stealing from an employer

I used to steal small things from time to time in places like Dollar stores, but my major theft did not start until I started working in a ladies clothing store. My first year I did not steal anything. I began stealing underwear from the store. Some of the underwear were 18 dollars and I wanted them so badly but could not justify buying them. I stole from them for four more years. Honestly, I cannot believe they never caught on to me. Once I had stuffed some underwear in the false lining of my purse and while a coworker was checking my bag it came open but she did not see the underwear. I would put jeans and sweaters on under my regular clothes, and I wore spanx to stuff small items in and smooth them out under my clothes. I do not work there anymore, but I work at a department store that has a loss prevention team and I am now having the urges to steal, I feel like I want just one little thing, but I know stealing from a dept. store is the easiest way to get caught so I havent taken anything yet and hopefully I won't.

I have only been caught once stealing and that was in a Kroger store. I think the employees were onto me because one day a girl 'bumped' into me as I was stealing. Then one unlucky day, I heard an employee paging someone over the intercom but I didn't think anything of it. I paid for my stuff (I never steal without buying anything) and went to exit the store and a man caught me on my way out. I dont know why I even went back into the store. I should have abandoned the stolen items and left. Technically I had not left store property with the items yet. I was fined a hundred dollars and had my picture taken. I do not go back to that Kroger or the other one, but there is another in town that I am not noticeable in so I go to that one, I am almost ashamed to admit, I have stolen from there after being caught, but only small things like nail polishes that can be stuffed in my bra.

My 'favorite' place to steal is walmart. I go there almost twice a week. Just last week I took some loafers and a pair of jeggings.

I know I need to stop stealing before I get in serious trouble and lose my job and have to go to jail, but I just cannot stop.

I started stealing when I worked at a department clothing store too. I would go in the dressing rooms and wear stuff under my clothing to steal. Nobody counted so I got away with it. I think it's easier to steal when you work somewhere. They don't tend to suspect you. I would also get really good at it and venture out into other stores in the mall. (I would steal jewelry from Forever 21) just hide it under the clothes you want "to try on" and put in purse in dressing room. I also stole expensive underwear from Victoria's Secret.

Then I moved into makeup. I started watching YouTube beauty videos and would spend hundreds of dollars trying to keep up. I finally got a job at a higher end makeup dept. store for the discount. I worked there and started buying again with my discount. Until one day, I remembered about stealing. And it started. Small at first. Then full blown. I was literally leaving each shift with a good couple of hundred dollars worth of merchandise on my body. We wore jackets so I could easily hide in my waistband, bra, etc. Nobody could see it. I got so good at it, I started to steal to sell. So I was not only saving money, I was making money. After 2 years of this amazing thrill, high and getting away with it. I had to quit. My husband proposed at the time, we moved to his homestate to get married. I NEVER GOT CAUGHT THOUGH. And they NEVER knew! My husband doesn't either. He believes all of the makeup I kept "receiving" was for my beauty blog. (Pshhh yeah right, I do blog but only get a few hundred hits) I pretended it was sent to me for free. Instead I worked for it. I could have gotten caught, but never did, so I just kept doing it.

I still do it now sometimes. I just enjoy not only getting away with it, but having these items for free. I go to Walmart and get a lot of free makeup. I don't steal in the makeup aisle though. I hide it in my sleeves and go to the dressing room with an item and then slip all into my purse. Or conceal the stole merch under something else somewhere else in the store and hide in my purse- cameras and people can't see or tell what I'm doing.

I would discourage people from posting about how successful they were or how they achieved successs. I too have had a long history of this. I steal groceries and clothes mainly. I have a decent job. I dont need to steal. I drink too much and often do crazy accounting where I steal to "fund" my drinking. I actually dont need to steal to fund booze.
But my point is we all have justifications for stealing. Nuts Justifcations. We are not being rational.

We need to stay out of stores. We need to avoid working in stores.

Im committed to keeping this forum going. Are you?

Hi, minkysmom. When I've read self-help books for problems like this, one of the common pieces of advice is to try to figure out what personal need the stealing has been satisfying. For example, figuring out what parts give you pleasure, like being able to save money (at least until getting caught) or feeling a rush from doing something risky. If you think you've got an idea about what's pleasing about shoplifting, the next step would be trying to find something legal to do fulfill that need, like finding a better paying job or getting a rush from dancing at a club.

If you are caught-and eventually you will be-its going to be harder to get another job.
You could not use that job as a reference. Criminal proceedings could follow.

You know the saying- dont $#%^ on your own doorstep!