The story... I was in an Asian mans corner shop buying milk and bread along with the paper and I saw a black guy put something under his jacket... he looked very suspicious so I told the asian shop keeper I thought the black guy was trying to steal something...
When the asian shop keepers son approached him he panicked and tried to run.. he was restrained and the shop keeper called the police. In the struggle he dropped a packet of cadburys chocolate fingers from under his coat which we all saw. Then the police arrived and he was questioned. He said I lied and I was racist because he was black and I was picking on him....
It turned out he was realeased later that night without charge.... my question is... Am I racist for dobbing him in? and how come he can say that and virtually get off scott free.... it's no wonder there are so many criminals about when they are simply cautioned..
2006-11-05 08:45:31 · 44 answers · asked by the truth 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
No this does not mean you are racist.
I wish more people would report on people thieving from shops, it is not a victim-less crime.
Probably he was released because
a, the police couldn't be bothered with all the paperwork.
b, The store keepers were not prepared to give evidence against him, for whatever reason.
c, there wasn't enough evidence, he simply denied he had taken anything, and no-one would give evidence to the contrary.
d, However you say he was cautioned, this suggests his guilt. If he was cautioned, chances are the police requested the store to allow a caution. A record of the caution will remain with the police, and can be used to charge him if he does similar again.
Thanks to you he never got away with it, and he never got away with the chocolate fingers either. A caution in this case may have been the best crime prevention action.
2006-11-05 09:14:21 · answer #1 · answered by Sprinkle 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The only way to answer that is to ask another question. If the guy was white and you saw him do that would you do the same thing?
From what you say there I'd say you would so no in that particular instance you weren't being racist.
Unfortunately some people from ethnic minorities use the race card when they want to get out of trouble. Not that I'm saying they are the only people who would steal or get in bother. Far from it. It's just that white people can't play the race card so have to make up other lies to cover for them being thieving gits.
2006-11-05 08:57:14 · answer #2 · answered by Martin G 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you’re a honest citizen, instead of beating yourself up about this you should be patting yourself on the back.
I doubt the police believed his BS about you being racist since the Asian shop keeper and his son had also seen the biscuits drop out of his coat. He probably got released cause the police can’t really take him to court for stealing a packet of biscuits.
2006-11-05 21:37:45 · answer #3 · answered by Bella 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, this does not make you racist - you would have done the same thing, if he wasn't black, wouldn't you? Was he right to call you racist - no, he wasn't, but he wasn't right to steal either, so, don't take offence from a person as him. Why did they let him go - well, it happens, there was no proof. And to be honest, it would not be right for someone to go to jail for being rude and an unsuccessful thief.
However, he would most probably try to do it again, and finally will get caught - black, white or green :)
2006-11-05 18:52:03 · answer #4 · answered by Eve 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are not racist, just acting as a good citizen. There is a trend nowadays where people of ethnic groups play the racist card whenever they want something or to simply get their own way. Most people are too afraid of the PC brigade to push it further when this happens.
I personally am sick of this and have noticed that others are starting to become more angry with these groups which is creating tension. This is not a racist thing, its simply a reaction to a section of the population who are seen to be flouting the laws.
2006-11-05 09:07:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm sure you'd have dobbed him in whatever his racial origins. The man was a thief. The reason the police had to release him was lack of evidence. They weren't there to witness this act of attempted theft and as the chocolate fingers had fallen to the floor he could easily have come up with some yarn about knocking them off the shelf by accident!
Just imagine how much worse it might have looked for you if he'd nicked a box of Black Magic instead!
2006-11-05 08:56:04 · answer #6 · answered by Doethineb 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No your not racist if the shop was full of black people and it was a white man you would have said white all this is getting mad when I was young the lad over the road was Ranjit and the girl on the other street Diane was Jamaican I am a white woman they were friends colour didn't come into it we all played together and all got told off the same
2006-11-05 09:02:00 · answer #7 · answered by Bernie c 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No it doesnt at all, after all you were in an asian persons shop to start with, if you were racist surely you wouldnt have been in there. Its just something people can say now a days and play on it. In a round about way you could call him racist for assuming you were a racist......He said that because your not of the same creed and colour
2006-11-05 08:53:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
This has nothing to do with racism. You know yourself why you did what you did and you know whether you would have done the same had he been a white man. The reason he was cautioned was prob because it was only a packet of cadbury's fingers and whilst it is indeed a crime, it would cost the tax payer thousands of pounds to take the man to court over something that cost less than £2. That is the reality of the criminal justice system I am afraid.
2006-11-05 08:50:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
The guy called you a racist because you had put him in a corner by exposing him as a thief. As a retailer myself I find that when someone is caught shoplifting they will do and say anything to get out of the situation they are in. His hope was that his comment would take the emphasis off him and onto you. To know if you are a racist you have to look into your heart, only you can truly answer that question. If you find that there is a little there don't beat yourself up about it there is a little in all of us.
2006-11-05 08:54:05 · answer #10 · answered by ? 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋