I always liked Fandango’s Who Won the Week post, and like to join in with some quirky stories from my own newsfeeds. All from our unique vantage points, the idea is to pick something (a person, organisation, anything) which “won” the week.
I scraped around for a story this week, but I’m afraid the best I came up with was a case of shoplifting.
Simon Read, of Cambridgeshire, went into a supermarket, used the self-service checkout, and of his half-dozen items, managed to scan his carrots (cost £4) twice, but his Krispy Kreme donuts (cost £10) not at all.
As far as I can tell, at the checkout, he placed the (sticker) carrot barcode over the donut barcode, and scanned the cheaper barcode. Unfortunately, the area was covered by CCTV, staff were suspicious and the police were called.
That’s it. Somethingh and nothing.
Except… Mr Read also happened to be in his police uniform! And the case went to a disciplinary panel last week. The panel spent two days hearing the case, but in the end decided that PC Read, who had previously attended royal weddings and even helped to provide security for Trump’s visit to London – had failed to give a convincing account of his actions. So they fired the guy, on the spot.
An expensive mistake, no?
Okay, I could make a big thing here about, for a set of rules to mean anything, the people who enforce them also have to abide by them. But, frankly, we’ve all known that already, since childhood.
So, instead, I’ll just call out the supermarket as my winner – because anybody who can sell some carrots for £4 (about $4, or €4) must be onto a sure-fire winner!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-55089146
Mister Bump 
The supermarket got the carrot and the copper had the stick!
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Good one!
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I saw the doughnuts and was immediately drawn-in. (No cracks about old habits.) I love the blasted things, can’t (shouldn’t) eat them, but man, talk about comfort food! The tale entirely believable but sad. In uniform, no less. Carrots>? Depend on how many, eh? Good’n.
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I’m fortunate, they were never one of my vices. I used to like the ones with jam in the middle but never liked the smell of them cooking.
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Now that’s a crying shame. His job & reputation for 6 euros. I read an article not long ago about exactly this type of theft — and people justifying their crime. Methinks stores will have to break down go back to regular tills.
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Yes it seems incredibly cheap when it appears that his whole livelihood was based on honesty. Apparently he can appeal the decision, but I think the principle is absolutely right, that if you’re in the police, you must be squeaky-clean.
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Perhaps he was going through some kind of personal trauma, as his behaviour does seem out of character for a policeman! I wonder if he used to nick the Pick ‘n’ Mix in Woolworth’s as a boy?
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It was a 2-day disciplinary hearing, apparently, so presumably if there were extenuating circumstances, he’d have claimed them there. But despite whatever he said, they found against him. I did not read anything, but presumably Tesco’s will also be prosecuting him? This was all in your neck of the woods, in Wisbech in Cambs.
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Yes, I think I remember this story on Look East.
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