Cynthia Sanchez
From Phoenix (Graphic Multimedia Designer)
I stole $200 from my dad when I was 14. I went shopping, and my dad had asked who gave me the money to buy all the things I got. I got into a lot of trouble for that. I think I was grounded for a month.
Mina Hot
From Phoenix (Accountant)
When I was 15, I stole film from Shop Rite, the local supermarket. It was the last days of school, and everyone was taking photos. I got away with it, so I tried again. It was when I was supposed to be in class. I got caught that time, and they called my father. He asked why I didn’t just ask him to buy something if I needed it. So I handed him some film and said, “Okay, can you buy me this?” Three months later, I got a job at Shop Rite. I ended up working there 12 years, doing the books and accounting.
Cathy Radcliffe
From Chula Vista (Graphic Designer)
I was walking home from school, and my brother and his friend had stolen some gum from this store. And my brother gave me an “I dare you”…and it was to steal a piece of bubble gum. We were crossing this lot, and I was easy to spot because I was in Catholic school and had the plaid skirt. The store manager came running out. They took off, but I was caught. I had to go into the office as they called my parents. They also threatened to call my principal and Sister Mary. That really scared me.
Lori Bruser
From Mission Hills (Radio)
I was living in Taiwan when I was little. My dad was a Marine and stationed there. We were shopping in this town with all these Chinese stores. They had these erasers with designs all over them that smelled really good. I sniffed one and then slipped it into my pocket. I didn’t have any money. My sister saw it when we got home and told on me. My dad dragged me down there, and this poor guy didn’t understand English. My dad was miming what I did, showing him how I put it in my pocket and now we’re bringing it back. It was so humiliating.
Amber Irwin
From Solana Beach (Artist)
I wanted this bottle of ink when I was in third grade. It’s the kind you use with those model airplanes that are thin pieces of plywood and you could put the two pieces together. I realized it was wrong, so I ended up digging a hole and burying it. I even buried a dollar with it. For all I know it’s still there.
Albert Preston
From New Mexico (Retired)
I had a best friend in the late ’50s that was a kleptomaniac. In those days, they didn’t have terms and diagnoses for everything. You didn’t have ADD or were bipolar and all that. I look back now, though…and the things he would steal. Oftentimes it didn’t make sense. He’d steal things from my mom’s sewing kit. Things like buttons. And it’s not like he collected them or anything. Oh, that reminds me…I did actually steal something. I’m not proud of this, but as a boy, I would steal my favorite comic books from the five-and-dime. They were only a few cents to buy, or a nickel. But when you’re a kid and you don’t have any money, sometimes you resort to those types of shenanigans.