BS: Do people steal toilet paper?

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Zhenya
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 02:08 PM

Our building cafeteria now has "Napkins on a roll". Looks surprisingly just like toilet paper. It just takes people longer to steal these.

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 02:07 PM

Yeah, this is the sort of petty nonsense that makes people's lives miserable on the job and delights bureaucrats.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: DMcG
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 02:03 PM

In a bid to cut down on petty theft in one company I worked for they introduced a book to be signed and countersigned whenever any took out any stationery. In addition, it was minimum quantities only. As a result it took several pounds worth of staff time to obtain a pen costing a few pence. Good cost control there ....

Another company I work for had a guy in charge of the stationery who would not give you a box of staples, not even one 'row' of staples (may 100?) - he would break it into three pieces and you would get 25-40 at a time. Again, huge staff overheads to manage a small cost.

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Les from Hull
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 02:00 PM

I've only stolen toilet paper once. We used to play sessions at the Conservative Club in the old days at Whitby Folk Week. I announced to my mate that I was going to nick some toilet paper. 'We've got plenty' he says. I replied that it was not a physical need, more a political statement!

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:44 PM

Incredible as it may seem...whole civilizations got by without toilet paper (some still do), and managed to stay quite clean too. However did they do it??? Gosh, well eating a natural diet would actually help for a start... Using water might help...

But I don't think people really want to hear any more about this, so I'll stop right now. :-)

People will generally steal anything that isn't nailed down. I liked the story about the bank that had some enormous fine posted on a little sign for anyone caught stealing the pen which was secured by a chain on the front counter. It seems the pen in question was not working. The person who wanted to use it stole the warning sign instead in retaliation, and left the pen.

You can also use people's propensity to steal things that aren't nailed down as a handy way of getting rid of stuff you don't want or need...like a dead parrot. Put him in an old purse and leave it standing by the elevator for a few minutes while you attend to something else.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: DonD
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:39 PM

I think I've noted on some earlier thread a memory that shows the problem goes back a long time. At the public facility beneath Plymouth Hoe in 1954, I was shocked to find each sheet of scratchy waxed paper that was generously provided had been imprinted 'Property of the City of Plymouth'. I did 'steal' a couple of sheets as souvenirs!

I had a sad experience with one of those giant rolls in a toilet at a lab where I was having some kind of scan of my bladder I guess. I had been instructed to drink about a gallon of water and hold it in forever nad then there was a delay as usual, and I finally burst into the toilet desperately -- and not too neatly. When I reached for some paper to clean up after myself, the whole damn roll came off its spindle and fell into the toilet bowl. What a mess. What to do? Thus does lack of conscience make cowards of us all; I ran.

I do regularly steal wads of papeer towels, however. An emergency supply in the back pocket comes in 'handy' when confronted with an empty dispenser, a filthy roller towel, or a non-functioning hot air dryer. At least they're not imprinted 'Property of ...'

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Julie B
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:30 PM

At the risk of raising a 'taboo' topic (i.e. the fact that women have periods!) I just wanted to say that I went to a session in a good local village pub the other night where not only are the toilets very nice, with toilet paper, but they also very thoughfully provide a box of sanitary towels, left on the cubicle windowsill. No charge, just convenient for unexpected 'emergencies'.
I won't, however, name the pub, just in case there is someone out there desperate enough to go and steal them!!!

Julie

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:19 PM

Six rolls for £1 is what we pay. Seems cheap enough. American dollar bills really must have gone down in value rather drastically...

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:19 PM

Right - but if you are keeping it in the office, for use at the office, I think that's different from stealing it to take it home.

Anyway, you can always use old newspapers... recycling and all that...

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: artbrooks
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:16 PM

It might be interesting to do a desk check to see who has rolls of TP stashed for the next time the WC runs out!

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: MMario
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:15 PM

I think more people do it because they don't want to have to stop at the store.

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: GUEST,The Banjoest
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:13 PM

Have you checked the price of TP lately? It would cheaper to wipe your butt with dollar bills. (American)But truly, who wants to stop at the store on the way home from work just to pick up a roll when you could rip one off at work.

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:12 PM

You steal it because you are nervous about there being no toilet paper next time you need it, because someone else has stolen it, because they are nervous about there being no toilet paper next time they need it, because someone else has stolen it, because they are nervous about there being no toilet paper next time they need it...

It's an example of a process that one way and another probably does more harm to the world we live in than anything else, distrust building on distrust till we're all ripping each other off.

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:05 PM

But how broke do you have to be to steal toilet paper? (I always take extra on camping trips.)

Subject: RE: BS: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: MMario
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 01:01 PM

I know people who have stolen toilet paper. I know far more who routinely bring extra to work, on vacation, etc. and leave extra rolls behind them at hotels, campgrounds and rest areas.

Subject: Do people steal toilet paper?
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Aug 02 - 12:58 PM

Okay, I know this is silly, but bear with me here.

In the building where I work, the ladies room is constantly running out of tissue before lunchtime. There is a supply closet in the restroom, but it stays locked. If it weren't locked, we could remedy the situation ourselves, instead of having to call the building manager to say, look, willya tell the *($*#)@ cleaning crew, we need more than one freakin roll of tissue in there!

My boss said that toilet paper is one of the top stolen items in offices, and that's one of the reasons lots of buildings have gone to the Giant Roll Dispenser, because it can't be stolen. (In theory, anyway.)

I was bumfuzzled by this. Why steal toilet paper? Does anybody really steal toilet paper?

Also, the handicap-access restroom in our building also remains locked. Isn't that an ADA violation?

Just wondering....

KFC