Have You Ever Forgotten to Pay for Something and Been Arrested???? UPDATE...

Ive been accused of trying to steal, but not arrested for it. My daughter was laying on a pillow in the cart that i didnt pay for and i was about to walk out the door. I can easily see myself being too distracted to put items from the bottom of the cart on top. they arent very concealed to other people but if mom is pushing the basket with a baby in it, it completely blocks the veiw of all or part of the bottom of the cart.

LOL.it was pretty obvious i was busy and it slipped my mind, but some store clerks can be heavy handed with a pathetic idea of power.

Ha ha I just did this today. Mind you I had my two kids with me (3.5 & 2) and am 16 weeks preggo so mama brain has been an issue this last week. But I put a box of diapers on the bottom of the cart and totally forgot about it. Paid for the rest of my cart and walked right out.

Had the kids in the carseats and started unloading the cart and realized I never paid for the diapers. I thought for a minute about just going with it. No one tracked me down or came after me. But figured this is not how I was raised and want my kids to be raised knowing whats right or wrong too. So I unbuckled them out of there seats put them back in the cart and headed back to the store and paid for the diapers.

Scary thing is no one even noticed, makes me wonder how many people actually really do forget. and then on top of that how many truly do this on purpose....Honestly sounds like to me she just forgot, but that's coming from someone who just did the exact same thing....

Edit: Thought for sure this was the W. who left her kid with you overnight. Thanks for the clarification. Glad to hear you have a client that pays in advance!!! :)

I forgot to pay for the soda under my cart - I noticed, went back into the store and paid for it.

This mom has been a thorn in your side for a while now. You keep accepting her excuses and you keep allowing her to take advantage of you. This might not have been the first time she "made the mistake"...

While the child/ren might be better off in your care - you don't need the drama. Have her find another care giver and be done with her.

Good luck!!

Hey, for all we know, this woman could "forget" to pay for items twice per week!

But, no, it's never happened to me. Especially if my child is NOT with me. He could disorient the best among us!

Hm. I am inclined to think this isn't true either.....remember it was just last week that the "big news" was the story that Dawn B mentioned. So....I dunno, but it could be the "inspiration" for an excuse. The grocery clerk should have SOME responsibility in seeing groceries in a cart. Especially when handing over the bagged items. POSSIBLE, but sounds sketchy to me...but I wasn't there so I can't say anything for sure.
However, when I'm mad or in a situation, I DO NOT cry. I cry in the shower once all is safe and well again. So that is stupid. What, she's a girl so she needs to turn on the waterworks?

I accidentally missed a piece of fruit that was in the top small area (behind where my purse was). I didn't notice it until I was finished putting my groceries in my car and picked up my purse.

But did they arrest me? Umm wellll no. They didn't. (I didn't keep the orange, either).

I tend to agree with the others, you aren't getting the straight story.
I have come closer to forgetting to get something from the bottom of the cart when loading the stuff into my car (a multipack of toilet tissue or paper towels, or a bag of charcoal or dog food).... but I usually load those items on the belt first and if I forgot them, I'm sure the bagboys would notice...

Can't say I've ever forgotten to pay for the items on the bottom of my cart.
There ARE however, a lot of stories in the news on a fairly regular basis (not the TV news, but the crime report in the newspaper) where people have secreted packs of meat in their clothing and left without paying...

Funnily enough...

when I have 'forgotten' things...

have been when the baggers have 'bagged' my stuff...and THEY have forgotten the dog food OR case of soda in the original cart...all scanned 'in' mind you...

AND...I have gone back EACH time...receipt in hand...and gotten 'my' goods...

Could be it 'works' the other way too...

Best luck!
michele/cat

I've mystery shopped in CA and the impression I have is it's the clerks responsibility to check the bottom rack. A coup of the mystery shops was to put something in the bottom rack of the cart to see if the clerk caught it and if you got out you were supposed to take it back and let customer service at the store know about it then pay or return it. Now, I don't think they'd be paying $8 a shop to do something that might get you arrested........Sounds suspicious to me too... I have not forgotten to pay (accept during the mystery shop). Sadly I've left items in the bottom of the cart after loading the rest into my car.....

I have forgotten things in the bottom of the cart on occasion (when shopping with a toddler and a preschooler with me) and so many other moms I know have also. There was recently a story in the news about someone being arrested but it seems like so many people have done it accidentally and most of the time no one noticed.

Sorry L., I ain't buying what she's sellin'. I bet there's more to the story than she's saying.

Its easy to forget stuff in your cart, just like you said she was on the phone. I forgot to put icecream that i had put in the seat of the cart next to the baby carrier. I couldnt see it unloading from the back end of the cart. The cashier was like and the ice cream. I was so confused. I told her i didnt want to eat it right now, you know like when they ask you if you want your candy bar or water out. lol I felt pretty dumb.
I've also been followed around by security at a store because i put items in the basket of my stroller.
Scary about the dad!

Whether her story is true or not, I don't know!
However, I will mention that a lady in town got SHOT by a constable (why a metro city needs them is beyond me - but he's a wannabe cop) and he states that WalMart security (who he sometimes works for) told him she was shoplifting. He ran after her, no one knows if he identified himself, she jumps in vehicle and does run over his foot (presume as in backing out of spot) - and he fires at her!?!? Hit her arm and face! Last I heard, she was not charged or arrested, but needless to say, atty's are involved! (google WalMart, Whitlock, Louisville and you'll probably find stories)

really funny on this is that both the wanna-be and the lady have rap sheets!

I'm not so sure I would fall for that.