Would this be a criminal offence?

GGizmo · Monday at 14:58

You go into your local shop and see Bob at the counter.

You ask to buy this month's edition of "Sexy Overclockers" at £2.

You give Bob a £5 note.

As you both are chatting he gives you £3.50 in loose change.

You leave the shop.

Have you committed a criminal offence?

Would the shop be able to demand 50p back from you on another occasion?

Richie · Monday at 15:00

Did you know you were given too much change prior to leaving the shop?

Ayahuasca · Monday at 15:01

pepp77 · Monday at 15:04

If you knew you had an extra 50p and didnt say anything then surely it would be a form of misappropriation of funds

Feek · Monday at 15:08

GGizmo said:
You ask to buy this month's edition of "Sexy Overclockers" at £2.

Subscribe, it's only £20 for the year, saving you £4 instead of buying it over the counter and it ships in a plain envelope.

Richie · Monday at 15:12

Theft has an "intent" factor in it. SOmething along the lines of "taking something with the intent of depriving the owner, even temporarily" or words to that effect.

IANAL but, in this example, no theft is committed right upto the point you realise what has happened and then continue to keep the money if it is likely the shop owner made a genuine mistake.

GreatAuk · Monday at 15:14

It's too late, 8Pack is on his way to your location already.

He's going to give you a special lesson in hard piping

dave28 · Monday at 15:16

just keep saying "no comment" or ramble on like a mad fool.

Oh wait, that only works if your called Trump.

FBi7 · Monday at 15:36

The Theft Act 1968 defines theft as "Dishonest appropriation of property belonging to another, with the intention of permanently depriving the other of it."

As stated above, there has to be intent. Up until the point you discover you have 50p too much, you have committed no crime.

However, once you spot the shopkeeper's mistake and you don't return the 50p to him, you've committed theft.

tom_e · Monday at 15:38

Please check your change before leaving mistakes cannot be rectified after.

jeffspuds · Monday at 15:38

best stock up on the KY

danoliver1 · Monday at 15:42

jeffspuds said:
best stock up on the KY

It's all been bought by the 5090 crew.

jeffspuds · Monday at 15:43

danoliver1 said:
It's all been bought by the 5090 crew.

now i really feel deep for the OP.

MissChief · Monday at 15:46

I once got a £20 note back instead of £10 and went to say something and was advised they don’t give incorrect change and all sales are final. I smiled, told them they’d given me too much change and walked out, followed by what I assume was the manager asking me to stop.

Malevolence · Monday at 16:02

tom_e said:
Please check your change before leaving mistakes cannot be rectified after.

Came to post the exact same thing.

adidan · Monday at 16:09

Bob should be more careful.

Zefan · Monday at 16:11

If you were a shop it would matter, but I'm certainly not, and word on the street is you aren't either.

arknor · Monday at 16:48

GGizmo said:
Have you committed a criminal offence?

don't thjese shops usually have a hand written sign on display about checking your change before you leave the shop...

works both ways... who cares what the law says.

it's on the shop keeper to check what he's doing, at my local the guys are always sitting on a phone, they don't even pause the call....

marinersfan · Monday at 16:53

£50 I'd say something, 50p no.

SimonRigga · Monday at 17:08

marinersfan said:
£50 I'd say something, 50p no.

50p i'd probably say something.... £50.. defintely not