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"Shaking hands on a shady bargain"

Buying or receiving stolen goods.

I once knew a chap who was a bandit of the highest order.
He worked for one of the catalogue companies in a large warehouse which dealt with picking and processing the mail orders of the buying public.
He'd steal anything and everything he could get his grubby mitts on: CD players, shoes, designer wear, small electrical appliances, football shirts, ladies knickers.

Now this friendly-faced rogue kept offering me these pilfered prizes at ridiculously low prices, and eventually I succumbed to his wily ways.
For a period of time I purchased many items from him. He made a killing and I saved a fair penny.
-A Man United shirt for a tenner.
-A top CD player for a tenner.
-A pair of 60 quid trainers for a tenner.
In fact, he sold everything he lifted for a tenner - that's why he became known by the nickname "Pavarotti".

Eventually Pavarotti was caught red-handed by one of the warehouse security guards with some expensive watches stashed down the front of his trousers.
A hefty fine followed and a police record, not to mention the sack.

When I heard the news of his downfall I felt a tweak of guilt. By purchasing his loot, had I been fuelling his roguish ambitions?

So, a question: is it right to buy/receive stolen goods? Would you have a problem with such a practice?
Is shaking hands on a shady bargain acceptable in your eyes?

I once bought the first Turtles movie on video from Oxfam. It turned out to be a pirate. Oxfam for frick sake! The whole charity thing is just one big cover up.

Pavarotti, thats a classic.

:D

Glinty wrote:
> I don't think it's right, but if someone offered me something I really
> wanted at a well cheap price then I'd probably snatch their hand off.
> I'd feel a bit guilty though.

For stealing from a corporation? Bagger no :D

locky1133 wrote:
> It's ok so long as the goods are stolen from a large corporation -
> theft from individuals is not right.

*nods*

I don't think it's right, but if someone offered me something I really wanted at a well cheap price then I'd probably snatch their hand off. I'd feel a bit guilty though.

Black Glove wrote:
> English_Bloke wrote:
> Pretty good, I'm wearing a blue sport vest.
>
> That's two correct predictions in one day.
>
> *Polishes crystal ball*

Better than my prediction - I thought he was wearing a rubber duck! Never noticed the vest.

I bought stolen goods in the form of pirated SNES games 8 years ago. Actually, it was my mother, who knew a friend that could get them cheap. I was naive at the time, I didn't care about where they came from (as long as they worked), so I was content, until I received the games - ISS Deluxe was put into a tacky but quite professional box, Mario Kart was the exact US version, and SSF2 was also a pirate copy. I was also given a onverter, which was pretty useful, but I wouldn't do it again even if I had the chance.

Speaking of revision, just one subject left to go!

What if you unwittingly bought stolen goods? Would you demand a refund if you found out they'd been lifted?


Back to the original topic.

I would do it. I'd willingly buy goods I knew had been pilfered from a warehouse, so long as I was fairly sure I wouldn't get into any trouble for it.

I could try to justify this in any number of absurd ways. I could say that it's because in my lifetime I've probably already lost more than I'll be saving due to other people stealing things and prices being jacked up to compensate. I could say that it's the company's fault for not having sufficient security. I could say that the guy will sell the stolen goods to someone, so why not let it be me? I could go with the hedonstic theory... that it's justifiable because the pleasure gained by myself and the thief is many orders of magnitude bigger than the pleasure lost by the owner of the company, or the shareholders.

At the end of the day though, it's simply because my morals are guided by my head rather than the law, and because I'm no saint. I'm selfish when it suits me.

English_Bloke wrote:
> Pretty good, I'm wearing a blue sport vest.

That's two correct predictions in one day.

*Polishes crystal ball*

"Nothing" says Kyz, eagerly rubbing his hands.

:D