Putting the 'thick' in 'ethical'

So I saw this girl nick something today and it’s doing my head in.

I was in the newsagent and she’s paying for this Coke, and then she goes and asks the guy behind the till for some batteries. So he turns round to get them and then she grabs these Shoot Out packs from the counter and stuffs them in her pocket. Then she goes like, "Oh not those ones, I need AAAs, forget it," and walks out.

Total mind-melt! I mean what are you supposed to do? Run after her? Tell the guy? It's not like she was mugging someone, right? Nobody's been hurt. And it was only a few packs, about 3 quid. But if 3 quid’s OK then is 20 not? How much is crossing the line? I think there’s a grey area but I don’t know – I mean no one talks about this stuff do they? Or do people just split into two groups, "Stealing's okay" or "Stealing's not okay"?

I took some chewing gum from a shop when I was nine. I held it in my pocket all afternoon till it was all sweaty, and then I threw it away because thinking about it made me want to chuck. I guess that makes me "Stealing's not okay". But I still didn't do anything to stop her and it was wrong man – I do know that. So how wrong am I just watching her do it?

I've felt totally wack about it all day.