Stealing is stealing
Nancy Wilson, Emporia
Saturday, November 29, 2008
THE OTHER DAY I saw a woman go up to an Emporia Gazette newspaper rack, drop in 50 cents, and proceed to take four or five papers for the price of one.
I looked at my husband said, “real nice, put in 50 cents for one and take five!”
The woman at that point looked at me and smugly said, “That’s right!”
My husband then said to the woman, “You know that’s stealing.”
She looked at him as though he was from outer space and said, “So what.”
She then proceeded to get into her car and drive away.
I’m writing because this bothered me, as I am one of the six regular people that get up at 1 a.m., 365 days of the year, no matter what the weather, to get the morning newspapers delivered to all of our customers. And don’t forget the Emporia Gazette carriers in the afternoon in the hottest part of the day filling their racks. You may say “that’s your choice” and you would be right, but it’s a job and I enjoy it. ...
Most people would not think about going into Wal-Mart or any other store and taking something without paying for it, but with a newspaper rack it seems to be common place. So much for the honor system!
After having three machines broken into last week and spending all night filing police reports, I am irritated! You see, newspaper delivery is my business and as such, I am in it to make a profit, not to lose money. ...
I know that the economy is not the best, that times are tough for people, but stealing is stealing! We are independent contractors for the newspapers. We pay for the newspapers up front; when you steal them, it is not the big corporation that loses, but the little guy like me.
So the next time you see someone take more than one paper without paying for it, please let them know it’s not right. To the woman that stole the four or five papers the other day, maybe you can read this letter four or five times and know what you did was WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!
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djdiablo (anonymous) says...
Yes, this is too bad. I'm afraid it is part of a permissive society and no one wants to stand up and stop it. Look at the "laws" in Emporia that are ignored day in/day out: littering, speeding, running red lights, make "J" turns, loud music blaring from cars, etc. When people are allowed to break the law routinely, on a dally basis, with no consequences it is not hard to understand, regardless of how sad it is. In some schools now certain students are allowed to select which rules they choose to follow. Teachers, like many parents, are cowed. The "it's all about me" attitude is likely to be with us for a very long time, until we as a society stand up and say that "enough is enough" and insist on a change in the way we raise our children and enforce our laws.
November 29, 2008 at 2:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
It starts with little things like taking an extra paper but snowballs into greater moral degredation. Ask someone in jail now and they'll tell you they started out small but progressed to greater crimes as time went on. Society has gotten too permissive and too "politically correct" where no one wants to speak out when they see something wrong. I'm glad the Wilsons spoke up to that woman. I'm not surprised she looked smug. It's sad how selfish people are becoming.
November 29, 2008 at 3:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chimerae (anonymous) says...
Did you get the number of their vehicle tag or better yet take a cell phone photo? I would think having the Gazette publish anything leading to the identity of such a person would be pretty effective.
November 29, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I'm with chimerae. You should have written down the tag number and reported her. A picture would be even better. That woman was taking from you and me and everyone else who pays for a paper. We all pay when subscription prices go up to compensate for thieves like her.
November 29, 2008 at 5:24 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
USNretired (anonymous) says...
The thief is one of those people who doesn't see it as "wrong" bcause she has a defective "moral compass". Her children will no doubt learn the same morals.
November 29, 2008 at 5:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
I think most would be surprised just how many people possess such defective "compasses" in our society. There are many that believe if people don't want to lose their property, they shouldn't have left it unattended or unguarded, finders keepers if you will. Having worked in public service for a large share of my life, I saw it firsthand daily. Taking extra newspapers out of paper racks, claiming private property as their own rather than trying to locate it's owner, taking more than they paid for at retail businesses, returning goods for full refund when they knowingly damaged the item themselves, the list could on for a long time. Yes, this woman's children will grow up to be thieves, and learn how to cheat on other things as well.
I have to wonder if Nancy and her husband reported the theft to the police or why not?
November 30, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )