Love stealing.

Hey.

I have the last weeks been thinking im some sort of kleptomaniac. Ive been stealing pointless stuff since i was a child and ive always known the word but for some reason never thought i would fit in there, it was for everyone else but me if you know what i mean. I always stole for the passion of it and rarely because i want something. The more expensive the better. I like the feeling of getting stuff for free even though i dont need it. A character in a movie i dont remember the name of said "he felt like he beat the system".. maby thats the reason why i do it? Probably.

I also like to walk back to the crime scene just to get the rush from the possibility of being spotted incase someone saw me. I sometimes even take stuff when fellow shoppers notice. Ive been confronted about it to sometimes but ive never been confronted by the police for it. Well maby once, but i didnt physically do the crime as the space only fit 1 person at a time, so they arrested my bud and let me go after a few hours of yelling and arguing. No arrests with consequenses is what im trying to say.

Ive also pickpocketed people which is more rewarding since there are money involved. Again i get this rush since the risk is much higher. Well ok so im a klepto. Speaks for itself dosent it?

But what i wonder.. does any of you other kleptos out there get some sort of satisfaction from getting away with these stuff, or is it mainly for the items you do it?

Hi,

You seem to be boasting somewhat about your problem - Do you even view it as a problem? It's just that the way you've phrased your post makes it seem like you are somewhat proud of your behaviour. Anyway, I think that people who genuinely have Kleptomania do it for the thrill. THe 'material' thieves are not kleptomaniacs - They steal things for different reasons that Klepts. do. Kletps steal because it is compulsive, just as drinking alocohol is compulsive for an alcoholic.

Kevin

Hi, Kevin. Thanks for answering.

No, i don't really view it as a problem apart from the fact that its wrong to steal but that is not an issue for me. If it were i wouldn't be doing this. Do many kleptomaniacs feel guilty afterwards?
Yea, i guess i am alittle proud of my behaviour. Maby thats why im guiltless. As i mentioned in my other post i saw a movie once where someone commented the reasons why a petty thief stole; "he felt like he beat the system". I think the movie is called Darwin Awards. Ye thats it.

Well, the thing about Kleptomania is that it is an addiction, and going by this, it should be such that it upsets you and is damaging your life. The fact that you get enjoyment from it and don't see it as entirely bad tells me that you are continuing your stealing because you view it as correct/right. I think that Kleptomaniacs know it is wrong, but they cannot stop because it's an addiction. In your case, you continue to do it because you honestly think that you're justified in doing it (... ...but you're not).

Kevin

I just dont get the part where they feel bad about it. There must be some kind of reward as it turns into an addiction dont it? I could understand it if they lost their jobs, family and stuff like that, but unless you go around stabbing people while you shoplift your family will eventually forgive you for your petty deeds. Not having a job would make that addiction even easier wouldnt it.
I dont know i just think most kleptomaniacs get their kick from it. They like everything about it exept the part where you need to pay for your crimes. When the storm settles they go back to their bad habbits unless they cant handle it anymore.

I think that you could look at it a few ways, inossak, as i'v already mentioned. i think that 'true' kleptomania is an addiction like any other, and the person cannot know when to stop. Other people, such as bank robbers, aren't exactly kleptomaniacs as it isn't an adiction as such. The common kleptomaniac will just take small items in a supermarket and feel bad that they cannot control their impulsiveness [to steal]. However, once they get out the door and know that they're safe, they get that 'buzz' feeling.

I understand what you mean so i guess im not a kleptomaniac then. I never need to steal its just entertainment to me. I however think i do it for the same reason. Its a kick. More so when im close to get caught but dont.
I would never rob a bank unless i need it or thought i would get away with it. Who knows, maby i would get away with it. Never really thought much about it. Anyway im a petty thief and thats all im gona be for now. I think robbing a bank would make my buzz into a heart attack or something.

What would you feel if you did actually get caught? CAn I be honest with you and say that I had a stealing problem not too long ago, and I certainly saw it as kleptomania. When I got caught, I still could'nt stop, but getting caught made me realise that I had a problem. That whole experience doesn't seem real to me, when I look back. I doubt that I will ever speak of it much in the future.

The first time i got caught by a clerk, or what you call it, i got anxious. I tried to steal toys and the woman who worked there put me behind the counter so everyone could se me. Remember other kids and parents in the store just looked at me with discust. That wasnt fun. You could say the rest of the day was ruined as i feared what would happen when my family found out which ofcourse they did.
This event triggered my need for the thrill which caused me to steal things i didnt even need. Before that it was like "hey look at that, i want it", after it was like "i wonder if i can get this out without anyone noticing".

I dont really feel so strong anylonger when im caught. Its not the end of the world and i never get in any real trouble. Mostly i just argue or pretend im disoriented if its believable, like if im holding the item i steal in my hand when i walk out of the store.
Ive never been caught stealing money or items from people yet so i dont know what i will feel when that happens yet. Its not something i do often so its not something i think about.

What happened to you when you got caught?

Hmm, I think that you got lucky when you were caught. She didn't really do much that would make you stop now did she? When I was caught, I was grabbed by the security guard as I left the shop and then pulled back inside, past all of the checkouts where people could clearly see me. I was taken to a back room where two other security guys were, and they told me to empty my shopping bag. I said at first that I hadn't stolen it, but then quickly confessed when they started to play the CCTV. I think that owning up quickly - and subsequently crying - got me out of it. They said that they would call the police, but then minutes later said that they wouldn't. They did say that I would be officially banned from the shop for a year. To be honest, I'll never step foot inside it again.