not sure if its a problem, need advice

Hey guys, new here.
So I am a 19 year old college student. I was never into stealing as a child or even during high school. Started during beginning of college. I tried it once, got away with it, didn't do it again. Not until I met one of my very good friends and I had known he stole for awhile. I told him it was a bad idea and didn't think much of it because since i wasn't the one stealing it wasn't too much of my problem if he wasn't going to listen to me. But then at the mall he stole and I started to get jealous. I got jealous that we walked out of the mall and he had gotten two free hoodies and I nothing. So I started to ask him for help stealing and my habit started.

I haven't stolen a whole lot, he's stolen hundreds and hundreds worth of clothing, electronics, etc. I have probably stolen about $150-200 worth of clothing to this day, T shirts, 2 hats, a couple hoodies. I was at the mall yesterday, and bought two pairs of shorts, as I went into the unsupervised fitting room it was tempting to b/c/ I realized how easy it would be to just take a pair or two of the shorts and slip them in my bag, but then I thought what if they somehow find out and I go to jail. So I didn't steal. But I have this terrible regret feeling like I should have stolen them, I don't know what is wrong with me!

I'm also worried about my friend. He steals ALOT, he is very very good at it, and has only gotten caught once at our school bookstore, they didn't do anything to do him though. I'm scared he'll get caught by a real store and do jail time. Have the same fears for myself. Blargh I just wish I hadn't ever started this horrible habit in the first place, thanks for reading guys!

Sooner or later, he will be caught. It might be next week or a few years away, but it will happen. And if he is caught with stolen goods at home too, that's going to be a more severe sentence than just for a couple of hoodies. The courts love to make examples out of that kind of situation, scare everyone else.

So, my advice would be, go ahead and be scared. There are always people getting away with something, just look at all the immoral bankers in the world. They'll probably never face justice for their actions. That doesn't make any of it right.

I'm sorry this post has turned out a lecture. I don't think anything's wrong with you, because most people would love to get something for nothing. It's up to you to be the bigger man here and not go for it. You won't be jealous of his criminal record. If the adrenaline rush of getting away with it is a factor, you could look for a healthy way to indulge that. And if you can drag your friend into urbex, parkour or similar, perhaps that will be sufficient excitement without the huge legal risks to get him away from stealing.

Let your friend do whatever he wants its his business not yours.Right now i am stealing stuff like food from the supermarket and its like i am addicted.i wish i didnt start.Please dont get caught up in this bad habit.Every time i dont steal i feel regret like what you said in your post but everytime i do steal im afraid i was caught on camera and they are waiting for me to come back so they can call the cops for me,i am worried when i go somewhere i have stolen from before with my boyfriend and child because im afraid my boyfriend will find out.please dont put yourself through the worry of it because the worry doesnt go away when you get out of the shop with anything you have stolen,it stays with you always that you could be on camera or they are just waiting for you to come back and then you dont want to go to that shop again.