What would you do..............? LONG

[mickeyfan2]

This is why this is so confusing. DH was never a party to this activity and if he is spotted on surveillance camera leaving the store with these JERKS......

He is an accomplice and that is a bad thing. It is a lesser crime but still a crime. That is why I would talk to a lawyer to cover your DH's butt. It may mean getting the others arrested, but that is not your problem.

 

[SleepyMom]

What happened to the reel they were trying to exchange? Did they leave it in the store or take it with them? Not that it makes any difference, it is still stealing. Why didn't they just send back the whole thing with your DBFF and have her exchange it later on?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I think bottom line, I would ask DH what he wishes and then follow his lead.

Is this a friend you constantly have contact with or is it a friend that you see once in a while?

Here is the kicker....they may have already said something to her. That is food for thought.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

Maybe it's just me, but this is a little different then someone who has a chronic shoplifting problem. To me, this is no worse then stealing movies, video games, music, etc. off the internet, or buying fake designer purses. Something I find pretty unethical, but if I didn't MYOB, I'd literally have no friends.

I was also wondering if they left the old one behind.

 

[momrek06]

What happened to the reel they were trying to exchange? Did they leave it in the store or take it with them? Not that it makes any difference, it is still stealing. Why didn't they just send back the whole thing with your DBFF and have her exchange it later on?

The bro with the reel drove 2.5 hours from his home in Western Ma to attend the shower with his DW and his DD. The after-party was not starting until later and so I am thinking they all wanted to kill sometime and go to BP.

So then this bro brings along the reel that is left handed to hopefully exchange it for a right handed reel. BP says NO, we need the whole pole. Well instead of going back home and at a later time making the exchange this is what they choose to do instead. STEAL. They took the reel they had and replaced it on the pole in the store with the one they wanted.

 

[momrek06]

There were WAY too many letters in this post for me to understand. DD, DBFF, DWTHDTM...

sorry!!!!!!!!

 

[momrek06]

At least talk to her, Kar. You aren't going to be able just be around her acting like nothing is wrong. At some point she might question why your husband doesn't want to be around them or at least her husband.

If nothing else, and the service people at the store get suspicious, it would give your BFF a heads up when she goes back to work at the store.

I just said to my DH, I cannot believe the disrespect BFF's DH must have for her to ALLOW this behavior in the store that she is employed in. Why didn't this DH said to his bro's..."DW works here, we cannot do this?"............

BUT HE DID NOT!

 

[taylor1293]

You didn't mention anything about the conversation in the car afterwards.

Did your DH notice if the original left handed reel remained on the rod? Is it possible that the clerk told the guy (after your DH left the arguing) to leave the left handed reel at the counter and go and grab a right handed reel off one of the rods?

DH& I traveled an hour yesterday to attend my DBFF's DD's bridal shower. The shower was 12-3pm. After the shower spouses, so, bf's could all come to the location of the shower (bride's bff's parents) for a party that would continue until evening. DH dropped me off for the shower and met up with my DBFF's DH until the after party.

DH met up with DBFF's DH and two of his DBro's (as their wives were at the shower as well)(DH & I really do not know these DBros all that well, they live a distance away and rarely see them).

The 4 guys all decided to go shopping at Bass Pro @ Gillette Stadium. One of the DBro's was returning a fishing reel. He had purchased it a few months ago and turns out it was a left-handed reel instead of right-handed. He wanted to exchange it. Bass Pro said to him he needed to bring in the entire FISHING POLE that the reel was attached to. My DH was observing all of this, he said the one DBro was arguing with the BP Clerk over the fact he could not return JUST the reel. Store policy.

DH was looking around the store as this was going on. He notices the 3 Brothers over at the fishing poles. DH begins to head towards them when all of a sudden he notices the one DBro (who was attempting to exchange the reel unsuccessfully) REMOVE from a fishing pole a right handed reel that he wanted and put it in his pocket, the 3 turn around and signal to DH they are ready to leave. DH was stunned. This JERK just STOLE this REEL.

AND one interesting point is that my DBFF works at BP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All the way home in the car my DH is DISGUSTED. Absolutely DISGUSTED. Behavior like that is HORRID. Let me tell all DISer's reading this we are all 50+ years old. Everyone of them is a PROFESSIONAL in their field of work as we are and this just is INTOLERABLE.

Should I tell my DBFF about this situation???? What are your thoughts on this???? The wives of these DBro's are absolutely LOVELY. They are the nicest, sweetest ladies and I enjoy their company the few times DBFF has any type of family get together.

Do I just say nothing? My DH said to me last night he basically wants nothing more to do with them.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I'd stay out of it and let the boys handle it themselves. They're big boys now. If your husband wants to yell at the guy or call the cops, let him. If he doesn't, let him do that. No reason at all for you to get involved.

If your DH is avoiding the guy and your friend asks you why, say, "I don't know. He doesn't like him. I don't know what happened there." She might press you, insisting that you must know or ask you to find out. Just say, "I'm not going to push him, but if he talks to me about it, you'll be the first to know." That ought to be enough.

Eventually she'll drop it.

Keep in mind that your friend may actually know the whole story and not care.

 

[momrek06]

You didn't mention anything about the conversation in the car afterwards.

Did your DH notice if the original left handed reel remained on the rod? Is it possible that the clerk told the guy (after your DH left the arguing) to leave the left handed reel at the counter and go and grab a right handed reel off one of the rods?

The party was all of 3 miles away from BP. DH said they all got in the car and he was so disgusted he did not say a word. He did not even tell me until we left the party at 7pm BUT he did walk DS and DF to their car (as they had to leave at 4pm) and told DS what had happened. DS and DF were as disgusted as DH. There were so many people at the party, there was no opportunity for DH to say a thing to me until we left.

No.... what DH said happened is that the brother explained to Customer Service at the entrance to BP that he was going to exchange this reel. CS told him to go right to the REEL dept. and so they all did. After 30 minutes, DH said of going back and forth with the clerk at the reel dept., DH walked away to look at other goods in the store. Store policy as was explained to the brother was to return the entire pole/rod/reel and all and they would make the swap. Bro took the reel with him over to the rods/reels against the wall and as DH approaches back towards that area observes the illegal activity of the SWAP. They quickly get DH's attention and say it is time to GO.

 

[disykat]

I would stop socializing with them as a family and try to just continue to visit with my best friend individually. If she figures it out and asks what the problem is I'd tell her. "My DH was very uncomfortable when he witnessed your husband and his brothers illegally exchange a fishing reel from Bass Pro Shop. He no longer wishes to socialize with them and I support him in that decision." Short, truthful, and to the point.

 

[momrek06]

I would stop socializing with them as a family and try to just continue to visit with my best friend individually. If she figures it out and asks what the problem is I'd tell her. "My DH was very uncomfortable when he witnessed your husband and his brothers steal a fishing reel from Bass Pro Shop. He no longer wishes to socialize with them and I support him in that decision." Short, truthful, and to the point.

I think this is ultimately what I will have to do. They live an hour from us so we do not see them on a regular basis...more so in the nicer weather.

Quite often BFF and I meet half way for lunch and that is how we stay in touch (obviously besides phone calls and emails). It is really sad that situations like this happen, situations that should have NEVER happened that end friendships.

 

[famofsix]

If these people were smarter they would have bought a right handed reel and then returned it with the left handed reel Still bad though I know

 

[marshallandcartersmo]

I think the PP that suggested your DH talk to a lawyer or the police are taking this a bit too far. It just opens up a huge can of worms that your DH would be right in the middle of. Since he didn't speak up when it very first happened he'd be "guilty by association". As far as your DH is concerned I would just try to forget it happened, and thank God his "friend" didn't get caught.

As for your friend, I'd be friends w/her. If she asks why your DH doesn't want to get together anymore I'd be as honest but vague at the same time. Something like "He thought he saw something really off that day they all went to the BPS, maybe he misunderstood"...........That will open the door for her to talk to her DH about it. Like another poster said, it might not be as big a deal to them.

 

[momrek06]

I think the PP that suggested your DH talk to a lawyer or the police are taking this a bit too far. It just opens up a huge can of worms that your DH would be right in the middle of. Since he didn't speak up when it very first happened he'd be "guilty by association". As far as your DH is concerned I would just try to forget it happened, and thank God his "friend" didn't get caught.

As for your friend, I'd be friends w/her. If she asks why your DH doesn't want to get together anymore I'd be as honest but vague at the same time. Something like "He thought he saw something really off that day they all went to the BPS, maybe he misunderstood"...........That will open the door for her to talk to her DH about it. Like another poster said, it might not be as big a deal to them.

No, we have no plans to involve the police or an attorney. Just continue my friendship with BFF and keep it to just us. No involving family with get togethers at all. As DH stated he is done with it. And for now, with this pending wedding and all..bringing this up may not be the right thing to do. BFF will be extremely busy from now until May and we will not be seeing each other until probably sometime in June.

If these people were smarter they would have bought a right handed reel and then returned it with the left handed reel Still bad though I know

 

[taylor1293]

I'm still not convinced there isn't a misunderstanding. It just isn't logical that THREE professional 50+ men would steal a reel (unless they have some criminal history that you aren't aware of?)

Also, this sentence "and as DH approaches back towards that area observes the illegal activity of the SWAP". Did he take the reel or make a swap?

Also, I can't imagine why you wouldn't say something to your best friend. I know that everyone has different levels of best friends, but my BF and I would never keep something like that from each other. As his wife (and the sister of the actual thief), I'd want to know.

How long have you know these people? Is in their nature to behave like this?

The party was all of 3 miles away from BP. DH said they all got in the car and he was so disgusted he did not say a word. He did not even tell me until we left the party at 7pm BUT he did walk DS and DF to their car (as they had to leave at 4pm) and told DS what had happened. DS and DF were as disgusted as DH. There were so many people at the party, there was no opportunity for DH to say a thing to me until we left.

No.... what DH said happened is that the brother explained to Customer Service at the entrance to BP that he was going to exchange this reel. CS told him to go right to the REEL dept. and so they all did. After 30 minutes, DH said of going back and forth with the clerk at the reel dept., DH walked away to look at other goods in the store. Store policy as was explained to the brother was to return the entire pole/rod/reel and all and they would make the swap. Bro took the reel with him over to the rods/reels against the wall and as DH approaches back towards that area observes the illegal activity of the SWAP. They quickly get DH's attention and say it is time to GO.

 

[disykat]

Also, this sentence "and as DH approaches back towards that area observes the illegal activity of the SWAP". Did he take the reel or make a swap?

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks there IS a difference between stealing and making an on the sly exchange. At first I thought she meant they stole a reel, but I think what happened was they weren't allowed to make an exchange so they did it anyway. What they did was wrong, but I don't think it would be prosecuted as stealing if they returned the other one and swapped it for the same thing.

 

[aprilgail2]

OK did he swap it or steal it?? BIG difference! Swapping it is no worse than just buying the right handed one and returning it with the left handed receipt....as long as the price is the same I see no harm in a swap.

 

[Daxx]

MYOB -- you weren't there. If your DH wants to deal w/it, then let him. He was the only one there.

Next time, use fake names ... so much easier to keep track of than DBFF, etc.

 

[TaraPA]

What comes around goes around - wouldn't it be funny if they got home & the stolen reel was actually still the wrong one....