Wozza2404

I had a Do You Know That I'm Not... moment the other day.

I was on a 6W flight out of DME when the nice old Russian lady tried to strike up a conversation with me.

"I'm afraid I don't speak Russian."
"Babble"
"Yeah. Still don't speak Russian."
"Babble"
"Unless you can speak English or Spanish you're wasting your time, my love."
"Babble"

This continued for a good 30 minutes. She was all smiles and it didn't bother me at all, but I'd have loved to know what she was so animated about.

Yahillwe

And you called her "my love"

CCayley

Well if you really want to know...

As others have said, the conduct you have described does not amount to 'theft' (under English law at least) but this is not because property somehow has to continue to exist in order for it to be stolen. Theft only requires an 'appropriation' of property, which is effectively any act of treating it as if you were its owner, and would include consuming it (after which, as you suggest, it would cease to exist). The reason a theft charge would fail is because it is impossible to prove that the necessary intention permanently to deprive the owner of property is coincident with the dishonest appropriation of that property.

This lacuna in English Theft Act legislation was remedied in 1978 with the creation of the offence of 'making off without payment'. This made it an offence for anyone who, 'knowing that payment on the spot' for goods or services is required or expected, dishonestly makes off without paying and with intent to avoid payment. That is the crime the supermarket snaffler commits, and it is also the crime committed by people who leg it from a restaurant without paying. If you think about it, your views about what happens to food once consumed would make them equally innocent, but English law has the situation covered. If you're still not convinced, google the Theft Act 1978 and read section 3.

Wozza2404

...According to the adverts on my computer, all Russian women are looking for love?

darthlemsip

Not a flying related one, but this very morning Southeastern trains were being their usual rubbish self, with delays causing some very busy trains. While squeezing on, a booming voice at the next door along shouted out "I am the CEO of my company and I have a very important meeting, will you all move down NOW!"

He never made it on

MNManInKen

Did you have to push hard to keep him off?

Paralytic

What if you consume the item, but stay in the supermarket for the next day or so. Would the act of theft take place when the natural bodily processes causes what remains to exit, not the supermarket, but your body? Or when those remains are flushed and exit the supermarket perimeter?

Calchas

Once the item is consumed, it is part of your body, it no longer exists. The stuff that comes out at the other end is quite distinct from the original item, as you may in fact have noticed yourself

Paralytic

My local Tesco has a McDonalds inside it... Still confident on that point?

Tobias-UK

Unless it was sweetcorn

paul4040

A funny story I can share - and odd even considering your username!

I once saw a mother with toddler going round Tesco, with the toddler in the fold down seat on the trolley. The mother picked up a big bunch of bananas and bagged them, but not before taking one out and giving it to her little girl.

Once the girl had eaten the banana, the mother placed the empty skin back into the bag, weighed it, and went to pay for it!

HMO

Well, at least she paid for the skin...

jp-mco

Was on the 107 to DXB yesterday and as we were all sat at gate A10D (thanks for that BA) waiting for boarding to commence a man in his 40s walked up to the gate attendant in ththe FastTrack queue saying he wished to board. The lady said, "If you wouldn't mind waiting a few more minutes please Sir. We're just waiting for the buses." His reply, "But I'm in Business and the board says we can board now." She brought him over to the board where we were sitting and said, "It says Please Wait". Obviously feeling an idiot he said, "Well that's not what it says upstairs!" When they did eventually start boarding he moved faster than Usain Bolt to ensure his place in the queue. I just joined the back of the queue and I'll admit I did feel a bit smug when I walked past him on the way into First.

paulwuk

Not DYKWIA, another poor premium customer who's been lied to, but doesn't have the experience to realise that the work of fiction called departure boards are not to be trusted.

flieduk

But their "in first"! :P