Boldest thing you've seen with someone else's property?

[y_p_w]

I'll just relay something that happened to me years ago. Just randomly popped in my head.

Was at a trade show where I was working. Don't really do that any more, but it was something I was asked to do at the time. I was helping to set up our booth that morning, and I had gotten lunch ahead of time. Had it in a bag along with a fairly pricey reusable water bottle. And I had my name and phone number on the bottle using a labeling machine. I didn't quite catch it immediately, but my supervisor there saw a couple there looking my stuff and picking it up. I looked back and saw them standing there after they'd apparently put it back down. They were support staff at the event center with badges, and it was before the event was open to anyone other than exhibitors and event staff. I got back to my stuff when he asked what they were doing, and they said they thought it was just one of the schwag/freebies that were being handed out at the event.

The first thing would be that it would have been rather inappropriate for support staff to get any of the schwag there. The whole point was to solicit potential customers, although we generally weren't too particular about who got what as long as they asked nicely. The other was that it was pretty clear they were looking commit some petty theft but came up with a lame excuse. Not sure they could have necessarily been charged with anything, but we could have just found their names and reported them to the event management. Maybe take a photo of them. I'm guessing they'd probably tried doing that before.

I've heard of weird stuff before, like a teacher who talked about someone going right up to her front yard and attempting to take a plant. Don't recall if it was a potted plant of if maybe they even dug up something. But apparently they were acting as if they had done nothing wrong. That might be a bit bolder than trying to steal my lunch and water bottle.

 

[2009Caraman]

Well Ive seen a neighbor put whirligigs in their garden. I found that pretty bold.

Theres always missppropriation of government funds. Thats incredibly bold but may be a discussion for another day and another forum

 

[eljefino]

Remember support staff at these things is often day labor, you can't make a full time living doing this stuff. Be glad it wasn't a laptop they were eyeballing.

 

[samven]

Two times come to mind, Years ago I was working in a hospital repairing a CT unit. I had left my paperwork and briefcase in the control room while I was working on the unit. I saw a Dr examining my open briefcase and come up with a gold Cross pen my wife had given me. It was obvious he was going to take it so I walked into the room and said, Oh Thats were I left it, thank you I thought it was gone for good. He sheepishly handed it to me and said Your Welcome.
The second just happened a few weeks ago, I was at the range shooting my 22 and the range officer asked me if I could help another shooter get his scope zeroed. I walked down the line about 4 benches, spent about 15 min with the shooter and came back to my bench to continue shooting. The shooter next to me leaned over to let me know that the guy on the other side of me had taken a chamber flag from my shooting box. I didnt say a word until he started packing up and put my flag in his rifle case when I looked over at him and asked if he had forgotten anything, he said No and I said what about returning my flag. He apologized and handed it back. I am the regular RO on that range and I have my eye on him everytime he shows up now.

 

[y_p_w]

Remember support staff at these things is often day labor, you can't make a full time living doing this stuff. Be glad it wasn't a laptop they were eyeballing.

This was in Vegas, and I think it was someone employed by the convention center. Or at least contracted. They have solid business year round, so I'm thinking that whoever they were probably worked regularly in addition to other jobs. But this might have closer to the guy at work who steals other peoples' lunches. That being said, it was less like someone just poaching lunch left in the kitchen refrigerator, but possibly going on someone's desk or a cooler in a cubicle to steal some food.

Long story, but I remember someone whose job was apparently to just work at conventions assembling and disassembling equipment. I think he made a decent living doing it.

 

[k1xv]

We have a guy in our small village who exercises his First Amendment right to put up multiple signs, flags, posters, etc expressing his political views and preferences. Its an eyesore. Yet the same guy shows up at town hall to object to his neighbor keeping an unregistered car in his yard.

 

[John105]

In Westfield NJ, an affluent community, my wife's Aunt asked us to take a 32" CRT TV to the curb, she was giving it to her friend who would pick it up. We did. The aunt asked 10 minutes later, can you take the TV to the curb, her friend is coming. We said we did. It was no longer at the curb. That quickly.

In the swag category. We were at this fancy ice place, and I saw a stack of magnets for their club. I took one, and while the kid was sharpening my son's skates, I said, "These are free, right?" He goes, "No, they're $8." I put it back. I guess they could have had me cuffed and dragged away, but it was an honest mistake. Who would pay $8 for a magnet?

 

[dlundblad]

I caught a guy rooting through our gang box on a job site. He stole cordless tool batteries from the other trades before he was walked off the job.

 

[k1xv]

This was many years ago when I was a kid, about 11 years old.

My father needed a single item at a home depot type store. I think it was a wall light switch, a small item. That was all he intended to buy, so he did not get a shopping cart. He was carrying it in his hand. As we walked toward the check outs, he spotted another item, much more bulky, that he suddenly wanted to purchase. He had no shopping cart, and to carry it to the check out required two hands. So he stuck the light switch into his coat pocket.

After purchasing and paying for the second item, out in the parking lot, he suddenly remembered that he forgot to pay for the light switch that he originally went into the store to purchase, and which he put in his coat pocket. I asked him if he was going to go back to pay for it. He was embarrassed for inadvertently "stealing" the light switch, did not want any trouble, was already out to his car, so he told me that he would pay for it the next time he went to that store.

Yeah, right. Whenever he would scold me for doing something wrong involving honesty, I always retorted "Did you ever pay for that light switch?"

I was a mean little booger.

 

[John105]

just remembered this in the late 80's. Hunts Point NY, saw a crew stripping a vehicle. I wanted to take a 35mm shot but was scared. I used 1600 ASA film.

NYPD rolled by, shined the spotlight on the crew, and kept driving.

I think although similar today, due to cams, I don't think Philly PD is exactly like that in 2025. They’d probably stop.

 

[Owen Lucas]

In Westfield NJ, an affluent community, my wife's Aunt asked us to take a 32" CRT TV to the curb, she was giving it to her friend who would pick it up. We did. The aunt asked 10 minutes later, can you take the TV to the curb, her friend is coming. We said we did. It was no longer at the curb. That quickly.

Affluent communities are great for scoping out premium junk that can be resold or given a second life. As a formerly poor person, we used to do this, "lets drive through X and see what's at the curb".

Yay! A perfectly functioning hose reel! Gas powered equipment was the best, great to learn on and what a rush when you give a lawn mower a tune up and resell it for a few bucks!

 

[Kira]

In Westfield NJ, an affluent community, my wife's Aunt asked us to take a 32" CRT TV to the curb, she was giving it to her friend who would pick it up. We did. The aunt asked 10 minutes later, can you take the TV to the curb, her friend is coming. We said we did. It was no longer at the curb. That quickly.

Are you calling this a theft?
On the curb = trash, no?

 

[Pablo]

Boldest?

Tree cutting- single trees I would never attempt! And some triple falls that were simply amazing

 

[BigCahuna]

Are you calling this a theft?
On the curb = trash, no?

What he didn't tell ya is, it was still running when he took it.,,,

 

[SupremePossum]

This is kinda weird

 

[4WD]

This is kinda weird

View attachment 291920

should love that pool

 

[97prizm]

I'll just relay something that happened to me years ago. Just randomly popped in my head.

Was at a trade show where I was working. Don't really do that any more, but it was something I was asked to do at the time. I was helping to set up our booth that morning, and I had gotten lunch ahead of time. Had it in a bag along with a fairly pricey reusable water bottle. And I had my name and phone number on the bottle using a labeling machine. I didn't quite catch it immediately, but my supervisor there saw a couple there looking my stuff and picking it up. I looked back and saw them standing there after they'd apparently put it back down. They were support staff at the event center with badges, and it was before the event was open to anyone other than exhibitors and event staff. I got back to my stuff when he asked what they were doing, and they said they thought it was just one of the schwag/freebies that were being handed out at the event.

The first thing would be that it would have been rather inappropriate for support staff to get any of the schwag there. The whole point was to solicit potential customers, although we generally weren't too particular about who got what as long as they asked nicely. The other was that it was pretty clear they were looking commit some petty theft but came up with a lame excuse. Not sure they could have necessarily been charged with anything, but we could have just found their names and reported them to the event management. Maybe take a photo of them. I'm guessing they'd probably tried doing that before.

I've heard of weird stuff before, like a teacher who talked about someone going right up to her front yard and attempting to take a plant. Don't recall if it was a potted plant of if maybe they even dug up something. But apparently they were acting as if they had done nothing wrong. That might be a bit bolder than trying to steal my lunch and water bottle.

I want to say the Autopian posted an article about (I think it was the Detroit or NY) auto show had catered lunch specifically for the press. Someone figured out that there was "free" food and apparently helped themselves. By the time most automotive journalists made their way to lunch there wasn't anything left. The other story is that my boss used to be a police officer. He and his partner were called to the local Walmart to pick up shoplifters. While there a mom and daughter duo were on camera, and decided that the police were likely tied up so they could shop at a discount. That was their official statement to police. So four people ended up being booked on theft charges.

 

[ATex7239]

My drug addict cousins took money and property for our elderly grandmother with dementia prior to getting a POA set up. Also used her car and beat the crap out of it. Needless to say I don’t associate with the trash anymore or that side of the family actually.