Shopping Carts Thieves
Posted By Teeni on January 6, 2010
Half of my hatred of shopping comes from the loathed shopping carts. When you are lucky enough to get your hands on one that isn’t cold and wet, full of someone else’s trash or germs, or broken and making some horrible screeching sound, you then have to really keep an eye on it. There are shopping cart thieves, you see. And they are in department stores as well as grocery stores. They are everywhere.
I have found myself the victim of shopping cart theft on several occasions at one particular “bargain” store otherwise known as The Christmas Tree Shop. Maybe it is the caliber of the people who shop there. Or maybe the workers are playing tricks on me. I just don’t know. What I do know is how infuriating it is to have a relatively full cart, and be half way done with my shopping when I notice that my cart has up and disappeared. Gone.
You would think that someone who accidentally made off with your cart would soon realize their mistake and just leave it somewhere for you to find. Or even better, they could go to the front of the store and have an announcement made so you could pick it up there. They could do it anonymously and avoid any embarrassment. But I guess that is too much trouble. I have actually found my cart before, pushed into the remotest corner of the store, back where I would never have found it if I hadn’t been looking for a particular little tea cookie. And I’ve actually seen with my own eyes a person, who had obviously made off with someone else’s cart by mistake, quickly push and release a half full cart into a remote corner while looking over their shoulder and making a quick getaway.
But as I said, it happens in other stores as well. And sometimes people just don’t realize they have the wrong cart for the longest time. One time, in a grocery store, a gentleman left his cart about five feet away from himself and went across the aisle to peer into the prepared foods freezer. When he returned, he grabbed my cart instead of his own and went merrily about his way. The groceries we had in our carts weren’t even very similar so I guess he just wasn’t paying close attention at all. Fortunately for me, I quickly noticed he had MY groceries and I saw his abandoned cart so I went and grabbed it. I just followed him for a little while until he went to look at something else and then I left his cart and stole mine back. Fair is fair.
Of course, I’m not perfect myself. I’ve mistaken another person’s cart for my own at times too. But I try to do it with panache. For instance, one gentleman once caught me about to place a lovely bag of hand chosen loose green beans into his cart. When he pointed out my mistake, I just looked at him and held the bag up and asked, “Oh you didn’t WANT these? I picked some really good ones out too!” We both laughed and I went on my way. In hindsight, I should have told him that his mother called me and wanted to be sure he was getting his veggies! 
At checkout counters, I have decided I like to be in front of my cart and keep the cart between myself and the person behind me. Since I am short, it is easier to reach back over the lower part of the cart to empty it. Also, it keeps the people behind me from pushing their carts into me, coughing and sneezing on me, or just from breathing down my neck while I pay for my items. And you thought shopping carts were only good to carry your items around!
Out in the parking lot, it is pure chaos. People leave their carts all over and are too lazy to return them to the corrals where the employees can easily retrieve them. I have been making a special effort to return my carts (and some other people’s) to the corral when I am done with them because I don’t like them banging into my vehicle and really it isn’t that much more work. Plus it is a few more easy steps of exercise, even in the cold weather. It is irritating to see people go out of their way to take their cart and leave it in front of (or in back of) another person’s vehicle so long as it is not in THEIR way when they pull out, especially when returning it to the corral would only be a few more steps. Sheesh. As a result, there are usually a bunch of carts congregating together in a perfectly good parking space. You know, the one space that looks empty so you figure you will park there and you overlook some available parking spots that are further away from the store only to get to that space and see it is full of carts. Grrr.
So between the shopping carts and the people, I don’t really enjoy shopping much. And although sometimes the idea of tossing a lacy negligee onto some random older couple’s shopping cart sounds like fun, I don’t really do it (often).
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WOW! I have never ever had my shopping cart stolen! I wonder if it’s the smaller size of our supermarkets and carparks, but there just always seem to be plenty to go around, and not so many problems with not being able to find your cart in the store. I can see why you would get frustrated though, if you kept having yours taken!
As for the carts blocking up the car parks, don’t you have shopping cart people who come and collect them regularly? At our local supermarket, they swoop down and remove your cart for you almost the second you have finished loading your groceries into the car! Again, probably a symptom of a smaller store, with less shoppers and less carts!
Hi Hannah!
You know, our supermarkets also employ people who periodically go out and retrieve all the carts but there are just so many more inconsiderate people who won’t take the tiny bit of time or effort to return the carts to the corrals. They will roll it to their vehicle, unload all their items, and then just push the cart into the space beside them or in front of the car parked beside them. Almost like they will do anything to avoid returning the cart. It’s kind of ridiculous actually. It may be a New England thing where everyone has a “rat race” mentality and has to be in such a rush all the time. But I’m glad you never had your cart stolen. It is annoying, especially when you really need the items and can’t find your cart again so you have to start all over.
I’ve never had my cart stolen either. But I’m usually racing it around like a NASCAR and scarying old people when I’m in a store (yes…I’m that juvinile)… Funny post.
LOL. Somehow this does not surprise me! Maybe I should try that. If I’m fast enough, they can’t catch me and therefore cannot accidentally steal my cart!
I am not allowed to go to stores that require shopping carts if I am alone. I need supervision - I usually have urges to ram someone in the back of the ankles b/c they are clueless about where they are and what they are doing there. I always make someone come with me and make them push the cart - there is never an oppourtunity to steal my cart.
P.S. I also hate when you get those carts with the one unbalanced wheel that squeels throughout your whole shopping trip.
LOL! That is the cart I always end up with! I HATE that. I have urges to ram people too sometimes, but I have been rammed myself (as documented in my “Why I Hate the Holidays” post) so I try really hard not to hurt anybody, even when they deserve it.
Must be a New England thing. I’ve never had it happen anywhere else that I’ve lived.
I should move. **sigh**
I keep my purse in the brat seat so I usually have a pretty good eye on my cart. But, if it were to happen and my purse wasn’t in the brat seat then I would probably give up and call it a day, I wasn’t meant to spend money that day.
Hi Teeni!
I hope you never lose your purse! I never put mine in the seat for that very reason - my cart gets accidentally taken way too much. I need to invent a big red flag like the ones they used to have on bicycles so I can “mark” my cart.
HA! You’re mom called and said she wants you to eat more vegetables!! That would have been AWESOME!!!
Hehee! I wish I had thought of it then.
Hi Teeni, it’s been a while.
I’ve had my cart stolen. One of my sisters had hers stolen along with her purse while loading bags into her truck!
I would have left a comment in your other post but couldn’t see a box for it. The one about closing down this site. I am glad to hear you will still be blogging and will be following your new one. I know what you mean, sometimes real life makes it hard to keep blogging. And there are so many great sites out there but I have to keep the few I read to a minimum or I would never get anything done!
I do hope all is well with you.
Hi BD! Good to see you! I think I was actually partially inspired to start my other site by your craft site.
That is horrible that someone would swipe your sister’s purse as she was putting groceries into her car. Ugh. You have to be so careful all the time. Sheesh. As for the comment on the other post, I think I have some auto thing set such that after a certain time, a post won’t accept comments just to avoid spam. I’m so glad that you will follow me to the new site. I think you’ll like it. 
I have had people try to put things in my cart, but not actually steal the trolley. lol.
I’m in NZ like Hannah, and they employ people to collect the trolleys. People do not always put the trolleys back where they are meant to, though I do wonder sometimes if it is a frazzled mother with young kids in the car, not wanting to go that far to put it away.
Happy New Year btw.
Hi Nikki! Happy 2010 and I hope it is being good to you!
You know, I’ve thought of that about the frazzled moms too but then I think, “Wait a minute. If they are able bodied, there is no reason that they cannot return the cart either.” I mean, the majority of the people in the store are probably frazzled moms with kids so I can’t excuse them or there will be carts left EVERYwhere! Plus, it’s a great example to set for the kids. Honestly, I don’t think it would kill anyone to return their own carts. It’s such a small inconvenience for a nice service that the stores provide. When we start thinking about how grateful we are to have the privilege of using our limbs and to have the ability to return the carts, it doesn’t seem so bad. 
Of course, that doesn’t mean I haven’t offered to take and return a cart for someone who looks like they could use a hand. 
I don’t think I’ve ever had mine stolen, but I worry about that when Josh is with me because he’ll just leave the cart wherever and go halfway across the store for something. I hate that. He has also pushed it into my ankles when I was in front of him, enough times so that I won’t walk in front of him anymore if he’s pushing the cart. In fact, I don’t know why I ever let him push the damn cart! Or shop with me, for that matter. I should really just do it myself!
LOL! TGH is the only one I trust pushing the carriage behind me because he is usually very good about not hitting my ankles. I can’t say that for anyone else though. I’ve been rammed enough times that I go on the defensive now and make sure that people keep their distance, even if I have to use my cart as a weapon.
I have never had that happen, but I do stick pretty close to my cart as I keep my purse in it. What a frustration and I love how you stole your cart back rather than confronted the older man - much easier
See, stories like this is why we miss you! Thanks for sharing this.
Hi Kami!!!!!!!!!!
I’m glad this hasn’t happened to you - it is very frustrating. As for switching the carts, I just didn’t really want to make the guy feel bad - I just wanted MY cart back with the stuff I had picked out already. LOL. Thanks for the kind words my friend. 
This is a new one for me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such shopping cart theft. I thought the blog post was going to be about people that steal shopping carts from the stores.
Hmmm. Maybe it is an east coast or New England thing? I dunno. Nah - I wouldn’t pick on the people who actually steal the carts from the stores. I figure those people must really need them more than I do.
Amen sister! Amen!!!
My dad and I feel the same way. My dad even goes the extra step and takes a stray cart into the store with him on the way in.
You know, if these people would leave these stray carts in less annoying locations, I could forgive them for not going the extra steps to the corral, BUT THEY DON’T!!!
As for the cart thieves… keep fighting the good fight, Teeni.
Thanks, Peter! I will keep fighting. LOL!
I’ve never had mine stolen, but I nearly put an item in someone else’s cart just last week. I turned started to put the item in the cart and was like “Hey, this isn’t my stuff.” I looked up and there was a woman just turning from the shelf to put the stuff in the cart and I started giggling and said “Not only is this not my stuff, you’re not one of my kids.” She laughed too, and what was really funny is that my mom and kids were with our cart 2 aisles over.
That really pisses me off about carts in the parking lot too. I once watched a woman just push hers over in the slot next to her car when the return was just 2 slots farther. I went over and got HER cart, looked at her like she was a turd, and said “Seriously?” Then I put HER cart in the return and walked away muttering “Lazy a$$.” And she was no young woman either, not that she was old. I would say around a healthy 50. She could have walked the extra 20 feet.
LOL@ you saying the women was not one of your kids - good one!
Yeah, I really don’t know why people think they are so important or too good to return a shopping cart. It’s not that much out of your day and you know those kids who have to gather them all up don’t get paid big bucks to be running all over the parking lot. If someone is unloading groceries into their car next to me I will offer to return their cart with mine.
Never had it happen to me. Nor have I seen it happen. You must just have some bad luck. LOL
I hate when people leave their carts in the parking lot also. Good thing here is that there are kids employed to corral them all up on a regular basis.
My biggest peeve is the ‘Group Conversations’ that take place in the center of the isle blocking traffic on either side.
Or the time I saw this
FatObese lady snatch the shopping scooter away from a very elderly lady just as she was placing her purse into the basket. I so wanted to go and push that Fat Pig off the thing so bad.I posted about it here. I should warn you. the comments made can be harsh. But deserving.
I think I do have very bad shopping cart luck! LOL. I know what you mean about those group discussions in the middle of aisles too - how annoying. Also, the reunions that take place whether it be people who haven’t seen each other in 10 years or 10 minutes. Sheesh - that’s all nice and all but go catch up out of the way of the shoppers! Grrrr - that post you did was really annoying, especially because it was at the expense of that older lady who really could have used the motorized cart. I am so glad I did not witness that - I would have been so steamed!
Teeni, I am blessed. I live in India, where I can still call my local grocer and he will deliver everything at home. Vegetables and fruit vendors come to my doorstep! The only time I need to go shopping is for so few things that I usually can manage with just a had held basket.
That sounds so much better than dealing with the stress of the stores. I think we have services that will deliver to your home but I think they are expensive. I’m glad we have the carts though - it would be very difficult to shop without them.
I don’t think I’ve had mine stolen as I’m a bit of a paranoid person and watch my cart like a freakn’ hawk- lol! I’ve always got one eye on my cart, and the other on the item I’m looking to purchase, sometimes my google eyes make me dizzy! You know, now that you mention it, how fun and bad would that be to just randomly put things into other people’s cart? OMG, this has given me some BAD ideas! ROFLMAO! Love this post teeni! Especially the people who leave their carts in empty parking spaces outside- grrrr-rawrrr!
LOL - If you go and do something crazy now, I want to hear all about it!
I believe this is a crime occasionally committed by lazy men who can’t be arsed to go around supermarkets choosing their own food, but being a veggie, they haven’t picked on me yet!
A Christmas shop? How odd! They can’t eat Christmas trees!
Lx
LOL - No, they don’t eat Christmas Trees and I don’t know why they named the stores that. They are open all year round and don’t only sell holiday items. They sell all kinds of stuff from cheap furniture to garden items. Hey - I never thought of that - maybe it is lazy men who just choose to “accidentally” make off with an already full cart so they don’t have to go pick the stuff out themselves. HA! Mystery solved.
The only time I saw an attempt at cart stealing, it was one with a purse strapped to it. That must be the conclusion of thieves - that the user has placed valuables in it.
I do not think anyone will ever have interest in my carts, because they only have the cheapest junk in them. That, and I never leave one anywhere. I did drive into one back in 1983 going 40mph in a parking lot. It flew strait up in the air and we laughed for an hour. I am not proud of that …..
LOL!
I have never had that happen to me either- I thought the post was going to be about something else too. When I lived in downtown Denver in the 90’s loads of people would do their grocery shopping and then push their carts home. You then leave them on the sidewalk outside your home or apartment. There were tons of signs that would say carts should not leave the grocery store parking lot, but lots of customers didn’t adhere to the rules. So there was a guys who drove around the neighborhood in his pick up rounding up carts to take back to the grocery store. Only time I have ever seen that was there.
Wow. I never heard of people taking the carts all the way home and having to have someone to pick them up. It’s been interesting to learn the different shopping cart stories from different parts of the world. I’m glad I wrote this post.
This is a post that I can totally laugh at and agree with! BRAVO! Shopping now is like the friggin’ wild west. Meijer, at least, has those cart wipes right in front, and they are never dried up like other stores. I bring a coat, and wrap my purse in it to protect it from germs.
I hate grocery shopping with a passion. People move too slow, block my aisles, have wild kids, and talk on their cell phones instead of shop. I am so frustrated at people I have been known to ram a cart or two if someone is totally being an a-hole and not paying attention do to over cell phone talking. You do not want to mess with me at a grocery stor.
Mind you, I’ve got my Fibro fog, and can spot people like me in a heartbeat. I am extra nice to those people, and the last time I went shopping I gave away coupons and helped a grandma find mini Christmas trees she overlooked. Plus I always push my cart back, and often take one that is a stray outside.
I’ve never had my cart or items stolen, but, I have suffered abuse from Kroger personel. The worst is when one splashed stinky mop water on my arm and didn’t even say sorry or excuse me.
One of my biggest pet peeves is when someone does not say, “excuse me,” or apologize if they accidentally bump into you or something. I mean NOBODY is that busy that they can’t spare two seconds to be civil. Grrr! Sorry you got splashed - that was just plain old rude for the guy not to acknowledge it or apologize.
[...] teeni Shopping cart thieves [...]
love this post…and you have a surprise sitting on my blog!
Oh, you are too good to me! Thanks so much - I’m about to post about it - sorry it has taken me so long!
Great post! So funny. I’ve done it myself and have had my stolen a time or two, but always retrieved it before it went to the shopping cart abyss!
Found this post through Javajunkee. Glad I did.
Hey, Sherri! Welcome to the Vaguetarian Tea Room! Glad to have you!
I’ve never had my cart stolen, but the one time I left it in a space next to my van when I was leaving, some lady pulled half way into the space next to me got out of her van and pushed the basket into my van. I was mad and wanted to do something, but she lingered around the van for a while after she did it to see if I was going to do anything. I left. Since then, I make sure my basket makes it back to the corral and sometimes on the the way my kids and I grab a few baskets that are pushed into or behind other cars and take them to the corrals too.
I’ve never had my cart stolen because I always try to keep one hand on the basket and keep it in front of me.
Today, while I was at the grocery store I wanted to get some meat. I walked around for quite a waiting to get into that section of the store and when I finally was able to get in there this lady had taken every single package of what I wanted and put them all in her basket. The wierd thing is when I was walking up she must have seen me, because she grabbed up the last two packages as quickly as she could and sped off with her cart. I wanted to say something, but I didn’t want to cause a scene…but it did make me mad, because I was being patient and waiting my turn when she did that. UGH! I don’t like shopping where I live because there are only two grocery stores and a Wal-mart and I really don’t like any of them…
Aren’t people amazing sometimes? If they expended the same amount of energy on being courteous and civil, what a nicer place this world would be.
This is where I like shopping at Aldi the best - you have to insert a gold coin to get a cart there and take it back to get your money back. Never a stray cart in their parking lot. I’ve never had someone steal my cart though.
The gold coin thing is a great idea! I bet it would curb some of the carts in the parking lot problem here.
Ugh. Grocery shopping really IS a nightmare sometimes. And, people really DONT pay attention. Once my father followed some guy around and threw in random weird items into his cart, just to prove how oblivious people are when shopping!
Now, I’ve never had my cart stolen, but I think your MOVE by stealing it back was AWESOME
LOL. Your dad is a fun man.
hahaha…you are too funny, teeni. Love how you responded when you were caught accidentally stealing someone else’s cart. I can’t say as I’ve run into cart thieves myself, but I might have been guilty a time or two. Not on purpose, mind you.
I thought you abandoned this blog, so haven’t been visiting. Glad you commented on mine so that I came to look
Hi Skye! Good to see you. Nope, I have not abandoned my blog - have just been bad about blogging lately. I think things will pick up again for me when I am not going to school. But then I may get a job and will have to figure out how everyone else manages to work and blog at the same time.
Hi Teenie!!!
I haven’t been blogging or reading blogs hardly at all. Lilah keeps me so busy. She is a joy to be with because she is such a happy baby. I do miss my blogging buddies though. I miss all the fun days I used to have when I would blog all day. I was so fortunate to meet so many good people. I am happy you will still be around so I can visit. I also feel quite fortunate to have met you in person and I still think of that wonderful day on the beach with Care and you.
I know that I will blog more and more as the little one gets older and doesn’t need me so much.
I will tell you that your blog has always been one of my favorites because your heart and soul was there to brighten my day.
Love and hugs
Joan
Oh, Joan! How I have missed you! But I totally understand. I have seen the photos of your granddaughter and who could resist her? I know I wouldn’t be able to pull myself away from her to get on a computer. I fondly remember our meeting on the Cape with Care too and I hope we will get the chance to visit you on your new island home as well someday soon. We will just have to make a date.
You are one of my favorites too, you know, and even though you haven’t been updating your blog as much I still peek over there every so often just in case my google reader isn’t telling the truth. LOL. Anyway, I will try and keep in better touch. Love you!
One more thing, We bought a thingy (I don’t know what you call it) for the baby that covers the area of the shopping cart where she sits so she doesn’t touch anything on the cart. I am so paranoid of germs when she is with me. It also covers the handle so I don’t have to touch it either. I love it.
Oh, I know what thingy you are talking about! My niece got one for her kids I think. They are great! It seems more of the stores are now providing those anti-bacterial wipes but still, it must feel better having the baby in something that they are comfortable in and that you know where it has been!
@joanharvest
i soooo want one of those…