is stealing office supplies from work any different than shoplifting?

Answer 1

So that's where my stapler went!!!!

Answer 2

Theft (Stealing) has the same legal definition whether it is done in the office or at the supermarket. In most jusrisdiction there has to be a few ingredients to the offence; firstly, there has to be a deprivation of a property (it must be a movable object), and secondly that property has to belong to another (if it does not belong to a third party or if it is something that is abandon or belongs to the common public, it is not theft - so picking up flowers from the park is not theft or taking things from the dustbin is not theft but you may fall foul of other laws - usually some minor ones), then there must also be an intention (a mental state that must co-exist at the time of the act of deprivation) to permanently deprived the said property (so that mere borrowing will not be considered theft). So it does not matter whether it is office supplies or a carrot; the value and the nature of the object is immaterial.

Answer 3

The operative word is "stealing". Theft is the same morally in whatever context. But white collar thieves who steal millions from anonymous victims through insider information and market manipulation, and monopoly and price-fixing are rarely punished. And when they are punished it's rarely like the Enron crooks -- commensurate with what they stole.

But wrongful taking of something already in your custody may be embezzlement (a serious crime) or it may be "conversion" (a minor misdemeanor) and may be effectively nothing ("ne minimus non curat lex").

It depends on what is taken: a pen? a few sheets of paper? or something of substantial value: a computer?

And also it matters what the employer's attiutde is. A small business may not care if you take a ream of paper or a box of highlighters. Taking those from a government office may be ignored, but is no different really from someone off the street entering city hall, or a social security office, and stealing the same thing.

Air miles are an interesting issue: for years the Federal Government held that air miles accrued on Government business were Government property, to be used on future official flights (except where the employee retired, when that was impossible). I understand Congress legislated differently not long ago; and it also passed a law years ago saying they are not taxable income. Or so I recall. (I do not live in the USA.)

Answer 4

Shoplifting is done deliberately with the intention to do it. where as stealing office supplies from work is done due to the opportunity one gets. Both are stealing only but catching the office criminals is very difficuilt because one has to draw a line what amounts to stealing and what is not because taking paper or floppy to house for continuing the work could also trigger a misconception of stealing office supplies.

Answer 5

It depends what you are taking. Generally speaking, you shouldn't have the right to take office supplies which are provided for the workers to be able to do their job, not as a perk for you. It depends also on the company policy on resources. If they are strict about it, which most companies are, then you shouldn't do it.

Some of the more senior office staff might be able to have more freedom to take supplies for themselves without consequence, but if you are at the bottom of the ladder, I wouldn't try it.

It's not the same as shoplifting, in my opinion, though, in that you are unlikely to get prosecuted for it - just sacked.

Answer 6

If you accidentally go home w/ a pencil ? NO, If you're there at 2 AM taking soap, garbage bags, and light bulbs THEN YES ! and I've seen it done, we had one guy, his name was "Grieves" A.K.A "THEIVES", used to steal everything when he was on mid-nights, he stole a snow blower once (maybe twice), I no longer work there, I saw the stupid "Co. Newsletter" of him getting a reward when Retiring, I laughed my azz off, the guy one time pointed at me (I had a not so secret pot habit), and made reference to my habit, I told him "Say what you want about me azz wipe, YOU ARE A THIEF", his eyes got really big and said "What did you say", got in my face, so I let out "EL KABONG" on his head, these people were such ********, I had 3 fights before I quite, Yea, fist fights, I hate a two bit theif !

Answer 7

Yes, if it's a substantial amount of supplies. If it's like 3 ink cartridges, that adds up. If it's 50 paperclips, then I guess you're not leaving a dent in the office budget.

Answer 8

In addition to theft, which both are, by stealing office supplies which are somehow entrusted to you, you are also deceiving this trust.

Answer 9

Shoplifting is done on a thrill! But theft is done out of necessity!!

That is what ai understood all these days!

Answer 10

Nope. Theft is theft. If people are caught stealing it doesn't matter where it happened.

Answer 11

Different term but same activity.