What should I do if I see someone shoplifting?

[Becks]

Hi, I was walking on the sidewalk today on Hastings St. near Nanaimo. There is a popular fruits and vegetable store there, and they have stuff out for sale on the sidewalk. There were these two people on bikes who knew each other, one man and one woman. They were talking, so I knew they knew each other. I moved out of the way to let them ride ahead of me. I thought it was weird that the woman biked by while the guy stopped in front of the store and took a box of strawberries to sniff. I was thinking, hmm, he didn't lock up his bike and he's grabbing the strawberries? Yeah, so not surprisingly, I hear him say, "Get out of the way, get out of the way" to the people on the sidewalk. Yeah, he rode away with the strawberries. There was a split second where I thought maybe I could push him or the strawberries out of his hands while he was riding by. Maybe that would have escalated things and I'd be in trouble? What should I have done? I am a female and I don't know how to punch someone or defend myself. I sometimes see these parasites taking fruit from the stores in Chinatown, too. It makes me upset!

[bubble.tea]

create a diversion, so they get away?

[atforum]

simply go near them and see to that they dont do it. And just leave. Dont complain and create a fuss, coz they might attack you later

[najibs]

It was a run-by fruiting!

[north77]

Yell,

"THIEF THIEF! That bike just stole my strawberries! After HIM..."

[trixR4kids]

Hi, I was walking on the sidewalk today on Hastings St. near Nanaimo. There is a popular fruits and vegetable store there, and they have stuff out for sale on the sidewalk. There were these two people on bikes who knew each other, one man and one woman. They were talking, so I knew they knew each other. I moved out of the way to let them ride ahead of me. I thought it was weird that the woman biked by while the guy stopped in front of the store and took a box of strawberries to sniff. I was thinking, hmm, he didn't lock up his bike and he's grabbing the strawberries? Yeah, so not surprisingly, I hear him say, "Get out of the way, get out of the way" to the people on the sidewalk. Yeah, he rode away with the strawberries. There was a split second where I thought maybe I could push him or the strawberries out of his hands while he was riding by. Maybe that would have escalated things and I'd be in trouble? What should I have done? I am a female and I don't know how to punch someone or defend myself. I sometimes see these parasites taking fruit from the stores in Chinatown, too. It makes me upset!

ill share half of them wit u if ur thatt mad

[Rometiklan]

It must have been Donald's Market. Push the guy over on the bike and send him flying. Donald's employs a security guard who wanders the store. He would have laid the smackdown on the guy if he tried to get up.

[steve.m]

As soon as he leaves the store, get him and tell him you are store security and take what he fenced. Then run away. What is the guy going to say? "Help! That guy took the thing I stole!" Don't think so.

[Richard--X]

"Help! That guy took the thing I stole!"

LOL

[PlayerOne]

Hi, I was walking on the sidewalk today on Hastings St. near Nanaimo. There is a popular fruits and vegetable store there, and they have stuff out for sale on the sidewalk. There were these two people on bikes who knew each other, one man and one woman. They were talking, so I knew they knew each other. I moved out of the way to let them ride ahead of me. I thought it was weird that the woman biked by while the guy stopped in front of the store and took a box of strawberries to sniff. I was thinking, hmm, he didn't lock up his bike and he's grabbing the strawberries? Yeah, so not surprisingly, I hear him say, "Get out of the way, get out of the way" to the people on the sidewalk. Yeah, he rode away with the strawberries. There was a split second where I thought maybe I could push him or the strawberries out of his hands while he was riding by. Maybe that would have escalated things and I'd be in trouble? What should I have done? I am a female and I don't know how to punch someone or defend myself. I sometimes see these parasites taking fruit from the stores in Chinatown, too. It makes me upset!

pushing the strawberries out of his hands sounds good

if i was in the right mind i would have either done that, or if i'm on the left side of him, i would have pressed his front brakes and send him flying, it really works well but it takes practice

[haowong]

To be honest, since you say you do not know how to throw a punch, I'd suggest you go and learn how to punch. Someday, your life might depend on it!


As for the strawberries... sometimes, its better to be just a bystander and do nothing. If you want to be helpful, go see the store manager and give him a description of the thief so he can be on the lookout for next time.

If its a reccuring event, the description will help the police arrest the thief. Its their job, not yours!

[RonyPal]

I am a female and I don't know how to punch someone or defend myself.

Really? whos the dude in yoru avatar

[CRXGSR]

There was a split second where I thought maybe I could push him or the strawberries out of his hands while he was riding by.

This sounds an awfully lot like the spiderman story. Where Peter Parker could have stopped the robber but didn't. And later finds out the robber kills his uncle.

I hope you don't turn into SpiderWoman.

[ephemera]

Make sure you don't use 'Unbalanced Aggression' making any chance of a citizen's arrest.