As a child or teenager did you ever steal anything?

We used to do it regularly in the then small Woolworths stationery shops -we took rulers and rubbers for no reason now that I think back, as we had rulers and rubbers.
It must just have been to be rebellious or "smart".

To my horror one of my children stole $50 from my purse and I didnt even notice till the school phoned and said he was buying everyone things at the tuck shop.

I did not get caught however, as we were very cunning and knew how to do it.....oooh it sounds so disgusting NOW!

by Finy

I caved into peer pressure and shoplifted once when I was about 12. I got caught and taken to the police station. Scared the living crap out of me. Lesson learned.

by Tracie Louise

I didn't steal anything per se, but I remember doing something similar when I was a child. We were at the beach and I was on my way to the toilet. I passed a stranger's belongings and noticed a pretty necklace. It didn't look expensive, but I thought that if I couldn't have it, neither could the owner. So, I hid it in a tree. I think I was five or six at the time. It has haunted me ever since.

by Vee

you ARE wicked, Vee!

Thanks for the confirmation Finy. :P

When I was very little I can remember my sister and I helping ourselves to something pretty (can't remember exactly what it was now) in a craft shop, while we were shopping with our mother. Mum didn't notice until we we'd left the store and were halfway down the street, but as soon as she did we returned there and she made us return them. Although I can't remember what the things were, I can remember very clearly how embarrassed I was to face the shopkeeper and return them...I'm sure that my sister and I were both in tears as Mum made it very clear that what we had done was wrong. This experience made a big impression on me and I've never again taken anything belonging to someone else.

by Carolyn Hopping

I remember as a child taking spoonfuls of sugar out of the sugar bowl and eating them. I had surprisingly good teeth considering.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I recently found my granddaughter sitting under the family room table, shovelling sugar from the bowl into her mouth as fast as she could. She may just have needed a fix. It's probably a kid thing. I had more of a savoury taste and used to take the "feetroot" from the icechest, denying it vehemently despite the purple ring around my mouth.

Yes I'm afraid I did! Nicked a neighbour's milk money to buy all day suckers for my friends and I to share at school! I fessed up to my Mum and she marched me to the neighbour and made me apologize and repay the money in chores. Fair enough!

by Sandy Ludinski

I can't remember ever stealing anything

by maura

oh this lady is so "good"!

I really think it was more fear of getting caught

I never actually 'stole' anything,but the incident which really has haunted me ALL of my life is this.... When I was 6 we took a friend of mine to the Drive-In (yes!!! The Drive In!!!) to see Marry Poppins.Dad had a box of lollies from the cafeteria,and every now and then offered them around to us kids in the back seat and at one point I took 2 instead of one,meaning that when the box got to my older sister,there wasn't one left for her! Dad knew that there had been enough for all of us and I had to confess,as my little friend would NEVER have thought to do this to the people taking her out!!! I was in tears and so very ashamed of myself.Dad told me the way I felt was punishment enough,and to NEVER forget how this had made me feel! D'you know I even remember the song which was on when this all happened: It was 'Let's Go Fly A Kite', a song which I now obviously dislike with a passion!!!

by Jules

You are either very young, or have a very good memory!

Fortunately,I have always had a very good memory!!It was sop easy for me when Exam time came around at school,as I would read whatever book was necessary,and then just somehow remember it!! When I was still working,I could recall all the customers,what they had bought,and how much they had paid!! I even knew all the code numbers for stock,as I had taken the time to borrow a catalogue and read it through very carefully.This was when I could no longer do sign writing due to my health and I went into Interior Decor and related Retail, so it did save a lot of time,not having to look things up! As a kid I felt sort of like it was a form of cheating,especially as my poor sister really struggled with school and it did seem very unfair! But I got over that!!!

I think many people take something when they're younger - but then feel guilty and never do it again.

by Matteo Lor

Yes I have to admit I did, not often but have done...can't remember now what it was I stole but was not worth it...

by Fran

I remember when I was three years old I remember walking to the K-mart with my great grandfather. I accidentally stole a tiny hot rods race car - local kids called them 'dinky cars'. I just picked it up in the store while we were looking at the toy section and forgot to put it back down. I remember telling my family when I got home and realized I had taken it, so we made the 10 minute walk back to the store so I could apologize to the manager and give the store back the car. It's the only clear living memory I have of my great grandfather.

by DamienR

How super to have had a GREAT grandfather! My grandfathers died in 1914 & 1928, so of cause I didn't even have a grandfather, DamienR.

My sister and I were left alone for weekend as teenagers. Neither of us could drive at the time and just too lazy to walk to the shop - so we decided to get up at the crack of dawn and "borrow" the neighbours milk that had been delivered. Not that bad really and in hindsight I'm sure if we had asked they would have given it to us!

by AJ

No but I was 'hanging out' with a high school friend once when they shoplifted. As close as I got was walking out of a clothing and jewellery shop once and when part way down the street after leaving the shop I put my arm down and a pair of earrings feel out of my sleeve. They'd got caught in the sleeve when I was browsing the display. I guess that's stealing as I never went back to return them.

by annlu

Yes when I was a little girl I was at the local newsagent with my mumI when I asked her for a tiny little dolls washing line with little coloured pegs, she said no so I took it anyway. I don't remember confessing but she made me take it back and apologise to,the shopkeeper.

by Aliso

I did yes! Fortunately I've grown out of that, and my mother was very forgiving. My own teenager hasn't ever stolen anything from me, she's 16 now. I have three more teens in the making though so karma still has time to get me.

by meggf

I was seven and stole some toys from "Moores" department store, as it was back then (they're no longer in business - OOoopppsss!). I wasn't inclined to do it myself but followed another boy who was far from subtle about it (i.e. grab it and run from the store in the most public way). We got caught a few days later (or rather he got caught and dobbed me in). Needless to say we deserved to get caught and it's the only shoplifting I ever did (I was naturally a pretty square kid). I think the other boy went on to several successful criminal careers? In between "holidays" I suspect...

by kimp

Not capable of theft. Ever. The Iron, Silver, and Golden Rule in our home was that you NEVER touched or took what was not yours. A person who shall remain nameless came in to my house the other day and took something off the bench, something my brother had just given me for Christmas, without even asking, and gave it to their one year old. How dare people be so rude?!! It got snatched back in record time.

by Rice

I do recall getting into trouble for this but it wasn't actually stealing. When in primary school the rage at the time was collecting and swapping pretty beads. I've no idea where my original collection came from. Probably raided mum's button tin. The girl next door wanted to swap beads but didn't have any so swapped her mother's engagement and wedding rings for my beads. We weren't allowed to take beads to school, but I did and had the tin confiscated. I can't recall how the rings were discovered to be missing but did get into trouble for taking my bead tin to school.

by helga

Yes when I was a teenager. The latest rage was a pearly lipstick and I stole one and hid it in my bra. My heart was beating so fast I think I was having a panic attack. I was also brought up Catholic and I was continuously feeling guilty for what I had done. The guilt complex lasted longer than the lipstick. It wasn't worth it in the end with the guilt.

by nat_c

As a teenager I did steel from the shop, I got caught, and boy did my parents let me have it, I was in the dog house for a while.

by Diana Nairn

No, I never stole anything as a teenager, (or nor at any other time in my life!)

by Miro