I didn't do anything to stop a shoplifter when i saw him steal...

Yes, that's a normal reaction, I think, but that doesn't make it the best one.

What if you politely and very discreetly tell the mother? Then she will either have to pay for it or have the child put it back. If she leaves the store without paying for it, you could inform the clerk because now it is not the child stealing - it's the mother.

I think it depends on how you approach her about it too. You don't want her to get her back up. Get her attention discretely and whisper to her that you think her son just shoved a candy up his shirt. I think her attention would be on her son by then. And if she gets hostile, apologize and let her walk out the door. Then it's up to you to alert the cashier or not.

Bad-ass kid!

It might not be your problem, and maybe it's better to leave the "law & order" part for the cops to work on.

But people who have children also take resposibility to teach those children how to be a part of this society.

I assume that a defence system might push that woman into a little aggressive outburst. But by doing so she would only prove me that she fails as a parent.

On the other hand -I would appreciate if a stranger took his/her time to set my kids straight when they're actually comitting a crime.

It's understandable that you would not want to embarrass the mother or get involved, but that child is still learning what's right and wrong and how other people react to his actions. By allowing him to get away with a stranger seeing him shoplift, you are teaching him that strangers will not get him in trouble for what he does- in other words, he'll think it's okay to do things that his mother or other authority figures would scold him for so long as they're not around.

Now, whether you care about that is up to you- I certainly wouldn't. Hah, I'd probably encourage his shoplifting for fun.

It's part of childhood. I stole a kit kat when I was that age. When I got home I ate it quickly to destroy the evidence and it tasted like four large sticks of guilt. I didn't steal again until I was 14.
Now that kid has about 14 sticks of guilt to chew up and gum is more difficult evidence to destroy than a kit kat. Theoretically, he will not steal again until he is...35 years old,perhaps older since it takes 7 years for gum to be digested. Hell, he might never steal again.

Either that, or he will lie to his mom for the first time in his little life, telling her "Daddy bought me the gum," and he will be a ruined clepto liar with no friends for the rest of his life.

Pray for him.

I don't blame you for not getting involved, but you should have intervened. The kid will not learn that what they did was wrong if they don't get caught.

It's only a pack of gum, so I probably would have reacted the same way. I typically don't get involved in those kind of situations unless he's like stealing a TV because 1) it's the parents duty to ensure their kids are well behaved 2) Stealing isn't right, but it's not like I'm weeping for the "loss of profit" of some big corporation because of it.

Well, first I wouldn't call it "stealing"..he is just a 4 or 5 years old kid, right? So, he probably does not understand this as "stealing"..He couldn't possibly understand this as something very serious..he was just playing or something..

So, yeah I agree with the opinion that said parents should be watching their children and teach them what is right or wrong..But I think you could have intervened as well in a polite or nice manner, so that his mom might take notice..You could have have told her aside like someone said here..or you could have just treated the whole thing lightly by telling the boy in a friendly manner "you shouldn't do this" or something like this..His mom would have taken notice then and handled the situation..I think the whole issue here you were embarrassed by the idea of someone stealing..No one should be embarrassed though..that's just a kid..he doesn't mean to steal and you're certainly not lecturing his mom or something..you were just trying to help :)

I would have asked her if you could talk to her on the side and be descreet about it and told her what you saw. To save the embarrasment on her part, because kids just dont know better sometimes expescially at that age. And then she would be aware of her kids actions and probably make him put it back and explain to him why he cant do that, or however she decides to punish her kid. And sometimes not saying anything is best too. She'll eventually figue it out one way or another. :)

Simple, it's not your problem.

I don't agree with shoplifting but I disagree with being a snitch a whole lot more.

Bloody hell why is everyone being so wet here? You should have just told him to put it back, never mind 'your own business' it becomes your business when that little shit is breaking the law in front of you.

Who really gives a shit. I don't think its even wrong to shoplift from big companies. They have enough money. More people should shoplift.

If the kid and his mother were white I'd definitely say something about it, infact immediately. However this I the only case in which I'd speak up.

its best to just stay out of it is what i would do i stold a lighter before and i seen that a guy seen me doing it and why i did it was because the line was moving slow as hell and the cashier just kept on talking to the costumer so i figured I'd get me a free lighter and i did right in front of the workers face

I've seen a few people shoplifting before, but I never did anything about it. I was so young and I wasn't sure how to react or if I had simply misunderstood the situation. One time I was at the grocery store and this guy quickly walked in, went over to the cigarette counter and grabbed either a box of matches or a pack of lighters. He stuffed it in his pocket and quickly went out of the store. No one seemed to have noticed and the security never went off. I still wonder how he managed to pull it off...

And the other was at this music shop that also sold items you'd find in a connivence store. I can't remember if I was in line or if I was still looking, but anyway, there was this blonde female at the counter. She seemed a bit special and the lady at the counter acted like she knew her. She started up a conversation with the blonde woman and pregnancy/drugs were brought up. The woman at the counter didn't seem to be taking her very seriously. She packaged up her music and asked for her money. The girl was acting odd and gave it to her. Then as the woman was processing it I saw the girl grab some candy and stick it in her pocket. Once again, I didn't know how to react. I just stood there while my conscience was urging me to say something, but I didn't. A part of me refused to believe what she had done (silly, I know) and the other part was frightened of the reactions I'd get. Whether or not the blonde would flip out and turn violent against me. So, I did nothing and she left in a haste, but it makes me wonder if anyone else had seen her do it.

OP, what you did was understandable. People can be extremely unpredictable. Had you told the mother, the situation could've gone in so many different directions. She could've been embarrassed, reprimanded her kid, or flipped out on you and caused you harm. It's also impossible to know whether or not the kid is being taught to steal like Faggin taught his "children" in Oliver Twist. I'm surprised that those security things didn't go off that's if the store had any. Hopefully, the kid will get caught and learn from it.

People these days are very rude an unpredictable, you never know who will see this as helpful, and who will take offense. You probably did the smart thing, the kid probably got caught later. Kids really aren't as smart as they think with that kind of stuff.

Staying out of it isn't necessarily the "right thing" but I wouldn't have said anything either (Besides maybe "Hey...!")

My sister and I both stole candy when we were that age and my mom noticed and made us return it. We never did it again. Hopefully the mother noticed after they left the store.

^Something about that mentality always struck me as wrong.

I get where it's coming from; we can't be Action Man all the time constantly beating up knuckle heads whilst at the pharmacy/bus stop/renting a movie but on the flip side it seems like such a callous conclusion that we can't possibly help anyone in distress because it poses risk to us.

Surely there's some measure by which we could know when to interfere and when not to? But what that measure is, I can't see it.

Yet ;D

I thought this was going to be something serious. Come on, a toddler stole some sweets from a shop, it's not a big deal. The parent most likely would've been embarrassed, so you did the right thing.

I think little kids shoplifting is cute to be honest. Now if its a couple 40s from the alcohol isle id draw the line... and help him out.