Will I get prosecuted for buying stolen food?
Posted by TheGorgieGeorgie7492@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 63 comments
Quite often, we get 'door to door salesmen' knocking on our door trying to sell, what is obviously stolen groceries. I have bought three big blocks of cheddar cheese for a fiver and four tins of Nescafé coffee for a tenner in the past year. Last week was tuna steaks and some kind of beef steaks, 3 for a tenner. I didn't have cash in the house, but even if I did, I think I would've declined his bargain offer. He was quite clearly under the influence of some kind of substance and I knew what my money was going to be spent on. I also had a clear idea that the goods on offer were stolen.
If I had accepted his offer, would I be likely to be prosecuted by the police?
Zealousideal-Low3388@reddit
The police don’t prosecute, that’s the CPS.
The police are absolutely not allocating their scarce resources to investigate you buying a tenner’s worth of shoplifted goods. They’re not even going to investigate the theft, let alone the afters.
If for some bizarre reason they did, the CPS are absolutely not wasting their budget or adding to the massive backlog in the courts because you bought four cans of instant coffee from the local gearhead.
There’s a thing that happens where the CPS decline to prosecution as it isn’t in the public interest, this is one of those
burnrobe@reddit
Don't get it twisted... The police don't care where the prosecution comes from.. in fact they see non criminals as targets as they seem them more likely to fall for their tactics.. each individual officer doesn't care about your specific situation... Rather if they can get a conviction against you that adds a check to their resume...
Zealousideal-Low3388@reddit
I’ve got nothing twisted.
No police officer in this country can prosecute anyone for anything: that’s what the Crown Prosecution Service do. I can beat a police officer’s dog to death in front of him, he can’t prosecute me, he literally has no power to do so. An individual police officer cannot prosecute anyone, they cannot order or induce the Crown Prosecution Service to do so.
The police can arrest, investigate and compile a report, at which point the CPS will determine if a prosecution is viable and in the public interest. I assure you, nobody is being prosecuted for the actions OP describe. And if you don’t believe that, court proceeds are generally public record, you can check
Oh and we don’t have “checks” on “resumes” in this country. Let alone as some kind of prosecutorial quota system for individual police officers.
Don’t get it twisted: that word soup you posted is absolute horseshit
mdzmdz@reddit
"I can beat a police officer’s dog to death in front of him, he can’t prosecute me, he literally has no power to do so."
He could apply for a Private Prosecution, as can any citizen. The issue that we have is that CPS can choose to take on/over that Private Prosectution then choose to end it.
Zealousideal-Low3388@reddit
So again, that police officer can’t personally prosecute in his role as a police officer
My point absolutely stands
burnrobe@reddit
You don't know what you are talking about .. you are talking from rose tinted point of view... You clearly have never had to interact with the police on this level or you would share the same view... How misguided do you have to be to believe they are on your (the people's) side at this point... You just believe whatever you are told or what?
laughinggrvy@reddit
Yep, this. Council/government don't have the resources.
I work a store that has frequent shoplifters. We're supposed to do a bit of local theatre chasing them. I don't really care, it's just a headache logging the missing shit. If the company cared, they'd employ better loss prevention methods. But they'd rather eat the losses than have more staff or other deterrents. I'm not getting stabbed over some washing pods on min wage that they stupidly insist are shelved near the front door.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Who would know?
space_absurdity@reddit
Only themselves. Supporting an addict and a criminal 🤷🏻♂️
MisticalMulberry@reddit
There’s worse people go support than a cheese thief
worldworn@reddit
There was a study in England around arrests for shoplifting which showed that the majority was linked to drug addiction.
As someone who has friends and family who work in retail, I've heard so often that these "cheese thieves", can be violent, aggressive and make lives miserable.
It's never a one off, they come back month after month.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
It’s always friends and family, never yourselves.
Do you have a link to the study?
worldworn@reddit
Only because you choose not to engage with people dealing with this day to say. Reddit has thousands of stories of people having to deal with shoplifters.
There are videos every day online from people dealing with this, just because you don't have first hand experience. Doesn't make it not real.
This isn't even just one study, it is an established understanding of anyone who knows anything about shoplifting.
This is from the parliament page, 70% linked to class a users.
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5802/cmselect/cmhaff/141/14108.htm
There are also studies in adolescents, where drug use and self harm where known predecessors to shoplifting. The ucl picks up on this.
https://cls.ucl.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Shoplifting-and-neighbourhood-crime-at-age-17-CLS-Policy-Briefing.pdf
Or try searching operation zoridon, a massive push against shoplifting in 2025.
"Superintendent Luke Baldock said: "Shoplifting is not a victimless crime and the gangs involved are organised and have links to drugs and violence. "Rogue shopkeepers who trade in stolen goods are funding criminal activity and driving up costs for everyone."
There are hundreds of other examples if these aren't good enough.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Sorry, do you have a link to the study you were referencing earlier?
worldworn@reddit
Did you read the links? There is one of the studies link there.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Yes, but you seemed like you were referencing a more specific study. Not the ones you linked. Nvm tho
worldworn@reddit
There was one that showed a 60% correlation, but the one I linked is the report / evidence of another study that was slightly more recent and indicated a 70% correlation.
Both were reputable sources. I don't have the link but I'm sure it's findable.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Not the same thing as your initial comment but I get it
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Who told you I don’t have first hand experience working retail lol? Thanks for the links
worldworn@reddit
Then why bemoan people speaking up for others in retail?
MisticalMulberry@reddit
It’s not people, it’s just you
Objective_Purpose768@reddit
Yep. A Chief Thief.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Any relation to chief keef?
space_absurdity@reddit
Oh, OK. Great. Thanks.
MisticalMulberry@reddit
Np ☺️
Amazing-Heron-105@reddit
Addict is going to get the money somehow and there are worse crimes I guess
worldworn@reddit
No, but reconsider buying it.
For one you have no idea if it's safe to eat and for two the majority of shoplifting is linked to drug addiction.
Obvious-Water569@reddit
Technically you can be.
The chances that you actually will be are statistically zero.
Throwaway187493@reddit
Nah. You had no clue they were stolen just that someone had too much food and had to get rid of some
mdzmdz@reddit
Still with the security tags on?
Throwaway187493@reddit
Sure that means nothing in all honesty. Staff leaves them on sometimes.
Buh_Snarf@reddit
Unlikely to get caught.
However, I'd avoid buying from them as you have no idea how long they've had the goods. For example, the meat could have been out of the chiller in the sun all day.
Not worth risking your health for cheap meat.
peppermint_aero@reddit
That's my feeling. Unlikely to be a legal risk but probably not the safest food to buy?
New_Libran@reddit
Yeah, absolutely disgusting and dangerous to buy something like that from some junkie
heroics-delta8s@reddit
You are much easier target than the shoplifter. CPS would fill their underpants with joy to get a middle class house owner purchasing stolen goods. “If there wasn’t people who would buy the stolen goods, nobody would steal them”. Prosecuting you would give publicity to discourage other normally law abiding people from taking the risk, whilst the drugged out scrote with a hundred offences to his name wouldn’t care less.
mdzmdz@reddit
No.
Morally though it's the same as having stolen it yourself without having the bottle to do so.
Food gets a bit "ambiguous" around need/want so I'll change subject slightly to how people in a different sub to say how they've bought a "bargain second hand bike", while also bemoaning the fact that without a multitude of locks it's going to get nicked.
I know times are hard, and there's some a reasonable view that some rich cunts have all the money - but even in this secular society do people not think that it's wrong to steal?
Belle_TainSummer@reddit
They have to prove you bought it knowing it was stolen. Then it is Handling Stolen Goods, but if you bought it in good faith and didn't know, or they cannot prove that you knew, the worst they can do is confiscate any of it you have not already eaten.
Although, having said that, the cops really do not care about the end user of stolen food. They want the people who are running the gangs. They don't even really care about the shoplifters either, just the bosses. If the cops come calling, you didn't know, you didn't ask, you presumed it was an honest trader, and they didn't tell you otherwise. If they put you under caution, then shut the fuck up and ask for the duty solicitor because that is the sign they are thinking of charging you.
FreeBogwoppits@reddit
No risk of prosecution, but you have identified yourself to the local junky as a willing source of cash.
ActionBirbie@reddit
Probably not, but you are more likely to have your house robbed by the junkies you socialise with now.
rustynoodle3891@reddit
The names bind, Jim Bind. Licence to ... do absolutely nothing. It's not legal but you're fine. And watch out for meat you have no idea how long it's been out of the fridge.
I once haggled with a guy who had a litre of jack Daniels to sell. My reckoning was he paid nothing, his reasoning was I was standing behind a bar. I was buying it for myself. Got him down to £10 which I reasoned was enough to get him a stone. We both ended up with what we wanted.
It's a horrible business because you encourage theft and therefore drug use, but to be fair I would only have spent that money on drugs or alcohol so who am I to judge?
htimchis@reddit
Thats always my response to friends and coworkers who question why I give my spare chamge to the beggars outside the Tesco express by the station "Do I realise he's only going to spend it on drugs? Of course I do - what do you think I was going to apend it on..."
rustynoodle3891@reddit
Yeah I've forgotten which comedian said that but it's quite true. I'm in my nice warm house and use substances to escape. If I was homeless I'd be a thousand times worse!
cherrycocoakoala@reddit
Police didn't even investigate when we had video evidence of a person we could identify stealing my flatmates phone. I doubt they're going to prosecute someone for buying a couple of blocks of cathedral city. Realistically? No. Legally? Yes they could do you for handling stolen goods.
Any-Ticket8795@reddit
Lol true they hardly prosecute the shoplifters and OP is further removed
Bec21-21@reddit
I’d be more worried about what you might be buying than getting caught for buying stolen goods. Some kind of beef could be anything- including things not fit for human consumption, or no longer fit.
outdoorgirl2@reddit
My concern for you is that if the food was unrefrigerated, it could lead to food poisoning. Glad you declined the animal protein.
Apprehensive-Top3675@reddit
If you knew or believed that it was stolen, in theory you could be prosecuted for handling stolen goods. It is exceedingly unlikely that that would actually happen.
iffyClyro@reddit
You can be guilty of reset even if you buy something in good faith, find out later that it was stolen and still keep it.
Connect_Remote2890h@reddit
we have a sh*it load of cherry knockers in our area selling their wares. one particular day i had no cash so couldnt buy anything. good thing too as a few minutes after their visit, it was followed by another visit - a couple of police officers. ii received a very stern 'word of advice' that people receiving and buying stolen goods get a stiffer punishment so as a mum of several children i should think of them. i said i am. my money is tight so i would have been buying the large 'special priced' bars of chocolate for my kids as treats for them! safe to say i warned the knockers not to knock on my door again!!
Sad-Grade6972@reddit
No, probably not with no actual proof you were complicit in the theft; though the police might be keen to give you some words of advice. For future reference, it's worth thinking of the supermarkets and their staff here as it's not a victimless crime; I work for one of them. Many people just think of wastage and record profits, assume that they're insured for theft, and that they can afford to take it on the chin. The reality is that there's no insurance for theft and no budget to negate for unknown losses. Individual stores are deemed by the company responsible for protecting their own stock, and the budgets and margins within branches are a hell of a lot slimmer than people realise. Theft is completely off the scale these days, and it's the shop staff who suffer as a result. When our bottom line drops, stores reduce labour budgets, but with the same work, stop recruiting, ban overtime, they delay spending on maintenance, equipment, etc. So it's always the people at the bottom that suffer, not the top brass and shareholders!
Trojanguido@reddit
CPS would have to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt that you was aware the goods were stolen. That’s a challenge without absolute proof and as others have advised they don’t have those resources. You would have to also consider what the public interest would be for such an action
iffyClyro@reddit
It’s not entirely outwith the realms of possibility but it’s unlikely.
Tend to only go for “reset” when it’s higher value stuff.
A lot of English forces are barely bothering with the primary offence of theft.
Source: Ten years in the Police(but in Scotland).
achey85@reddit
Technically yes, realistically no, and an addict will always find the way to get money might aswell have some cheap food out of it
Amazing-Heron-105@reddit
Nah police got better stuff to do with their time that chasing people buying knocked off cheese.
Zealousideal-Air574@reddit
You are probably being tracked by MI5/FVEY
LubeTornado@reddit
Bond's on the way to beat the shit outta you OP. If you hear the roar of a V12...run
Vertigo_uk123@reddit
Budget cuts and wokeness mean he is driving an ev now
GeggingIn@reddit
Should be alright.
We frequently buy Cathedral City from junkies and the po po still haven’t cracked the case.
Virtual_Opinion_8630@reddit
They haven't figured out the new peel off?
typical
GeggingIn@reddit
Bent coppers.
Euphoric-Basis-971@reddit
Probably not. They’re stretched thin as it is.
Shot_Net3794@reddit
I know people who've done this quite a few times with food like meat. They've never been caught and honestly, the police won't care that you bought frozen chicken or chocolate that was stolen
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