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Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by derefr on Thursday February 13, 2020 @09:20PM (#22323458)
> Furthermore I don’t want to risk some rogue employee’s goons taking it to the next level by physically attacking me and robbing me on the way to my car.

I don't think this is the right mindset—theft from your own employer is a white-collar crime. The type of people who would even be morally okay with stealing iMacs out of people's hands wouldn't be bothering to work for the store in the first place; they'd be bribing security to get in and then shuttling boxes into a van. Or holding up a delivery truck full of iMacs.

Also, getting a job specifically to steal from your employer is a pretty long-term strategy; it doesn't pay off if you only do it a couple of times. If you're doing this, you're probably doing it because you have a specific play that allows you to do it over and over without increasing the compound probability of getting caught—i.e. one that doesn't really generate any evidence personally implicating you (like the testimony of hired goons when later caught by the police), only equivocal evidence (like the fact that the person who came in to buy an iMac is a friend of the employee.) Really, generating negative utility for any individual (rather than just a corporation) in your theft, is a pretty surefire way to have someone (e.g. that same individual) take a look into what's going on.

Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by dragonwriter on Thursday February 13, 2020 @09:46PM (#22323570)
> If you're doing this, you're probably doing it because you have a specific play that allows you to do it over and over without increasing the compound probability of getting caught—

No, most people who do it are just irrational.

If you were doing it rationally, sure, that would pretty nearly require what you say to be true, but assuming that everyone acts rationally is...inaccurate.

Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by WalterBright on Thursday February 13, 2020 @11:09PM (#22323889)
Most crimes have a pretty poor return on investment. That's why criminals tend to be poor.

For example, the people around criminals tend to know they are criminals (and criminals often brag about begin criminals). People don't trust criminals and don't want to do business with them - leaving the criminal with fewer legitimate options for making money.

Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by freepor on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:14AM (#22324124)
Criminals tend to be poor because the types of things defined as crimes have poor risk reward profiles and only make sense if you’re poor. Fraudulently advertising OxyContin and causing a drug epidemic that kills half a million people doesn’t make you a criminal, it makes you a philanthropist — you have to pistol-whip a clerk at a liquor store to become a criminal.
Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by codeisawesome on Friday February 14, 2020 @07:33AM (#22326006)
Jesus, my guy. I “blame” commenters like yourself on HN for my exceptionally pessimistic and skeptical outlook on life and systems (and society)... but goddamn you have a point.

(PS: sorry about using “Jesus” and “guy” - it’s meant purely as an idiom - I’m not making assumptions)

Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by RIMR on Thursday February 13, 2020 @11:24PM (#22323942)
You've got that backwards.

Most criminals are poor because poverty drives people to crime.

Re:Apple store workers should be paid for time waiting to be... by dragonwriter on Friday February 14, 2020 @12:43AM (#22324231)
Most people treated as criminals are poor because of the shape of wealth distribution, plus the fact that wealth is associated with the ability to have your behavior not treated as criminal when the same behavior from a poorer person would be treated as criminal.