Makiki couple arrested over $5 sandwich

[HiHater]

I'll go out on a limb here and be honest and admit that during a period of time when my husband was out of work for 8 months I actually shop lifted quite a few times. It wasn't sandwiches but things like buying a pack of chicken and then putting a few produce items in another shopping bag from another store. I was desperate and am horribly embarrassed and won't ever do it again.

However I always bought items (I never just went in and stole items and walked out) and I never did it unless I had the money in my pocket to pay for the item if they caught me. I too was banking on pleading forgetfulness.

That's why this seems really obvious to me as a con. If you added up the number of items I must have stolen over the course of four months it would have amounted to about $300. Karma got me in the end though, I wound up having $330 in overdraft charges because I used the wrong card when I paid.

So I got busted in the end by "some one" even if I never actually got caught by the store.

I would of course never have done it with my kids present. But I don't believe this couple. Like I said, I could imagine that the mother may have forgotten but if you DO eat something walking around the store, which I have also done in my more honest days :crazy: I always made sure it was the FIRST thing I scanned. Even if mom was frazzled and forgot dad should have remembered. It should be number one on your mind when you get to the counter. Chicken sammiches are tasty and unless they were in the store for a few hours it is ridiculous to suggest they "forgot."

I agree that the security guard probably saw them both conceal the wrappers. Like a plastic wrap with a sticker on it that dad rolled up and stuck in his pocket.

WOW, you're an extremely honest person! That's a rarity these days, but I respect what you went through...and it makes sense that this family may have been doing something along those lines.

 

[HiHater]

None of y'all have ever forgotten to pay for anything? Never? Really? Never forgot about that milk or bag of dog food beneath the cart? I manage to do that every year or so, and my intent has never been to steal. A few times when my kids were really small I'd notice something unpaid for in their hands as I belted them into their car seats. I've always gone back in to pay. Having second thoughts about that now.

IMO this couple's story is unbelievable because how can you forget to pay for FOOD that is in your BELLY. You were "famished" and feeling "faint" when you got to the store, but the chicken sandwich saved your life---how would you forget that?

The big difference is that this couple consumed the item they forgot to pay for---that's a lot different than forgetting to pay for the water at the bottom of your cart. IMO

 

[MissJames]

That's true, but misleading. The only way you will not get your kid back is if the state finds evidence to keep it in their custody. Even then, there is about a yearlong process that aims to reunite families.

Essentially, the 3 day review would have shown that there was no reason to keep the child. In this case, CPS pretty much served as childcare because the parents had no back up plan. The same would have happened if something else happened to mom and dad and they could not care for the kid.

18 hours hardly amounts to "severe trauma". But everyone is soooo litigation happy, so you exaggerating this point is not surprising...IMO

BBM
Factually true,but the lack of common sense used throughout this episode ,by the store personnel and LE ,would certainly shake one's belief in the system working as it should.
As a mother I would be traumatized if my toddler was legally removed from me for one hour. Eighteen hours would be excruciating.

IMO we are a sue happy nation ,bordering on ridiculous,but in this case it may serve a purpose. Stores need to educate and train their employees. This should not have happened .

 

[Steely Dan]

That's true, but misleading. The only way you will not get your kid back is if the state finds evidence to keep it in their custody. Even then, there is about a yearlong process that aims to reunite families.

Essentially, the 3 day review would have shown that there was no reason to keep the child. In this case, CPS pretty much served as childcare because the parents had no back up plan. The same would have happened if something else happened to mom and dad and they could not care for the kid.

18 hours hardly amounts to "severe trauma". But everyone is soooo litigation happy, so you exaggerating this point is not surprising...IMO

BBM

With all due respect, how would the parent know that's how it would be handled. You've made an honest mistake and it's been blown out of proportion and you're new to the area and don't know anything about the local police. I can easily see how they'd freak out. JMO

 

[HiHater]

BBM
Factually true,but the lack of common sense used throughout this episode ,by the store personnel and LE ,would certainly shake one's belief in the system working as it should.
As a mother I would be traumatized if my toddler was legally removed from me for one hour. Eighteen hours would be excruciating.

IMO we are a sue happy nation ,bordering on ridiculous,but in this case it may serve a purpose. Stores need to educate and train their employees. This should not have happened .

You left out the lack of common sense on the parents' part as well.

This whole episode stems from the fact that no one educated the parents about the fact that consuming food before you pay for it (and subsequently not paying for it) is stealing. However the store handled it may have been wrong (although I don't think we have enough facts to determine that), but this should also serve as a lesson to people. Stop eating food that you do not own. Take a moment to pay before you enjoy a meal.

In this case, as far as a lawsuit goes, I have 3 words. Clean Hands Doctrine!

 

[HiHater]

BBM

With all due respect, how would the parent know that's how it would be handled. You've made an honest mistake and it's been blown out of proportion and you're new to the area and don't know anything about the local police. I can easily see how they'd freak out. JMO

You're assuming the mistake was honest, and there's simply not enough info to make that statement IMO.

The parents would not know that's how it would be handled, but I'd bet that the process or some part of it was explained to them. They even said the police tried to work with them, so that one could be arrested at a time. That leads me to believe that everyone was not just treating them coldly.

Even still, "freaking out" does not equal "severe trauma" as the person I was responding to has suggested.

 

[cali_mommy]

I understand being pregnant and hungry. But stealing is stealing,and doing so in front of a child is irresponsible. I have never understood people who feel they have the right to go into a store,and sample produce. I think it is disgusting and tacky. The sandwich had to be wrapped up in something,and it's not like they have trash cans everywhere. They concealed the wrapper for a reason,unless they ate that too. This is Hawaii also,$50 there is like $20 here. Did the store handle it in the best way? No,but if you owned a business and experience theft often,you usually become immune to the bs stories people tell when caught. I am 30 years old,and honestly say I have never stolen anything in my life. I don't understand how people rationalize taking/eating something that doesn't belong to you. Until you pay for it,it belongs to the store.

 

[Chewy]

Here's a video of the couple. The husband looks like a total meth head. She's not so bad but if they were together I could see why they doubted them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...child-removal/2011/11/01/gIQA35NOeM_blog.html

Also many people seem to have no sympathy for them.

 

[Melanie]

Oh Lordie. I watched the video and have a different perspective. I didn't realize BOTH of them were munching on Chicken Salad sammiches while shopping. Hey, that's dinner taken care of (why didn't they feed the child while they were at it).

I can't imagine that both of them forgot - that's just silly. Standing there with your belly full and forgeting. Nahhh. I thought it was just the fainting mommy that needed the sammich - what's his excuse?

And to think they want to sue? Why? That's redonkulous.

 

[Steely Dan]

Here's a video of the couple. The husband looks like a total meth head. She's not so bad but if they were together I could see why they doubted them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...child-removal/2011/11/01/gIQA35NOeM_blog.html

Also many people seem to have no sympathy for them.

Neither of them strike me as criminal. Their house looks nice and they both are soft spoken. I'd still give them the benefit of the doubt. JMO

 

[Chewy]

They don't get to see their house at the Safeway. She mentioned she wasn't feeling well,, maybe she looked frazzled. The guy definitely looks like a druggie. So maybe that added to it. One thing that also concerned me was that the husband never spoke in the interview. If my wife was traumatized I'd be speaking up, so maybe he isn't well spoken or something.

 

[SuziQ]

Here's a video of the couple. The husband looks like a total meth head. She's not so bad but if they were together I could see why they doubted them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...child-removal/2011/11/01/gIQA35NOeM_blog.html

Also many people seem to have no sympathy for them.

What is it about the husband that makes him look like a "total meth head?"

 

[SuziQ]

They don't get to see their house at the Safeway. She mentioned she wasn't feeling well,, maybe she looked frazzled. The guy definitely looks like a druggie. So maybe that added to it. One thing that also concerned me was that the husband never spoke in the interview. If my wife was traumatized I'd be speaking up, so maybe he isn't well spoken or something.

BBM. He does? :waitasec:

 

[SuziQ]

I understand being pregnant and hungry. But stealing is stealing,and doing so in front of a child is irresponsible. I have never understood people who feel they have the right to go into a store,and sample produce. I think it is disgusting and tacky. The sandwich had to be wrapped up in something,and it's not like they have trash cans everywhere. They concealed the wrapper for a reason,unless they ate that too. This is Hawaii also,$50 there is like $20 here. Did the store handle it in the best way? No,but if you owned a business and experience theft often,you usually become immune to the bs stories people tell when caught. I am 30 years old,and honestly say I have never stolen anything in my life. I don't understand how people rationalize taking/eating something that doesn't belong to you. Until you pay for it,it belongs to the store.

Okay then! Glad that I've dodged the bullet the few times I've forgotten to pay for something or my toddlers had something in their hands I didn't know about. Since stealing is stealing....and it's so cut and dry.

 

[SuziQ]

You're assuming the mistake was honest, and there's simply not enough info to make that statement IMO.

The parents would not know that's how it would be handled, but I'd bet that the process or some part of it was explained to them. They even said the police tried to work with them, so that one could be arrested at a time. That leads me to believe that everyone was not just treating them coldly.

Even still, "freaking out" does not equal "severe trauma" as the person I was responding to has suggested.

BBM. On the flipside, how do you know it was dishonest?

 

[HiHater]

BBM. On the flipside, how do you know it was dishonest?

I don't. As Ive said before, there has to be more to the story. We do not have enough facts to make that determination. The arrest is one clue that it looked dishonest to police, security, and the manager of the Safeway. They are only back tracking now because of public outcry---which is wrong.

Want to add, we have never before been concerned with the profit a criminal makes when determining whether or not to charge/convict them of a crime. Where was the outrage for the 2 black women sentenced to life over a $15 robbery? The juvenile facing hard time for a robbery that netted him 50 freaking cents? Its not about the profit, its about the act of committing the crime. Same should apply here. Period. 5 dollar sandwiches or 5,000 dollar jewelry. Crime=time!

 

[HiHater]

What is it about the husband that makes him look like a "total meth head?"

I didnt get that impression, but I'll go out on a limb and say his face/stature/hair? idk It is weird that he didn't talk at all.

I LOL every time I read or hear "I was feeling faint/dizzy so WE at a sandwich". Wow...I heard of sympathy cravings/symptoms but really?

 

[HiHater]

Okay then! Glad that I've dodged the bullet the few times I've forgotten to pay for something or my toddlers had something in their hands I didn't know about. Since stealing is stealing....and it's so cut and dry.

I have a toddler and a 5 year old, I think it's a parent's responsibility to make sure that their children are not picking up stuff while in the store. I don't even let my kids take their own toys in with them, because I don't want the confusion. If your kid went in empty-handed, what are you so busy with that you don't notice they now have something--that you know you didn't pay for?

Stealing is stealing, and no matter who the perpetrator is, the economy and prices are affected. Plus, how do kids learn to pay and not steal if you "dodge the bullet" when you forget to pay? If anything, I'd go back in the store and explain the situation. That would be the honest thing to do IMO

 

[youshouldveknown]

I could see if one person forgot to pay but both of them?

I disagree. In September, we threw my mother a birthday party. My boyfriend and I ran out to the grocery store to get a few last minute things the night before. My father reminded us to get ice before we left.

Walking into the store, I said to my boyfriend "Please help me remember to get the ice when we get to the register. Otherwise, it will melt in the cart as we shop."

Did he remember? No. Did I remember? No. Did I pass the ice freezer on my way out of the store? I sure did. And I got up early to get ice the next morning.


Also, $50 might not seem like that much grocery-wise, but to me it doesn't sound like they were in a terrible hurry. They probably strolled through the supermarket, going down every aisle, looking at different products. If they were new to the area, they may have been getting acquainted with the store, where things were located.. that sort of thing.

That's just my two cents.


ETA: Dad looks like a surfer to me - not a "meth head." I didn't realize he ate one too, but stand by my opinion. To be honest, the best thing to do would have been for Dad to say "Okay, let me run and pay for these sandwiches - you stay here with the kid." But hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Kat]

I still say it was a con.

Sort of off topic below:

But I wanted to share some insight into living in this state---and that is there is absolutely no way to assess who someone is or their possible involvement in any activities (surfer, drug user...etc) by looking at them here.

Because this place is different than the mainland. Very different. It's like living in a english speaking, american foreign country in a lot of ways and the people and they way the live and dress are too.

One example: I took my oldest daughter down to an old tourist town on the northshore in order for her to take paddle board and surf lessons while she was visiting.

She took all of her lessons from the same 60something yr old man. He and I chit chatted after about the 2nd visit because he realized that I live on island and also I am mistaken for a local all the time (they assume I'm of Portuguese descent from here on the island because of my coloring).

So this " old surfer dude" this old "burn out" chatted with me, turns out he retired many years ago and he gives lessons because he loves the sport. He has a multimillion dollar home in one of the smaller lesser known exclusive neighborhoods here.

You never know who you are talking to here. You could be talking to a homeless person or you could be talking to a millionaire. There is no way to tell here, Hawaii is the great equalizer. That is one thing I do like about this state.