Is it Stealing?

[geosheets]

Stealing or not, the right thing is to give the money back. Cashiers can have off days just like any of the rest of us and they are almost always held accountable for their overages or shortages. Many cashiers (especially at convenience type stores) have a lot of other responsibilities other than just making change.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, it's stealing. I have a son who always had a murky thinking about what was his and what was his brother's. He would say he found it, so it was his, or he was just borrowing it. My question was always this: Is it yours? No? Then you found someone else's thing~give it back. Did you ask before you borrowed it? No? Then you are stealing it until you ask~ask before using.

 

[Welsummer Rancher]

Quote:
Your friend is wrong. Her "reasoning" is a cop out.

 

[NuttyForNucks]

I had a friend who did the same thing buying a cd. He gave the guy a $20 bill and got back change for a $100. He said he knew it was too much as soon as it hit his hand, so he pocketed it quick and left the store. I said it was stealing and he should take it back, that the kid would probably lose his job over it. Nothing doing, because he'd needed some work done on his car, that happened to cost almost exactly the $80 he'd gotten by mistake, so he said it was just his lucky day. I told him it would come back and bite him on the tush, and he just laughed.

Well, the fly by night repair shop screwed his car up; his $80 repair ended up destroying his transmission, reverse was gone within days and the car itself didn't last much longer.

Karma, she's a meanie! Because it IS stealing.

 

[Frosty]

I need to go to our local gas station... DH wrote a check for $70, but when I was balancing the checkbook I found that the check was cleared for $20. I need to find out who was shorted, him or his bank? I called our bank first and they didn't really seem anxious to straighten it out. There is no way that I can keep the extra $50.

 

[Mattemma]

I don't even pay attendtion to the change,but if I did I would give back what was not mine.Rich or poor I feel taking from another like that is so inappropriate.

I do however let the kids keep change they find on the ground IF it is not by the register,or you don't see the person who lost it.In those cases you pick it up and give it to the person.

 

[bakerjw]

Knowingly taking a penny more than is due is theft IMHO.

 

[Lifesong Farm]

IMO it is stealing. Just like if someone drops money and you pick it up and keep it. (Which I did have happen last summer and because of it my lights were shut off.)
When I was 20 I went to the bank and cashed my check. I normally deposited my money but I didn't that day because I was driving right by the place that held my car loan. When I went to pay my loan I noticed that I had an extra hundred stuck to another hundred. The money was counted 4 times before it was noticed. I called my credit union and and told them what had happened and I was on my way back. When I got there the teller was in an office crying. I later found out that if I wouldn't have brought the money back she would have been fired.

 

[chickensioux]

I give it back. It's not mine.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Everyone makes mistakes, but keeping the money isn't a mistake, it's theft. It is taking advantage of someone else's mistake.

Just for kicks, I asked my kids this question. At 9 and thirteen, they have a better moral compass than the OP's friend. Even they knew it was not for them to keep.