending on what, since I can't categorize it between a cow and a sheep, I'll go 4.5. I could see an argument for 4, but give the .5 and be happy.

[joboo]

How far has it all gone?

Well, they can take your child away over a couple of sandwiches now.

...welcome to the free world, how did your invasive pat down, and fully body scan go?....spare some change for the bankers? ....here, have a sandwich my brother.

The sandwich is dead, long live the sandwich.

[mrnhtbr2232]

In lieu of presenting wrapped items for payment, it was their responsibility to maintain custody of the UPC labels to scan at checkout - that is a hallmark of a thinking and productive member of society. I don't care how hungry you are, consuming food before you pay for it is theft. And theft invites consequences. Had they just waited until they got back to the car, their entire police and social services nightmare would never have happened. The story here is not the over-reaction by authorities, but rather the lack of morality to override being lazy about self-respect.

[joboo]

In lieu of presenting wrapped items for payment, it was their responsibility to maintain custody of the UPC labels to scan at checkout - that is a hallmark of a thinking and productive member of society. I don't care how hungry you are, consuming food before you pay for it is theft. And theft invites consequences. Had they just waited until they got back to the car, their entire police and social services nightmare would never have happened. The story here is not the over-reaction by authorities, but rather the lack of morality to override being lazy about self-respect.

Wow, you've been conditioned well.

It's over reaction which is why the store immediately apologized, and said they didn't handle the issue correctly.

[Neuro]

That arrest was obviously over the top! I think the couple should be allowed to steal another 5 sammiches each, without risk of arrest!

[LastResort]

I worked in a grocery store in my highschool and college days.

There should be rules of no eating food in the store untill you have paid for it.

The shit I've seen is unbelievable. I've seen people do the exact same thing. Eat a couple pre made sandwiches then you find the package in a frozen food bunker.

Where do you draw the line? A lady eating 2 grapes to see if they're ripe or some old fuck sticking a $20 fillet mignon down his pants. Rules are rules and stealing is stealing. Too bad for the "pregnant" lady. Boo Hoo

[po boy]

The statists are out in force in this thread. 5 bucks for some food will cost the taxpayers 18hrs detention for the child, 1 hour for trial including overpaid prosecutors and judges and public defenders, cops to arrest these dangerous criminals, probation officers to watch the degenerates while they pay their debt to society.

Wonder why your taxes are so high? Work harder, millions on welfare aka .gov jobs need to justify their usefulness.

[Awoke]

Talk about role-reversal!

We have Book hammering on the "Citizens" and defending the NWO pigs, and we have Solid hammering on the Pigs and Manager for treating these people wrongly!

Am I in bizarro world? Is it opposite day?

[Awoke]

This guy, has 4 previous convictions. The couple in the OP, are married and happy and contribute to society.


Haahaha, yeah. You don't move from frikkin California to Honolulu with the intent to live off food stamps. Hawaii is one of the most expensive places to live on earth.
These people obviously have money and jobs.

[po boy]

Talk about role-reversal!

We have Book hammering on the "Citizens" and defending the NWO pigs, and we have Solid hammering on the Pigs and Manager for treating these people wrongly!

Am I in bizarro world? Is it opposite day?

Naw Solid has taken up for many an injustice on the people before even thank a post where I show instances where cops had been shot and the defendant was justified and freed.

Book is just showing the same statism as always.

[Neuro]

The statists are out in force in this thread. 5 bucks for some food will cost the taxpayers 18hrs detention for the child, 1 hour for trial including overpaid prosecutors and judges and public defenders, cops to arrest these dangerous criminals, probation officers to watch the degenerates while they pay their debt to society.

Wonder why your taxes are so high? Work harder, millions on welfare aka .gov jobs need to justify their usefulness.
The response was definetely over the top, but stealing, even something not very expensive, should be stifled by society, even if it costs more in the individual case to do it than the item stolen was worth. It's got to do with respect to property rights...

[Old Herb Lady]

Here's the thing 'bout the sammiches.

It's bad enough when you do things right & get persecuted for it, when you do something wrong (intentionally or non-intentionally) & get caught
well then, you have to be prepared for the worst.

No one should ever be allowed to eat anything taken off the shelf while they're shopping.
If everybody did it & had the intention on paying for it, but accidentally forgot,
then the prices would be even WAY HIGHER than they are now.

I use to run a store where an employee would take stuff home at night & then intend on paying for it tomorrow, she forgot about it, and I asked her about it. (someone gave me a heads up that this was happening)
She couldn't even remember everything she took so that I could even ring it up !! She said, I think I got one of these & I think I got one of those, etc.

Inventory got screwed up & it was unnecessary. She kept saying, "well, what's the big deal". It's only a couple of little things.
It was close to 40 bucks when I rang up the stuff that she "remembered".

Stop at a fast food joint or take something with you in a snack bag prior to going to the store.

People drive me insane !

It's still theft, I don't care what anybody says .

One time a had a 400 pound lady come in & steal a bottle of herbs & HIDE IT IN BETWEEN HER FAT ROLLS IN HER BELLY AREA . GROSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!

Do you think I called her on that one ? Excuse me ma'am, did you just steal a bottle of something, can I have it back please from your blubber ? hell-no. Then she trained her 3 year old how to steal protein bars & put them in his shorts. Then the next time she came in I let her know that I knew what she was doing & she left. She would also try to keep me occupied with questions while her 3 year old could steal !!!

[po boy]

The correct way to go about this was to not involve the police and to ask the people to pay for the food.

There was no respect of property rights on either side, hell most Americans don't even own themselves or even their children, their house, car and on and on.....

[undgrd]

The bubble heads in this story definitely need to be more aware of what they're doing. Eating in the store before paying is very rude and shows their lack of manners. They couldn't have picked up the sammies, paid for them, and consumed them while shopping?? Please.

IMO the store should have given them a chance to pay and ask them not to come back.

[Santa]

Oh no, I'm a thief...... I've tasted grapes before buying them.

The funny thing is I actually run more risk stealing one lousy grape than a banker does stealing $billions.

[Book]

The correct way to go about this was to not involve the police and to ask the people to pay for the food.



http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_l47py19o5w1qc58uzo1_500.jpg
I ate a sandwich? I don't remember. Are you sure officer?



::) he also "forgot" where he tossed the wrapper Solid?

[Book]

I've tasted grapes before buying them.



http://earhartrefrig.com/images/commercial/sandwichDisplay274w.jpg

Yeah...people shouldn't mind when you taste the sandwiches before deciding which one you will "forget" to pay for.

::) nah...that ham and cheese doesn't have enough mayo...try the turkey next then the roast beef.

[po boy]

Gotta build more jails for these law breakers, hope all you taxpayers are up for the increase to support the law enforcement growth industry.

When these criminals can't find a job because of their criminal record guess who will be paying to support them.

[SWRichmond]

How the Hell do 2 people "FORGET" to pay for sandwiches??

Distracted by events. Not hard for me to understand.

[Book]

When these criminals can't find a job because of their criminal record guess who will be paying to support them.



1465

Yeah...let's set them all free to run loose and forget to pay for sandwiches so we don't hafta pay taxes.

::) on topic...your mom named you after a sandwich?

[po boy]

1465

Yeah...let's set them all free to run loose and forget to pay for sandwiches so we don't hafta pay taxes.

::) on topic...your mom named you after a sandwich?

Have them pay for the food, or work it off.

Book you're all for paying taxes I get it, you make a living off them.

[Santa]

::) nah...that ham and cheese doesn't have enough mayo...try the turkey next then the roast beef.Don't mess with Books free lunch... ::)

http://i915.photobucket.com/albums/ac358/jackconrad/junk/file-22.jpg

[Son-of-Liberty]

Oh no, I'm a thief...... I've tasted grapes before buying them.

The funny thing is I actually run more risk stealing one lousy grape than a banker does stealing $billions.

I think this is the more important point to be taken from this story then whether or not they meant to steal or deserved the treatment they got.

Bankers steal billions and not one of them has gone to jail. Couple of grunts steal $10 worth of food and are arrested, have their child taken and will likely have a criminal record now. It's the disparity that we should be outraged over. These bankers really are treated like modern day royalty but most people don't even realize it.

Po Boy also made some good points about the money that the tax payer is now going to be on the hook for over a ten dollar theft. The cost of the theft is dwarfed by the cost to society of having to pay for the way in which it was handled.

[Shorty Harris]

I still call bullshit. Over reaction by the store? Yes, Should the Leo's of been called..Definitely not. But is this what we have become as a society? An attention span of less than, more then likely, a friggin hour??

You forget things like some small item that ya came in for, what pocket ya put your keys in, maybe even exactly where ya parked the car. But I refuse to believe that 2 supposedly adult, clear thinking, full grown ADULTS Forgot that they had just devoured 2 full Deli sandwiches probably just moments before heading for the checkout.

And if, by some streatch of the imagination they did actually forget to pay for the goods, well then, these rocket surgeons deserve everything they got. If for no other reason as it may cause them to maybe think about WTF they are doing while they are actually doing it.

[po boy]

Shorty if you believe they deserved what they got and support it open up your wallet and pay all those useful .gov agents involved and don't bitch about the costs.

[Son-of-Liberty]

I still call bullshit. Over reaction by the store? Yes, Should the Leo's of been called..Definitely not. But is this what we have become as a society? An attention span of less than, more then likely, a friggin hour??

You forget things like some small item that ya came in for, what pocket ya put your keys in, maybe even exactly where ya parked the car. But I refuse to believe that 2 supposedly adult, clear thinking, full grown ADULTS Forgot that they had just devoured 2 full Deli sandwiches probably just moments before heading for the checkout.

And if, by some streatch of the imagination they did actually forget to pay for the goods, well then, these rocket surgeons deserve everything they got. If for no other reason as it may cause them to maybe think about WTF they are doing while they are actually doing it.

Lets say it was intentional were they treated properly? The cop who showed up couldn't use some judgment and just charge whoever paid for the groceries with theft and let the other parent go so child services wouldn't have to traumatize the child? It would still be a punishment to both parents, would still be a major pain in the ass and would still teach them a lesson.

Should the intended punishment for stealing $10 be to correct the behavior in the future or just punish for punishments sake?

[Neuro]

I still call bullshit. Over reaction by the store? Yes, Should the Leo's of been called..Definitely not. But is this what we have become as a society? An attention span of less than, more then likely, a friggin hour??

I think you are absolutely right, and it seems like the responses you got is evidence of that!

[po boy]

I think you are absolutely right, and it seems like the responses you got is evidence of that!

Say roughly 10k in costs to the taxpayers for prosecuting this heinous crime with a value of maybe 10 bucks yeah we've got some deep thinking going on there.Higher intelligence for sure.

[Shorty Harris]

Wow, The vein of entitlement seems to run deep in some of you. Have I wondered onto a Democratic underground board or something? Since when has Ignorance & Ineptitude ever been a justification for theft?

I swear, sometimes I think this place is getting more and more Liberal everyday day. ;D

[Neuro]

Say roughly 10k in costs to the taxpayers for prosecuting this heinous crime with a value of maybe 10 bucks yeah we've got some deep thinking going on there.Higher intelligence for sure.

Exactly what in this is it that is unclear?


Over reaction by the store? Yes, Should the Leo's of been called..Definitely not.

[po boy]

Wow, The vein of entitlement seems to run deep in some of you. Have I wondered onto a Democratic underground board or something? Since when has Ignorance & Ineptitude ever been a justification for theft?

I swear, sometimes I think this place is getting more and more Liberal everyday day. ;D

Funny your the one advocating taxpayer funds AKA theft by threat of force to do your will against others via threat of force over 10 frn.Who's the communist liberal?

Geeze no attention span to think it through huh?

[po boy]

Exactly what in this is it that is unclear?


And if, by some streatch of the imagination they did actually forget to pay for the goods, well then, these rocket surgeons deserve everything they got. If for no other reason as it may cause them to maybe think about WTF they are doing while they are actually doing it.


They deserved everything they got for possibly being forgetful? Wow.

[solid]

They deserved everything they got for possibly being forgetful? Wow.

What I love is how some posters (Book) bash the system and it's corruptness....yet cry for the police to come because of a couple of forgotten sandwiches.

There's no reason why the manager of the store could not have handled this situation.

[solid]

Each parent consumed a sandwich without paying and it doesn't matter why they didn't pay, they took something without paying, case closed.

Cobalt, nobody in this thread is advocating a lack of personal responsibility, nor excusing this couple's rude behavior of eating before paying.

All my point is, personally, is accidents happen. People make mistakes sometimes. Each case must be taken individually. It makes no sense why this couple would intentionally do this, if you read the article, it's obvious. It's also obvious the punishment didn't fit the crime,if indeed this was willful (intent). In some countries, you get your hand cut off for theft. Part of being and upholding a civilized society is to take into account people as individuals.

[po boy]

They offered to pay and the payment was refused, whether or not they intended to steal the food wasn't proven thus where was the crime?

I haven't read one person justifying theft, just disagreement on intent and what should be done as punishment and by whom.

As far as personal responsibility, you either have limited liability or full responsibility.

Have insurance that's limited liability and your not responsible.

[dys]

I don't believe that it's classless to eat the sandwiches in the grocery store. I don't see how that equates to lack of class. Also, I DO believe that they forgot to pay for them. That is something that I would do, it's just absentmindedness and it certainly happens.

dys

[Joe King]

Intent goes out the window in a zero tolerance World.
...but determining ones intent takes effort and even some brain power, perhaps. Who wants to go to all that trouble nowadays? ::)


They were held at the store for four hours prior to the po-po even showing up. How much is four hours of imprisionment worth? Is ones time not worth anything?
What would have happened had they simply gotten up and walked out? Would they have had force used upon them? If so, would it have been legally justified?

If there was one sale made and the person who made the purchase didn't pay for everything, then that person is the one who committed the crime. Besides, the article stated that she was the one who ate a sandwich. I didn't notice where it said they both ate a sandwich, but who knows, perhaps they both did.


I agree that there needs to be some kind of deterrant to stealing even small things, but as Solid pointed out, the punishment should always fit the crime.
To go through all that expense on the part of the State over $5 in sandwiches is a bit much.
...and people wonder why gov costs so much.

Perhaps they could've charged them triple the price as punishment?
Perhaps they could have worked it off during the 4 hours they were imprisioned?
Perhaps the store should've just kept the first-born and called it even?

[midnight rambler]

The telling thing as far as intent is if they saved the wrappers with the UPC codes and still had them in their possession after checking out or tossed them in the trash before check-out.

[po boy]

The telling thing as far as intent is if they saved the wrappers with the UPC codes and still had them in their possession after checking out or tossed them in the trash before check-out.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-parenting/post/pregnant-mom-arrested-at-safeway-and-loses-custody-of-toddler-over-sandwiches/2011/11/01/gIQApyrtcM_blog.html
"There did, in fact, seem to be a crime. When Leszczynski checked out, she did not pay for the sandwiches, though she later said she intended to pay and had saved the wrapper from the sandwich counter to do just that. "

[Shorty Harris]

But rambler, How is keeping the wrappers proof of anything..

Husband- "That was good! now what do we do with the wrappers"?

Wife- "Shit Husband, I don't know, why ask me? toss em behind the Ho-Ho's I guess"

Husband - "No Wife, lets just keep em that way if we get caught, well just say were stoopid and say we forgot to pay".

Wife - "Yeah, that's the ticket!..Good thinkin husband"!

Now, Like I eluded to before, one person forgetting..Yeah I can see that, But two Adults? really?

[zap]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/02/hungry-family-steals-sandwich_n_1071265.html?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmaing10%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%7C109396

HONOLULU — Safeway is declining to press charges against a Honolulu couple whose arrests over stolen sandwiches led state workers to take custody of their 2-year-old daughter and sparked nationwide outrage.

Safeway told Honolulu police Tuesday that it won't press charges against Marcin and Nicole Leszczynski, company spokeswoman Susan Houghton told The Associated Press. The couple were arrested last week when Nicole, who is 30 weeks pregnant, ate a sandwich while shopping and walked out without paying.

Their daughter Zofia was taken away by state Child Welfare Services officials. She was returned to her parents 18 hours later.

Karl Schroeder, a Safeway Inc. division president, called Nicole Leszczynski on Tuesday, and "apologized for what she's been through," Houghton said.

Houghton said management followed routine shoplifting procedure by contacting police, but Safeway regrets not foreseeing that doing so would cause a child to be separated from her parents.

"We want to do the right thing here," Houghton said. "Families are important to us."

Nicole said she was surprised to get the call because the incident was nearly a week ago.

"I feel relieved that the charges are being dropped and he kind of did make an apology," she said. "Now that we have our daughter back and we're not in jail, that's our biggest concern."

The incident at the store near downtown Honolulu is prompting Safeway to examine how managers and employees are trained. "In this case, it was not handled in the appropriate manner and we wanted to correct that," Houghton said.




Nicole, 28, and Marcin, 33, forgot to pay for two sandwiches that together cost $5. They were handcuffed and searched, and later released on $50 bail each.

The family had moved to an apartment near downtown Honolulu from Monterey, Calif., two weeks ago. Still settling in, they ventured out Wednesday to stock up on groceries, took the bus, got lost, and ended up at a Safeway supermarket, Nicole said.

Famished, the former Air Force staff sergeant openly munched on one while she shopped, saving the wrapper to be scanned at the register later. But she said they forgot to pay for the sandwiches as they checked out with about $50 worth of groceries.

"When the security guard questioned us, I was really embarrassed, I was horrified," Nicole told AP on Monday. They were led upstairs, where the couple expected to get a lecture, pay for the sandwiches, and be allowed on their way.

But store managers wouldn't allow them to simply pay, she said.

Four hours later, a police officer arrived and read them their rights. A woman from the Child Welfare Services arrived to take Zofia away.

Nicole called the incident "so horrifying. It seemed to escalate and no one could say, `this is too much.'"

The pregnant mother said she tried to keep her composure until Zofia, who turns 3 in December, left the store.

"I didn't want Zofia to be scared because she's never spent a night away from us. She didn't have her stuffed animal. She didn't have her toothbrush."

But as soon as her daughter left, "I got completely hysterical. I went to the bathroom and I threw up," she recalled.

A Honolulu police spokeswoman said it was routine procedure to call Child Welfare Services if a child is present when both parents are arrested.

The couple were handcuffed and driven separately to police headquarters a few blocks away, where they were searched, had their mug shots taken and then released after paying bail.

Nicole said that the morning after the arrest, she emailed Safeway to say not paying for the sandwiches was an honest mistake. "It was just a slip, a mommy-brain moment, I guess," she said. Houghton said Safeway accepts her assurance that she simply forgot to pay.

Nicole said she and her husband were told they were banned from the store for one year.

Houghton said she wasn't sure who would have told them that, but Safeway welcomes the family back.

Grocery shopping is a chore that now bring some anxiety, Nicole said, adding that she has read countless comments online criticizing her for eating before paying.

"I didn't know it was such a taboo thing," she said. "Where I grew up in a small town it's not seen as stealing for sure."

The Leszczynskis had hired a criminal defense lawyer to fight the charges but are unsure about whether to pursue legal action against Safeway.

"I haven't even considered it because I was just so worried about the charges," Nicole said. "I do feel like something went terribly wrong and we were abused in some way."

[Book]

It makes no sense why this couple would intentionally do this...



https://glittermagic.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/10-dollar-bill.jpg

::) MAKES SENSE AS LONG AS PEOPLE LIKE SOLID WINK AND LET THEM OFF EVERY TIME

[Book]

...she said "Where I grew up in a small town it's not seen as stealing for sure."



http://www.outoftowntownie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/borscht-belt-sidewalk-traffic.jpg

::) oy vey

[sirgonzo420]

http://www.outoftowntownie.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/borscht-belt-sidewalk-traffic.jpg

::) oy vey

That's cool you know where she grew up.

Were you all in the same yeshiva?

[ximmy]

The punishment should fit the crime... sandwich thieves should pay with their hands and feet... Infant to be ripped from mother's stomach... daughter to be sold into slavery... ::)

Thief Gets His Hands Cut Off and Foot Amputated (video)
http://www.bestgore.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/thief-hand-foot-cut-off-amputated.jpg

Man in the video stole television and money from a relative. He is seen with ropes tied against his limbs to restrain him from avoiding his punishment. Without much thinking, a Muslim man with big, sharp knife comes and cuts both of his hands at wrists. Another man is seen amputating thief’s left foot. Video doesn’t show amputation of thief’s right foot, but judging by how amputation happy his punishers were, I’d assume his left foot was cut off as well. That’s a price of thievery in countries where Islam is practiced as primary religion.

As he’s getting his hands and foot cut off, the thief has his eyes covered with a blindfold. He somewhat turns and tries to land on his already cut off hands which obviously doesn’t work. Some good Samaritan is nearby trying to put blue plastic bags over his amputated limbs, possibly to help him avoid getting the wounds infected from crawling around in the dirt. Video then shows severed hands and feet lying loosely on the ground.

Cutting off hands and feet is used as a punishment for thievery in Saudi Arabia. Saudis claim that amputation as the punishment serves as great deterrent, preventing potential thieves from stealing. According to these sources, Saudi Arabia has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

WARNING:
Video is graphic and disturbing. You MUST be 18 years of age or over to watch this thief get his hands and foot cut off. If you are not used to seeing so much cruelty, the video will haunt you for days after watching. Don’t take this warning lightly.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=3d81824a08

[joboo]

Welcome to police state grocery.

You maybe steal a sandwich but give us business otherwise, we detain you, and steal your child...er I mean shoplifters will be executed, er I mean, persecuted, er... prosecuted.

Please be careful when handling all items for sale, you might have an accident or disappear.

For your safety we have installed body scanners at all entrances, and exits. Please avoid eye contact with all law enforcement while on premises.

Thanks for shopping at insane zone, enjoy your stay!

[zap]

Don't shop at Safeway ! Go to Costco if your hungry while shopping, they have taste testing stations all over the store! :)

[solid]

Welcome to police state grocery.

You maybe steal a sandwich but give us business otherwise, we detain you, and steal your child...er I mean shoplifters will be executed, er I mean, persecuted, er... prosecuted.

Please be careful when handling all items for sale, you might have an accident or disappear.

For your safety we have installed body scanners at all entrances, and exits. Please avoid eye contact with all law enforcement while on premises.

Thanks for shopping at Book's Grocery Store, enjoy your stay!

Minor correction there Joboo...

I've also heard Book's store is hiring TSA agents, groping customers for our safety. Of course the groping is to make sure there isn't a sandwich wrapper hidden somewhere.

[Buddha]

I just went to the store grabbed a sammich and a soda, walked around drank and ate them then walked out. What's good now? I am the 99%

[Book]

I've also heard Book's...



http://www.cinemaweb.com/highwaysafety/pages/hsf/images/shoplifter.gif

I've also heard Solid...

::)

[madfranks]

I just went to the store grabbed a sammich and a soda, walked around drank and ate them then walked out. What's good now? I am the 99%

I had a buddy who used to go into King Soopers, order some chicken from the deli, and eat it while walking around the store, then walk out. On about the 4th try he was confronted by store security, he dropped the chicken and ran out of the store, never to come back.

[solid]

I've also heard Solid...

::)

Have you? Huh...refer to post #71 in this thread.

I think I've learned something about you, Book. You are very selective on how you see folks. You pick and choose what you wish to see, without seeing folks as individuals. You miss things, messages, that can tell a full story.

I can see now...why you are in favor of how this couple, in the OP, was treated.

[ximmy]

I just went to the store grabbed a sammich and a soda, walked around drank and ate them then walked out. What's good now? I am the 99%

something like this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHyug2PvpB8

Flash Mob Loots 7-11 A 7-11 in Montgomery County, Maryland was hit by a flash mob on August 13, 2011. The clerk activated a silent alarm, but police arrived after the mob left the store. Further, according to the video, the officer refused to investigate the crime, and only viewed this incident as shoplifting

[zap]

The zionist own Safeway.

[joboo]

Don't shop at Safeway ! Go to Costco if your hungry while shopping, they have taste testing stations all over the store! :)


Fast forward to 2015....coming soon to police state grocery.

Hey, I heard they busted a dude for getting in line twice for one of those little sausage thingies on a toothpick.

They rolled back the video, picked it up on a body scan, and found the second toothpick in his pocket during the pat down. It said on the sign "one sample per customer". He tried protest his innocence saying they smelled too good to eat just one. Criminal record, and they roughed him up pretty good in front of his family.

[madfranks]

Have you? Huh...refer to post #71 in this thread.

I think I've learned something about you, Book. You are very selective on how you see folks. You pick and choose what you wish to see, without seeing folks as individuals. You miss things, messages, that can tell a full story.

I can see now...why you are in favor of how this couple, in the OP, was treated.

Let Book be Book. I'm not the smartest in the bunch, but I've learned that you just can't give the benefit of the doubt most of the time anymore. I can't believe that both of those folks innocently forgot to pay for sandwiches when they still had the crumbs in their mouths. They thought they could get away with it, but this time they didn't.

That being said, I don't think the punishment fit the crime. They should have been able to pay for the food and get off with a warning. Taking their child away was wayyyyy too far, imo.

That being said, if I was in their shoes, I'd never, ever, EVER, let them take my child away from me over something as petty as a sandwich. They'd have to kill me before I let my child go.

[solid]

Fair enough, Madfranks, and my apology to the forum.

Book, I have nothing against you, though we disagree on some things. You do bring out my competitive "fighting" spirit though. For that, I do give you thanks. I think it's good for the testosterone levels anyway. :)

[Joe King]

Taking their child away was wayyyyy too far, imo.I agree, but let's say they stole something of real value. Say $20 worth or so. What do you do with a child when the parents get arrested? Can't take the kid to jail and if there's no relatives to call, what do you do? Ask the store manager to babysit?
I think a lot of people see the taking of the child as a punishment, when it really wasn't.




That being said, if I was in their shoes, I'd never, ever, EVER, let them take my child away from me over something as petty as a sandwich. They'd have to kill me before I let my child go.Again, I tend to agree with you here, but I'd think one would have to consider a few things before taking it to the point of killing, or being killied over it.
As it is now, they're out of jail and have their daughter back. However, had they put up a fight over the issue, they wouldn't.

[ximmy]

Woman tries to pay for food... WTF
One phone call to police and we will have your ass arrested!!!

A woman in Portland (the one on the left side of the country) says her local grocery stores refused to let her use quarters to pay for $32 in groceries.

"We had nothing to feed our children with," the woman tells KATU-TV. "So we broke out the change."

She says she waited until the checkout line at Save-A-Lot had cleared before trying to pay so she wouldn't be holding anyone up while the change was counted.

"And when I went up, I told them, you know 'I have change. Sorry, it's hard times right now.' And they go, 'well we can only accept $5,'" she recalls, saying that tried the "Money's money" argument with the cashier, but to no avail.

Mortified, she headed over to Fred Meyer, where the manager informed her she would have to use the coin-counting machine, which takes a 10% fee. The woman said she couldn't afford to lose that much and began crying.

After another customer offered to buy her change from her, the manager relented and agreed to accept the quarters.

http://consumerist.com/2011/11/customer-says-grocery-store-wouldnt-accept-32-in-quarters.html

[solid]

Ximmy, pretty obvious that they were trying to use coins as an excuse....after all, coins aren't money as we all know. Imagine, a civilized society accepting coins as payment...lol, we can't have that.

They wanted the free sandwiches. They are lucky to not have their hands and feet chopped off.

Book?

I say chop off limbs at the slightest offense. Who cares, at this point?

Humanity is in the shit. Let's at least be honest about it.

[madfranks]

I agree, but let's say they stole something of real value. Say $20 worth or so. What do you do with a child when the parents get arrested? Can't take the kid to jail and if there's no relatives to call, what do you do? Ask the store manager to babysit?
I think a lot of people see the taking of the child as a punishment, when it really wasn't.

I disagree with the whole concept of arrest over petty matters such as this, yes, even for "substantial" values totaling $20 or more. The worst that should have happened is they pay restitution to the offended party, i.e. the store. Have them pay double, triple, or 4.5x as d-sciple suggested and be done with it.

[po boy]

I disagree with the whole concept of arrest over petty matters such as this, yes, even for "substantial" values totaling $20 or more. The worst that should have happened is they pay restitution to the offended party, i.e. the store. Have them pay double, triple, or 4.5x as d-sciple suggested and be done with it.


Yep D sicple was talking OT again.
No jails in the OT.

[Joe King]

I disagree with the whole concept of arrest over petty matters such as this, yes, even for "substantial" values totaling $20 or more. The worst that should have happened is they pay restitution to the offended party, i.e. the store. Have them pay double, triple, or 4.5x as d-sciple suggested and be done with it.

At what point is the line drawn? At some point, collecting restitution could become an issue.
...but in general, I tend to agree with what you're saying and I was just being sarcastic with the $20 amount.

More of what I was wanting to address was just the point of, what do you do with kids when their mom/dad/guardian gets arrested? Gotta take 'em somewhere.

[Book]

They should have been able to pay for the food and get off with a warning.



Actually that is what I have a problem with.

http://www.rothcpa.com/misc/20100811-1.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_131dsm4xhS8/TCzUn7RdxeI/AAAAAAAADFI/Iw_Mseiqkj4/s400/paulson-bernanke-geithner.jpg

http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/06/09/111759-elizabeth-edwards-and-john-edwards.jpg

:)

[po boy]

Actually that is what I have a problem with.

http://www.rothcpa.com/misc/20100811-1.png

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_131dsm4xhS8/TCzUn7RdxeI/AAAAAAAADFI/Iw_Mseiqkj4/s400/paulson-bernanke-geithner.jpg

http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/full/2011/06/09/111759-elizabeth-edwards-and-john-edwards.jpg

:)

You sure that's your only problem, I seem to remember a nasty habit you had for a while of finding pics of homos and post them to the form.LOL

[Book]

LOL



Your mom name you after her favorite sandwich?

[po boy]

Tell me what you and the nambla fruits were planning on doing with those gerbils and I'll answer.

[Mouse]

An eye for an eye.

A sammich for a sammich.

Pay the F up and get out of my store....don't come back. No problem unless they cannot pay.

These people will sue, just watch. I bet there's a thousand ambulance chasers calling them already to sign up for some free money.

[joboo]

I'd sue. Only a moron company would treat a paying customer like that over ~ $5, and they know it.

You know how much food supermarkets throw out each day? Box loads.

To put it in perspective, when you get a free pizza from a pizza joint for screwing up your order, it actually costs them nothing. Everything is already baked into the price.

[Awoke]

This thread is chalk-full of lolz.

[joboo]

Actually that is what I have a problem with.

http://www.rothcpa.com/misc/20100811-1.png



I have $50 bucks going that your keyboard is still wrapped in it's factory plastic packaging, and you copy and paste individual letters using charmap.exe

;D