Shoplifter conjures a half-baked excuse for stealing a charger from a convenience store, then books it when he's caught red-handed: ‘"I put them there because my hands were tired"’

Author image for Lana DeGaetano
Lana DeGaetano • "Show me to me please."
Nov 15, 2025 12:00 PM EST

You'd think that if someone were doing something illegal, they'd at least try a bit harder to be good at it.

Shoplifting is bad, as you all probably know. Yeah, shocker. "No stealing" is featured in the bible, the Ayurvedic texts, and your 2nd grader's student handbook. It's a universal sentiment that everyone should follow, but many do not. Some of you may have shoplifted before, and you probably feel guilty about it. Or, you don't. Bad to the bone, aren't you?

The point is, if you're an employee on the other side of a shoplifting scenario, you have no clue what you should do. Many retail associates are told to call the cops and let the perps get away. Night shift gas station workers probably have a crowbar and are waiting to use it on the next knuckhead who meanders in with bad karma.

The shoplifter in the story below couldn't even get out the door before an employee noticed the shoplifted item sticking out of their pocket. Their excuse? Oh, their hands were tired. Scroll to read the entire hilarious scenario.

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  • 01
    EET P tick Powd
    via Brittany Bendabout for Unsplash

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    "‘I only put it in my pocket because my hands were tired!’ Yeah, sure."

    Hey, everyone! It's certainly been a bit of a minute since I've last posted. This just happened and it makes me want to roll my eyes.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 03
    The convenience store was pretty dead until this one guy comes in and looks around the store for a little bit.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 04
    We have a small display of chargers and USB cords by the exit door and he grabs a random one and proceeds to look around the store for a bit more.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 05
    Well, it looked like he was getting ready to leave and was headed to the exit.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 06
    I happened to be walking over in that direction to do a cleaning task as he was headed to the door.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 07
    The charger he grabbed was sticking right out of his pant pocket as well as a small thing of ice cream sticking out from his sweatshirt pocket.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10576130816
    via Mac Care for Unsplash

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 09
    He didn't even do a very good job at hiding them. He was just opening the door and about to step out when I asked him if he was going to pay for them.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 10
    Oooooh! Busted! He flinched and turned around and attempted to play dumb. He asked me "Pay for what?" I told him the charger and ice cream not so subtly sticking out of his pockets.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 11
    He then said "Oh! Yeah! I put them there because my hands were tired and I needed to rest them." I didn't believe him at all.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 12
    He reluctantly followed me to the counter and I scanned the items. I told him the total and he put a card in the card reader.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 13
    It didn't go through. Declined! He asked me if he could wait outside to wait for his partner to send him the money to pay for it.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 14
    He didn't really wait for me to answer. He ran out the door and just booked it.
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 15
    BelphoebelnTheWoods charger I can see as a viable thing to steal, but ice-cream? One that can't even fit? WOW not only is he bad for stealing, he's bad at stealing too.
    via BelphoebeInTheWoods
  • 16
    PurpleBirdieLady623 Agreed. He was a shitty thief
    via PurpleBirdieLady623
  • 17
    SaffronMoony He's the full package: bad at math, bad at crime, and apparently auditioning for 'most awkward pocket job.
    via SaffronMoony
  • 18
    Mental_Tea_4493 As a former casher when I was a youngster, there are really dumb theft out there. Sometimes, you would let them go just out of pity
    via Mental_Tea_4493
  • 19
    cozyprinceess Classic "hands were tired" defense some people don't even try to make it believable.
    via cozyprinceess

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Tags

customer service entitled customer workplace-stories shoplifting work customers terrible customers anti-theft reddit story customer entitled customers workplace reddit thread Reddit theft
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