Streetfood vendors mostly don’t care about sources as long as the goods are good. I had a favorite place before that sold chocolate bars with no markup compared to nearby stores, and I was wondering why they’d even sell them given that chocolate doesnt really go well with their main offerings. Until I witnessed a junkie carry a box to them from the nearest supermarket and it all fell into place. Selling stolen product right across the road might’ve not worked in their favour though as the place changed hands not long after.
A long time ago, I lived in a trailer park, and a homeless guy would come by once a week selling steaks at a lower price than you could buy at the store. Some people would buy them. Needless to say, everyone there was in a pretty bad situation, so a luxury like cheap steaks was tempting.
Lol. Forgot about that episode. Yeah, my story was real. I think that episode came out a year or two later after I got out of the park. The TPB really nailed trailer park life (real life being more depressing and violent of course).
My brother in law used to work in an off licence (booze store) so got to know a number of customers, some of which were drug addicts. They would steal from the local supermarket which was right next door. Things like expensive meats, cheese, coffee, spirits, etc. high value products which are easy to shove in a bag or jacket. They then go and knock on the door of anybody they remotely know who lives nearby, ask if they want to buy some cheap goods. Often about 50% off.
I know people who would buy this stuff. It’s usually stuff straight from the shop but I suppose you can never say for sure.
Here (the Netherlands) the supermarket stuff is usually not great. For good cheese you go to a specialty shop or to the market and they’ll cut the cheese to order.
If it’s stolen the same day then there’s no huge risk, if you prepare it soon after. With cheese even less risk. But of course there’s always some risk buying stolen shit from junkies.
Often from what I know it goes like this: they owe money to someone, can’t pay it back because naturally all the money goes to drugs so instead they’ll steal shit for you. So you’d be sending them to steal specific expensive shit and would be waiting for it and know it’s stolen the same day and whatnot.
Though it’s fucking idiotic to loan money to junkies in the first place but I guess this way you’ll recoup some of it at least.
I just don’t understand why you’d steal stuff that easily spoils in order to resell it when there’s durable goods that don’t need an uninterrupted cooling chain, I guess.
Placement in the store, how easy it is to steal, how easy it is to offload etc. Food stuff like that is easy to steal and it’s not too cheap to not make it worth the effort but also not too expensive to make it harder to offload. Also even corner stores have that stuff so you can go to multiple places in one go, I’ve been told that’s an important factor. And those corner stores are often busier and less guarded.
Why is this downvoted?
I personally watched a local foodbank handout kick out somebody because they found out she was a local restauranteur trying to score free food in bulk lol.
If I see someone stealing food, they could be stealing to sell it for drugs or they could be stealing to feed their hungry family. Why should I worry about the former when the latter is also a decent possibility?
Could use the benefit money for it. Which they do. Welfare benefits in Finland are top notch, but yeah there’s never enough money for (enough) drugs. So lot of them do crime, burglaries, stealing from stores, stealing bikes and whatnot to get more money for (more) drugs.
It doesn’t make me very sympathetic to them stealing from a store though. It’s not like they’re stealing to not starve or something.
You probably are getting a few downvotes from people in places like the US, who are more sympathetic to food theft because we have ridiculously thin social systems here that don’t care about peoples’ struggles but are first in line to dish out punishment.
If Finland’s welfare is that good, you’re probably right. Drugs are a cruel master and are never satisfied. :(
Yeah, it’s a situation where I feel for them being addicts and all, but with there being housing, access to rehab and all sorts of programs, food aid, ample benefits and so on, it’s harder to feel for them stealing to finance buying more drugs.
Here people are stealing expensive cheese and meats to sell to pay for drugs
I’m not particularly sympathetic towards that.
Sick, where is this place I can go to for cheap cheese and drugs?
I think most stores stock cheese and it’s fairly cheap if you use the five finger discount
The fuck? How/where do they sell them? Who in their right minds would buy cheese or meat from a sketchy source?
You don’t buy artisan cheese from your local toothless meth head ?
I did that once…poor toilet never saw it coming.
Toilets don’t have eyes.
That would be a blessing, as it was extremely messy.
Streetfood vendors mostly don’t care about sources as long as the goods are good. I had a favorite place before that sold chocolate bars with no markup compared to nearby stores, and I was wondering why they’d even sell them given that chocolate doesnt really go well with their main offerings. Until I witnessed a junkie carry a box to them from the nearest supermarket and it all fell into place. Selling stolen product right across the road might’ve not worked in their favour though as the place changed hands not long after.
A long time ago, I lived in a trailer park, and a homeless guy would come by once a week selling steaks at a lower price than you could buy at the store. Some people would buy them. Needless to say, everyone there was in a pretty bad situation, so a luxury like cheap steaks was tempting.
I hate that my first thought was “How would you know for sure what the meat came from?!” Eeegggh…there’s a creepypasta plot ready to go…
I would have bet this was gonna be a trailer park boys reference when I started reading but holy shit, it may be a real thing. Meat theft rings
Lol. Forgot about that episode. Yeah, my story was real. I think that episode came out a year or two later after I got out of the park. The TPB really nailed trailer park life (real life being more depressing and violent of course).
My brother in law used to work in an off licence (booze store) so got to know a number of customers, some of which were drug addicts. They would steal from the local supermarket which was right next door. Things like expensive meats, cheese, coffee, spirits, etc. high value products which are easy to shove in a bag or jacket. They then go and knock on the door of anybody they remotely know who lives nearby, ask if they want to buy some cheap goods. Often about 50% off.
I know people who would buy this stuff. It’s usually stuff straight from the shop but I suppose you can never say for sure.
I doubt they sell it, I bet they go back to the same chain of stores and try and get a receipt-less return for cash.
No they sell it. I know, I’ve bought some
They sell to people they know. And they’re still in their packaging and you know they’ve recently stolen it, so why not. Really cheap too
What expensive cheese comes pre-packaged?
A lot where I live. It’s not like turbo fancy cheese but bigger pieces and stuff. It gets expensive.
Here (the Netherlands) the supermarket stuff is usually not great. For good cheese you go to a specialty shop or to the market and they’ll cut the cheese to order.
Ah, here in Finland such specialty stores are really rare
Because I don’t know if they’ve been storing it at the appropriate temperature for it not to spoil?
If it’s stolen the same day then there’s no huge risk, if you prepare it soon after. With cheese even less risk. But of course there’s always some risk buying stolen shit from junkies.
Often from what I know it goes like this: they owe money to someone, can’t pay it back because naturally all the money goes to drugs so instead they’ll steal shit for you. So you’d be sending them to steal specific expensive shit and would be waiting for it and know it’s stolen the same day and whatnot.
Though it’s fucking idiotic to loan money to junkies in the first place but I guess this way you’ll recoup some of it at least.
I just don’t understand why you’d steal stuff that easily spoils in order to resell it when there’s durable goods that don’t need an uninterrupted cooling chain, I guess.
They steal stuff that doesn’t spoil as well. It’s been on the news for a couple years now but laundry detergent. Shits expensive and never spoils.
Laundry detergent and baby formula are basically currency in some areas I’ve read.
Placement in the store, how easy it is to steal, how easy it is to offload etc. Food stuff like that is easy to steal and it’s not too cheap to not make it worth the effort but also not too expensive to make it harder to offload. Also even corner stores have that stuff so you can go to multiple places in one go, I’ve been told that’s an important factor. And those corner stores are often busier and less guarded.
What would you rather steal?
I bet there are restaurants that will. Especially if it’s still packaged.
Why is this downvoted? I personally watched a local foodbank handout kick out somebody because they found out she was a local restauranteur trying to score free food in bulk lol.
Yeah, I worked for a sketchy mom and pop restaurant and while I never witnessed it, I PROMISE they would buy stolen food to save a buck.
If I see someone stealing food, they could be stealing to sell it for drugs or they could be stealing to feed their hungry family. Why should I worry about the former when the latter is also a decent possibility?
I don’t know, worrying about it didn’t cross my mind
If you’re gonna steal cheese why wouldn’t you steal the best cheese?
Right, especially if you’re going to sell it. It used to be that you could sell the cheap stuff to Russia but even they aren’t buying it anymore.
How else are people supposed to get drugs
Could use the benefit money for it. Which they do. Welfare benefits in Finland are top notch, but yeah there’s never enough money for (enough) drugs. So lot of them do crime, burglaries, stealing from stores, stealing bikes and whatnot to get more money for (more) drugs.
It doesn’t make me very sympathetic to them stealing from a store though. It’s not like they’re stealing to not starve or something.
You’re not wrong.
You probably are getting a few downvotes from people in places like the US, who are more sympathetic to food theft because we have ridiculously thin social systems here that don’t care about peoples’ struggles but are first in line to dish out punishment.
If Finland’s welfare is that good, you’re probably right. Drugs are a cruel master and are never satisfied. :(
Yeah, it’s a situation where I feel for them being addicts and all, but with there being housing, access to rehab and all sorts of programs, food aid, ample benefits and so on, it’s harder to feel for them stealing to finance buying more drugs.