Interview with a Shoplifter

In these desperate times, even basic necessities like groceries are becoming a luxury for more and more New Yorkers. Thankfully, there's a way to adapt to a reduced income without sacrificing your appetite—assuming you don't have any ethical qualms about theft. One local freelancer who often subsists on a very limited budget has for years eaten like a gourmand by stealing groceries from fine supermarkets. This person agreed to speak with us on the condition of anonymity, for obvious reasons, and shared some invaluable tips for hungry shoppers in search the best five finger discounts in town.

How often do you shoplift? I used to do it very often, almost every day. Now it’s a little less.

How many times a week? Maybe twice a week.

Where do you usually hit? I have a few rotations with Whole Foods, one of the main targets because I’ve figured out the structure, the infrastructure of the place.

You’ve figured out the infrastructure? Correct. I call them blind spots, there are a lot of blind spots.

Okay, I want to talk about your technique in a minute. But where else do you boost? Key Foods occasionally, and then if something is on my way and I want to employ the more improvisational style, I can do that.

What's the average dollar amount of your shoplifting haul per week? $100

What's the biggest score you've made at Whole Foods? Over $50 in one day. I don't remember the exact dollar amount but it was three pounds of wild tuna, two pounds cod fish, one pound of walnuts, three pieces of brie cheese, four carry-on bags of pre-made sushi, one bottle of the best quality Italian olive oil.

What is your ethnicity? I am not American.

Okay, but what do you look like? I am very attractive, very dynamic and full of life and a hopeful future.

Have you ever been caught? I came close once, but I managed to unload the goods before they approached me and I played it out because I knew it was no longer in my bag. They didn’t see me taking it out but they clearly saw me putting it in, so I created a huge scene. I called the manager and I was screaming that I was outraged and so forth.

You flipped it on them? Absolutely. I didn’t appreciate the fact that they took me for a non-professional.

How did you know they were on to you? Just experience. I’ve been doing this for close to six, seven years already, so you get that sense. Even if they don’t look at you directly, it’s the fraction of a second that you feel it.

Do you think the secret to your success is your experience? That’s a part of it, that’s an aspect to it. The second aspect is that it’s out of necessity. This is not for pleasure; you do this because you need to be healthy to continue with your job and your career and maintain yourself in good shape. Because it has a practical application, it adds to the confidence and adds to the purpose and that’s ultimately why it’s a successful adventure.

Do you remember the first thing you shoplifted? Of course, it was a sausage. It was a really expensive sausage that I put under my pants.

You say it’s a necessity, so you don’t feel any moral guilt about stealing? Absolutely not, it’s a job like any other job; it requires professionalism, requires effort, requires time. It’s not an easy thing. And there's a certain amount of risk, like any venture that you get into, any business you get into.

Do you have any advice for aspiring shoplifters? Yes. First, choose your locations carefully, number one. Don't start right away, go there several times, walk around, get to know the people who work there, especially the ones who don't dress in uniform. Number two, the most important: get to know the camera system. You don’t want to be directly under the camera, you don’t want to be in front of the camera, you want to find blind spots, this is my technical term. Beyond the corner or the bottom reach of the camera.

Number three, always have an exit strategy. Meaning put things in different places, in your pocket or under your pants. Don’t do it right away. First you take the item and walk with it for a little bit. Then when the moment is right and the inspiration is correct, you put it in there. And you don’t run away right away, you stay and shop in the store for awhile until the energy comes down and then you calmly walk out. But the bottom line is don’t rush, don’t rush.

So you’ll pick up something at one part of a store but you won’t immediately put it in your coat until a different part of the store? Exactly, it comes from experience. There’s an energy climax and you feel it. When you’re not ready, when you’re afraid or you’re unsure, this is the wrong time to do it, you’ll definitely get caught. You have a fraction of a second when you know what needs to be done and you do it at that moment.

What about alarm systems? Well, groceries never trigger alarms and I usually keep my criminal activities around grocery stores. But I have done a few things with alarm systems; there is a technique to it. There are some stores in which alarms just go on occasionally and the guard and the employees get tired of it. So there are places that are safer to do it. If you do it and get caught somewhere with an alarm system you have to play it as cool as you can and just look really puzzled and come back and so forth. In that situation you have to make the best out of it.

Do you have a plan if you’re caught? Yes. You have to say that you have a lot of money and you're clearly not intending to steal; it was kind of a drunk bet you made with your friend about stealing a sausage from a supermarket. And you apologize and hope for the best.

Are there any places you’re afraid to shoplift? Grocery stores near my home. It’s not necessarily that I’m afraid, it’s just they know me too well and you know there’s a good saying: Don’t cut the tree branch you’re sitting on.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in Food on January 13, 2009 8:30 AM

Comments [rss]

Aladin Sane

Whole Foods can eat a bag of, uh, organic carots. If someone can steal from them and get away with it, MORE POWER.

Christina Berg

No, stealing raises the price of goods and services, sure if its a little here and there its probably not going to be a big deal but there are more folks doing it, its like fake money it drives up prices, in addition the suppliers.

Sarah Silcox Martin

Oh and Alice Kennedy... stop with the excuses. When I was 20 I lived in the ghetto and went to bed hungry because I couldn't feed myself. I never thought about food stamps because I was not raised that way. I NEVER STOLE. There is no excuse. If you're hungry you know McD's has a dollar menu right? Really. Just because the sandwich is $9 does not give you the right to be the the "price police" and determine them shoplifting worthy because they overcharge. Consumers set prices. Obviously people buy their sandwiches or they wouldn't charge that. Or maybe they have to charge that because sorry people like you who are full of excuses shoplift from them. Why didn't you visit a food cupboard? Why didn't you go to safe harvest yourself if you needed food? There is no excuse to steal! That sandwich DID NOT BELONG TO YOU. Not a hard concept to grasp. You have NO RIGHT to decided what other people should do with THEIR BELONGINGS. That sandwich belonged to whole foods, not you. They have every right to do with their belongings what they will. Stop making excuses for your lack of character. I can totally tell you'll make it to law school. You're lack of character almost guarantees it.

Christina Berg

The mcd dollar menu is not what it used to be, but agree with your statement, also we should not single out or justify targeting a store just because its expensive or we don't agree with prices, after all it can benefit a community, and the supplier benefits or loses due to shoplifters
I still can't believe the audacity of the person

Sarah Silcox Martin

I am a former retail manager who was very good at catching losers like this guy and making sure they went to jail. Shoplifting is NOT a victimless crime. You ARE hurting store employees. When a store has a high shrink or theft you are putting the manager's job at risk. I was a young wife with a young child at home. Why should I lose my job because someone's mommy never taught them "You don't take things that don't belong to you." Also, when a store has high theft the store budget for employees is often downsized so that the corp can recoup losses. So that means some single mom trying to make ends meet loses her second job or some older guy who just wants to help pay his bills in his old age loses his job or some kid trying to work through the summer for money for college loses his job etc... Just so Mr. Shoplifter up here can shove a sausage down his inadequate pants.

Stores in low-income areas with high shoplifting rates go out of business which then hurts the community. Now the honest people in the community have no place to shop. The area becomes even less desirable and home prices plummet further. Future retailers think twice about moving in there. All because of "I am not American (CLEARLY) " losers like the one showcased above.

Being American means working hard for what we have. Since when did we become such an "entitled" nation where we feel we deserve things even if we have to steal from others? There is not character in anyone anymore. But let this be a lesson... I busted a stupid woman for stealing $10 sneakers for her kid (after she bought herself a belt and shoes). In the end the woman ended up serving jail time and paid almost $500 in court costs for stupid 10 dollar sneakers. She had a shoplifting history a mile long. That was my first bust and I enjoyed watching her squirm in handcuffs. Pretty sure she didn't think it was worth it when she got busted. And even though I am not a retailer anymore I still watch other shoppers when I'm out. And if I see "sausage in my pants" guy I will bust him too! So he better watch out.

Christina Berg

Its true shoplifting raises prices especially in tight margins of 2% of profit, its like fake money raising prices, however I disagree about low-income areas, stores make decisions to locate based on transit, sales,etc, wealthier areas have their share of shoplifting, and stores tax incentives often locate in places.

Alice Kennedy

Just graduated college, studying for a certain standardized test so I can apply to get a certain advanced degree. I worked my way through college, but tuition was a lot more than I could pay for so had to take out loans. Stole at whole foods after losing a low-paid job that barely covered rent and my monthly student loan payments (approximately $400/month-tried deferring but they rejected me),didn't meet salary requirements (BARELY) for food stamps or public health insurance. I have health problems and without insurance, my medical bills piled up.

So yes, I stole from Whole Foods. They shouldn't be charging $9 for a stupid sandwich in the first place. I should also add that when I did have the funds, I never stole from them and the amount of money I have spent at that store over the years is quite ridiculous that now that I think about it... Oh by the way, when I went in one night to grab a sandwich (to buy) 45 minutes before they closed, there were only 3 left and the lady said City Harvest comes every night and takes it away.

What I didn't appreciate was the fact that some guy who called himself a "detective"(yea ok, u spend ur days staring at cameras to see if people steal bread, then follow them around the store. Get a life. Go catch someone about to commit murder. Go rescue some kid from doing drugs. Something, ANYTHING else would probably make your life more productive...and would probably save me some tax dollars.)

Now I'm afraid I won't get into law/medical school if I get convicted for "petty larceny". Let alone get a job in this economy. Thanks for ruining my life. Asshole.

It's amazing to me how something so little can completely destroy a future. I firmly believe that my overall contributions to society (and the profit Whole Foods has made from me over the years) more than cancel out my "petty larceny". I was brought out of Whole Foods in handcuffs, then handcuffed to a pole at the precinct. Oh by the way, the detective asked me if I spoke "African/Asian/Latino" (it was one of these. I'm attempting to remain anonymous.) They also joked about my id picture and shouted at me the entire time. The fat one left for a minute, came back with a chocolate bar and cheerily chomped away as he asked what school I went to. It's an Ivy, you idiot and i worked my ass off to get through it.

I have health concerns and doubt food pantry food will help me in any way.

I don't even think the "detective" actually saw me put anything in my bag. When the police came and asked him, he couldn't look them in the eye and the officer had to ask again.

Only after being yelled at (and laughed at) for asking if I could call a lawyer for my own safety, did they force me to take the contents of my bag out. Really? isn't there some sort of law for this.

The officers who took me away were more civil human beings and said "don't worry, it's not the end of the world, it's only petty larceny and it's your first..." (I think they thought I was going to kill myself or faint).

GREGORYABUTLER

YOU chose to ruin your life by being a THIEF

If you need food, go down to Social Services and apply for Food Stamps and/or go to a local church/synagogue/mosque and ask them where the nearest food pantry is.

Alice Kennedy

Just graduated college, studying for a certain standardized test so I can apply to get a certain advanced degree. I worked my way through college, but tuition was a lot more than I could pay for so had to take out loans. Stole at whole foods after losing a low-paid job that barely covered rent and my monthly student loan payments (approximately $400/month-tried deferring but they rejected me),didn't meet salary requirements (BARELY) for food stamps or public health insurance. I have health problems and without insurance, my medical bills piled up.

So yes, I stole from Whole Foods. They shouldn't be charging $9 for a stupid sandwich in the first place. I should also add that when I did have the funds, I never stole from them and the amount of money I have spent at that store over the years is quite ridiculous that now that I think about it... Oh by the way, when I went in one night to grab a sandwich (to buy) 45 minutes before they closed, there were only 3 left and the lady said City Harvest comes every night and takes it away.

What I didn't appreciate was the fact that some guy who called himself a "detective"(yea ok, u spend ur days staring at cameras to see if people steal bread, then follow them around the store. Get a life. Go catch someone about to commit murder. Go rescue some kid from doing drugs. Something, ANYTHING else would probably make your life more productive...and would probably save me some tax dollars.)

Now I'm afraid I won't get into law/medical school if I get convicted for "petty larceny". Let alone get a job in this economy. Thanks for ruining my life. Asshole.

It's amazing to me how something so little can completely destroy a future. I firmly believe that my overall contributions to society (and the profit Whole Foods has made from me over the years) more than cancel out my "petty larceny". I was brought out of Whole Foods in handcuffs, then handcuffed to a pole at the precinct. Oh by the way, the detective asked me if I spoke "African/Asian/Latino" (it was one of these. I'm attempting to remain anonymous.) They also joked about my id picture and shouted at me the entire time. The fat one left for a minute, came back with a chocolate bar and cheerily chomped away as he asked what school I went to. It's an Ivy, you idiot and i worked my ass off to get through it.

I have health concerns and doubt food pantry food will help me in any way.

I don't even think the "detective" actually saw me put anything in my bag. When the police came and asked him, he couldn't look them in the eye and the officer had to ask again.

Only after being yelled at (and laughed at) for asking if I could call a lawyer for my own safety, did they force me to take the contents of my bag out. Really? isn't there some sort of law for this.

The officers who took me away were more civil human beings and said "don't worry, it's not the end of the world, it's only petty larceny and it's your first..." (I think they thought I was going to kill myself or faint).

kool_aid

ok so let me tell you the other side from a buyer at whole foods.
so you steel some shit. Then my low paid ass misses margin. that means the amount I buy stuff for and the amount I sell it for is unbalanced. At whole foods if we make margin we get a cut of the prophets. Its usually enough for a dinner with my girl. So now to make up for margin i have to raise the price of something to compensate. The fat cats at the top never feal the cut. only the customer and the already struggling staff do. So thanks dude. You suck.

Proman23

You know what I'm glad there are so many outstanding citizens that don't steal on here, because if everyone shoplifted they might actually try and catch me lol. I shop lift Koolaid, Tuna, and Candy bars every day. I don't give a fuck about your crappy morals, because my morals feel that those big coperate mother fuckers are charging up the ass and their alot richer then me so they deserve it.

Christina Berg

So if everybody was poor ,where would you steal from

nebulae

#63 chickblao--I completely agree.

nebulae

Oh god, would you people get off this person's back?! It's not a big deal to steal some food here and there if you can't afford it or even if you can afford to buy it. Whole Foods does not loose any money on theft, all is recovered from those that are unfortunate to get caught. When you steal, you still want to eat normal good-tasting food, that's why this guy steal fish and such--this does not matter. Is he supposed to say, "Oh, i am going to get get some food, let me steal this week-old bread"? My god, WF makes SO much cash, a stolen loaf of bread, or even expensive olive oil is nothing for them, yet makes a ton of difference for the one who takes it for free. And wake up, so many people steal, it's like a national sport. Just walk into guards' office in Whole Foods--all four walls are filled with photographs of shoplifters, all ages, all colors. Damn, and don't you dare to compare a stolen candy to :oh, would you steal $10 from me" and "would you steal $800 billion from the country" crap! No, it's not the same. Most shoplifters would not steal from people, only from fat stores. Don't judge.

Christina Berg

It is wrong to steal, if everybody stole from the wealthy , there will be no incentive for wealth, like communism

Proman23

YES EXACTLY some one who knows what he is talking about!!! I steal from big cooperate mother fuckers. However I would never steal from a liquor store because those guys are just like me. Stealing 10$ from someone who has 10,000,000$ is different then stealing 10$ from someone who has 20$.

Christina Berg

No its not, its like fake money it drives up prices,

EraserGirl

posting this is so wrong on so many levels. the time of preaching Steal this book and five fingered discounts are over. these days we all know this guys thefts are paid for by the entire consumer base. they raise their prices to cover their shrink and WE have to pay for this guys crimes. what an ahole.

Gothamist should be ashamed. If he was homeless and was stealing to live i could even see posting this as pitable behavior, but he's not, he's doing it because he's spoiled.

Proman23

Pitful behavior says probly some slut that has everything handed to her by her daddy you have no right to talk. I steal things smiling knowing that most girls and rich kids just have everything handed to them. I don't so I'm sure as hell not going to pay for Groceries.

rdsizzle

A very uninteresting story about some asshole who thinks he's clever. Half the shit he says is not true for sure but the gothamist got what it wanted: some controversy, a full message board and attention from other news outlets. Definitely seems like an "inside job"

Well done...

rasputinsghost

Mmm, logical fallacy.

He mistook a necessary quality for a job - that you have to go to it regularly, that it is hard, etc - for a sufficient one. Just because it has that quality doesn't mean that it IS a job.

Also you don't rob people at a job (in theory, at least).

Twat.

Barbj8

Who wants to eat food out of some nasty theif's pants anyway?

Mr Mel

I tell you the thief, if she exists at all, is a woman. As evidence I submit the following from the author or his imagination:

"Have you ever been caught? I came close once, but I managed to unload the goods before they approached me and I played it out because I knew it was no longer in my bag. They didn’t see me taking it out but they clearly saw me putting it in, so I created a huge scene. I called the manager and I was screaming that I was outraged and so forth."

Only a woman could have gotten away with that.

LOLWTFBBQ GLEEK

They never sakd what kind of bag it was. It could've been a bag from a previous store, could've one of those "environment shopping bags", could've been a bookbag... could've been anything.

cronegirl

A woman wouldn't have gotten away with concealing a "really expensive sausage in her trousers"

spiritross

Everybody is lucky until they get caught.

This man will learn this one day

Hopefully the hard way.

planic

What a jackass this guy is. Stolen dollars must come from somewhere. Grocery stores must either raise prices or go out of business if they can't turn a profit after paying the "shoplifter tax" this guy and others impose on them. So that means I pay for this guy's food bills. Thanks guy.

He doesn't want to saw off the branch he's sitting on so he's sawing off the branch I'm sitting on.

self h8ta

First of all, a lesson in business. Whole foods is an ENORMOUS chain of food stores, and someone shoplifting from Union Square does not increase prices of the food. That's not the way it works- they're huge and they absorb the cost. In fact, most stores expect a certain level of shoplifting and incorporate that into their cost of operation. Furthermore, as previously stated, you have to be absolutely at the STATE poverty level to qualify for food stamps, which means that unless you have rent control or live in housing projects you probably don't qualify here. And why the hell should someone desperate need to be shoplifting mac and cheese when they can get wild tuna?? i mean isn't the point of stealing to take something you can't normally afford? Stick to Whole Foods, they can take it. And fuck all you squares pushing your "moral" agenda in the comments of a gothamist post

Christina Berg

No, targeting successful businesses raises prices, they have to order it from suppliers, consider this, if folks who work at wf shop elsewhere their paychecks go lower, if suppliers have low wage employees then even if they sell a premium product it takes a hit.

rdsizzle

A lesson in business? You seem like the last guy fit to give a lesson in business.

A simple logic exists: When people steal, these losses have to be compensated somewhere. For sure they can take a hit in the bottomline but only so much, by promoting weekly regular theft (referring to it as a job...lol) prices will go up for those who don’t steal.

Same thing goes for taxes and insurance. When someone makes a living evading taxes and defrauding insurance, there is ultimately a shortfall and others end up paying for it.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a magical black hole where these costs disappear.

That being said, everyone cheats a little on taxes, embellishes an insurance claim and steals a chocolate bar at 14 years old...but to promote doing it as a living is pathetic and I feel sorry for this guy...I’m sorry that he (and you) is retarded and get find a better way to make (and save) money.

Christina Berg

Yeah its like fake money, unless their excess or increase productivity, for instance if a coffee farmer not to plant crops even though he or she can do it but is not getting the price, then stealing coffee will not raise prices, obviously there is a limit to that, but in this case its not so, and stealing is wrong, you wouldn't want someone to come and steal your items.

r1b2

The rationalization herein is pathetic. Madoff stole, so it's okay if I do? C'mon, you're more of a grown-up than that.

dgl420

Whole Food is so easy. I don't think this story is made up.

The best thing do is just go there during busy times (lunch or dinner) and eat at their cafeteria. Is it my fault if I refuse to get on line with yuppie shitbags lined up like lemmings? You leave the place with nothing but a belly full of good food.

snoopydog

"attractive and dynamic" does not work well with paper bag over head.

Spirit of 76

Can we get a nice follow-up story where he gets busted, prosecuted, incarcerated and violated?

Steven

Everyone then wonders why stores have to raise their prices. Regular customers are paying more because of shoplifting.

Clarice City

...or too "attractive and dynamic" to eat in a soup kitchen.

Clarice City

If you're that desperate there's a thing called a food pantry most churches and community outreach centers have one. Guess he's just too cool for that.

Proman23

Yes we like food but its also in good sport.

Michael U

It is an interesting article. if they only wrote articles that you agreed with then this world would surely be a mindnumbingly dull and boring place. That being said:

Shoplifting is NOT like any other job. Although you may be more successful if you are skillful at it and you adopt a professional approach, but it is still stealing. I am not a moralist, but what do you think happens when every little weakling gets it into his or her head that this is something that they can rationalize?

What makes this country great is our freedom. Although there is surveillance (there has to be) we come in and out of a grocery store and shop at our own free will. We shouldn't have to shop for our groceries from behind bullet-proof glass, or painstakingly remove security stickers from every piece of fruit we buy with vinegar and water. Let's hope, that with all these current economic boo-hoos, this type of "self" sustainability doesn't catch on.

anybody who thinks this guy is cool needs to smarten up. he is stealing from YOU.

firebird

Come on guys, this kid is just sticking it to the man.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

lol, it was very open in his responses. I don't shoplift but I have sometimes eaten cookies and fruits in the store and not pay for it. NO evidence since it is in my belly. hahah, Now that Bloomberg stole the election and Madoff stole 50 billions, I don't judge this shoplifter at all.

ab_bklyn

This guy obviously needs some counseling if he gets his jollies off lifting $50 worth of imported tuna and olive oil from Whole Foods.

What's next, Gothamist, an interview with a serial rapist? A crime is a crime, this is sensationalist and stupid.

Proman23

Yes because they are definately the same thing because Serial Rapist don't hurt anyone. HAhAHAHAHAHA you are so stupid to compare the two.

chickblao

YOUR BAD OPINIONS OF "THE SHOPLIFTER" DOES NOT MAKE IT A BAD THING TO WRITE ABOUT. Its nice to see an interview with someone different than an actor or some stupid hipster.

NannyState

Here comes the goddamn Gus Van Sant movie...

ides_of_march

Why do I get the feeling this is some spoiled rich brat pretending to slum it and shoplifting strictly for the adrenaline rush? Hard times = intereston trust fund dipped slightly.

Anyway, I wouldn't accuse Gothamist of promoting shoplifting with this interview as some have. If you're the kind of person who reads this, slaps themselves on the forehead and suddenly goes out to steal from the nearest supermarket, that's not Gothamist's fault, that's bad parenting and/or faulty DNA or some other more fundamental character malfunction.

JacqueMehoff

that's benny hill.

I would be more concerned about theft by employees. when I worked in a supermarket, more goods went out the back door than the front. these were pre-surveillance days.

and, NY Press did a story on shoplifters over 12 years ago.

one thing the shoplifters did when they were about to get caught was to set the circular clothing rack on fire.

A friend who worked at Lord and Taylor told me that's the first time he heard of that.

shoplifters usually get held in the walk in freezer back then.

memoson

whatever happened to dumpster-diving?

brandyglugger

Bravo, @WorksInDUMBO I found the story riveting!

I did a little digging, and in NYC, your max earnings to qualify for food stamps is $1,037/month. Which is about what most people I know pay for rent.... And if you're gonna boost food, why choose crappy conventional A&P over wholesome organic Whole Foods? That doesn't make a lick of sense.

JGNY

Lighten up people. It's an interesting article and I encourage gothamist to do more interviews with deviants, tricksters, and criminals. There is more to life then learning about chefs, actors, and do-gooders.

nohateparade

"Don’t cut the tree branch you’re sitting on." is a turkish idiom. then again, i sometimes use corporate idioms at work although i'm not corporate. the person is dropping hints (i.e. "i'm not american") because he is narcissistic or simply doesn't like turks.

WorksInDUMBO

Am I the only one who thinks this is AWESOME?

longacre

Yes.

Also, NBC New York has picked this up and linked to it, further propagating and legitimizing this stupidity.

Proman23

No he isn't the only one. However I'm sure your the only one with a dildo currently up his ass.

SomethingBetter

This local "freelancer" is a criminal and needs to be treated as such.

Sorry buddy, but if you are so poor you should be using foodstamps - thats what they are for. Or maybe you could just get a real freaking job so I don't having to subsidize your thieving and unethical ways.

r1b2

That's some ugly entryway to the apartment.

cstadler

"I didn’t appreciate the fact that they took me for a non-professional."

Ha! But they did correctly identify you as a shoplifter...

yarr

This is absolutely ridiculous. What a waste of space. This guy sucks. The reporter obviously isn't much better.

Nick S

whoa maybe opening up comments for an interview wasn't the best idea?

this fucking sucks, btw.

mac_tanaguchi

next time interview someone who has to shoplift to live, not to maintain an adequate protein supply for his workout routine.

chickblao

i thought this was a good, unique interview. a ncie straightforward approach to someone you don't really hear the thought process of. these people all wanna whine about how you're advocating shoplifting, which makes no sense, but whatever.

good read.

thanks.

snoopydog

rbeshenk I think you are on to something about the Asian possibility. Look how the base of the hand meets the arm. See the extension? Now look at your hand and how it meets your arm. See the difference? Definitely Asian. That's caused by driving a delivery bike for a Pizza joint in the snow for eight years.

pickit

Asians don't deliver for Pizza joints. Mexicans do.

(imo, the most interesting aspect of this article are the comments.)

mrmagoo

man, i really hope you get caught. GET A FUCKING JOB and pay for things like real people. if you cant afford to be here then make it work like everyone else (legally) or move.

@gothamist - way to encourage the retarded, lazy, and unethical. there is nothing interesting about this.

@vwilde - you're also an idiot.

fakenewyorker

jds is gothamist's best writer. this interview is interesting. what a bunch of jerkoffs.

Nyctini11

They've been doing this for 6-7 yrs.. Out of necessity?? wouldn't necessity be Finding a job??

Proman23

easy to say for some rich fat fucker chillen on the computer with a cozy job. However for some its not so simple. I have a hard time finding a job at Home Depot with a High School Diploma because they hire girls, Mcdonalds and Taco Bell type places are full of mexicans. I'm still in college Stealing is what some have to do. A faggot like yourself could never understand

Tower18

Love how this guy steals gourmet foods (sushi, brie, olive oil) and claims he's only doing what he needs to survive. I'd buy that a lot more if he was stealing bread and eggs from the local C-Town.

bendan42

For everyone saying that this raises their food bill, know that supermarkets factor in a certain amount of theft into their bottom line. This is known as shrink. Whole Foods is a chain, and individual stores aren't going to be raising and lowering costs to compensate for higher or lower rates of theft. They expect it.

just sayin'

bendan42

it's much easier to steal from fancy supermarkets than from C-town. And if he's gonna run the risk of getting caught, why not take nicer stuff? he'd go to jail either way, and in New York he'd have to break $1000 to make it grand larceny.

rbeshenk

babyhitler: The security blind spot that he is referring to is the same blind spot they have at many stores. This dude is obviously Asian. I cite the shirt and the bone structure as proof. Quiet Asian guy in that shirt? They're not looking for him to be racking tuna. Yeah, I'm a little racist. So are you.

babyhitler

dude isn't asian cause an asian dude would be giving the peace sign.

some guy who reads gothamist a

Gothamist should provide a roadmap on how to rob the author of this desctructive piece, now that Gothatmist has provided a roadmap for people to raise the cost of my family's grocery bill. Thanks!

snoopydog

Wouldn't security notice a person walking around with a paper bag over their head as being suspicious? Also if the person has been doing this for six years and averaging $100 a week that's over $30,000 which is grand larceny for sure. Time to give up the "no snitch" policy gothamist.

laughlynne

How are they supposed to prove he was a shoplifter? I trust Gothamist, and don't need to resort to Freysian shit. Like what the man does or not, I read because I was curious, and it answered my questions. What's wrong with that?

bornbrednewyorker

What kind of story is this? Anyone can make this up and write it themselves. The writer just happens to know a shoplifter??

glennQNYC

What an ignorant, self-centered jerk... I can't believe he/she doesn't use reusable bags!

KiljoyWasHere

There goes Gothamist's revenue from Whole Foods advertisements.

ed_Extinct

he's not american. we can only hope he gets caught and deported.

Kyle T

Stealing fish and olive oil is so beyond stealing to survive. You can eat well on a budget, especially if you choose a vegetarian diet. This guy is a self centered dipshit. The kind of guy who you meet at a party and immediately sense his douche-bagginess.

Clarice City

Why does he have to live in NY? Really? He must live in NY to survive, even if it means stealing from other people?

When I ran out of money as a 21 year old I moved back to MA where life was cheaper so that I could save money and come back. This guy is just an asshole.

blueruin

Good tips. Though I'll wait until you post a restaurant advert and then figure a way to use some of his suggestions to swindle a free meal from them. Or, better yet, if you want to post an outline demonstrating how to steal cable, that would be awesome. I wouldn't mind checking out what Showtime has to offer these days.

Rocknrope

Don't like it? Don't read it.

Itsuhana

If someone writes a shitty article, I believe they have every right to know that it's downright awful. Let's just call it our duty as Americans to let them know that they fail. c:

froggospoo

You must be kidding me! This is the crap you publish. You interview an asshole who steals from the market and publish his story like he is a hero? We all pay higher prices because of people like him. No one steals fish, walnuts, brie and olive oil from Whole Foods to stay alive. He's a criminal and should be in jail.

Pashri Diaz

No one said Gothamist approved of this guy. It's just a hey-people-might-wonder-what-shoplifting-is-like-so-we'll-interview-one. People have interviewed presidents they don't agree with. People have interviewed terrorists.

whitecastlerock

Yellow Journalism at its finest...

Papercutninja

He's a wealthy trust funder who steals in protest of America's extravagant ways. Why else hit Whole Foods? Why not just steal a loaf of bread from A&P? Everyone i knew who was a shoplifter always had plenty of money and was doing it as a form of rebellion or protest. Pathetic.

stillshot

wow, gothamist is completely and shamelessly reaching now...is there a blog term for "jumping the shark"?

You folks could use at least some wit in your writing (and without the typos) by hiring anyone from gawker.

Then again, pretty much every article by Del Signore could be deleted and not one person would notice.

Pashri Diaz

Oh, and for the record, there was an episode of Happy Days where a guy LITERALLY jumped over a shark. And it was the BEST one!

babyhitler

I would also like to call bullshit on this story for the mere fact that Whole Foods has a really remarkable security system. Sure, there may be blind spots but the thing about shoplifters is that they always go back to the scene of the crime if they are successful. a security team usually looks for patterns of the same shifty ass people who come back but never wait in lines at the grocery store. this dude probably shops at the same whole foods weekly. It would only be a matter of time before he got caught.

Mr Mel

The way the seafood counter at Whole Foods works is the fish is weighed, wrapped and priced and handed to a customer who then puts it in a basket or cart. On 14th Street the seafood is sold on the lower level and the cashiers are up on the street level, The perp has plenty of time and space to take the package of fish and conceal it on their person and then either leave the store or get on one of the checkout lines and pay for other items. I imagine Whole Foods has a checks in place to know if items that were given to a customer ever reaches the cashier. There are a lot of holes in the story and I'm starting to disbelieve a lot of this report.

Keram2

You've been reading The Corrections too much.

Keram2

Crap, that was in response to Mr. Mel.

r1b2

^sorry, that was in response to the above reply from vwilde

r1b2

This ass-hat stole tuna and olive oil, hardly necessities to survive.

Stinky Dingo

People go to a food pantry because they have to eat; people bring in cans for deposit money when they have to eat; and yes, people may even shoplift when they have to eat -- but shoplifting fish, walnut, brie and olive oil from Whole Foods with all the due excitement (and probably feeling like it's ok because you're not hurting some small business owner, no? you're sticking it to the corporation!), seems kinda of "boogie snootie" to me. Guess he couldn't be bothered to stand in line at the food pantry or to get food stamps with the ordinary folks trying to scrape.

vwilde

morals are for morons

babyhitler

C'mon, this "shoplifter" is obviously John Del Signore. You know gothamist isn't paying him enough to buy food at whole paycheck. Anyway, I used to steal batteries when I was a kid but wised up when I realized that for such a petty thing you could actually go to jail for, not to mention be publicly humiliated. The moral of the story is that it's better to steal billions of dollars like madoff and live under house arrest then to steal pizza slices and go to jail for life like a black guy. http://www.threestrikes.org/sfchronicle_0.html