Is this stealing?

[Watusi]

My wife and I just got home from a 4 day trip out of town.

 

We bought two pillows while on our trip and I asked the maid at our hotel for pillow cases to use while we were staying there, which she graciously supplied.

 

While packing up our things to come home, I inadvertently packed the new pillows without removing the pillow cases. I discovered this when we unpacked this evening at home.

 

I intend to call the hotel in the morning and have them just charge me for the pillow cases and/or offer to return them.

 

So, did I steal the pillow cases or not?

[plantmanky]

Officially yes, but no intent by it. Depending on the Hotel they may not even have noted it on your account. I think in calling them to settle up, your doing right, no harm no foul honest mistake.

[Watusi]

I think you hit at the crux of it. The question is "does there have to be intent for it to be considered theft"?

 

My wife says no, I stole them.

 

I say I didn't steal them because it was inadvertent and there was no intent.

 

I'm sure I will be proven wrong, which is the case most times I go head to head with Mrs 2C, but I am hoping my BGP brethren bail me out on this one, LOL.

 

 

So...PLEASE VOTE!!!!

[rockmom]

My wife and I just got home from a 4 day trip out of town.

 

We bought two pillows while on our trip and I asked the maid at our hotel for pillow cases to use while we were staying there, which she graciously supplied.

 

While packing up our things to come home, I inadvertently packed the new pillows without removing the pillow cases. I discovered this when we unpacked this evening at home.

 

I intend to call the hotel in the morning and have them just charge me for the pillow cases and/or offer to return them.

 

So, did I steal the pillow cases or not?

 

Trust me those things happen. But the hotel will be very grateful if you send them back or you offer to pay.

[ColonelCrazy]

Would the hotel really charge you if you called to "square up"?

 

Objectively, I'd say that you stole them since you took possession without permission.

 

With that said, I wouldn't even worry about calling the hotel.

[Watusi]

Trust me those things happen. But the hotel will be very grateful if you send them back or you offer to pay.

I am going to call them tomorrow and I will do either at their choice.

[LRCW]

No, not if you are paying for them.

[plantmanky]

Honestly I bet the hotel doesn't even know you took them, not saying you shouldnt call to square up, just saying..

[Theoldguy]

Trust me those things happen. But the hotel will be very grateful if you send them back or you offer to pay.

 

Being in the industry for the many, many years I was in, I would have to agree with Rockmom. Those things happen all the time but the hotel would appreciate the return of the items and some but not all, will charge your credit card, as an inventory is done in each room after you leave!

[cooperstown]

No, you made an honest mistake, which you are now attempting to rectify. If you were to keep the pillows and not contact the hotel upon realizing your mistake, then yes, I would classify it as stealing.

[plantmanky]

Being in the industry for the many, many years I was in, I would have to agree with Rockmom. Those things happen all the time but the hotel would appreciate the return of the items and some but not all, will charge your credit card, as an inventory is done in each room after you leave!

 

Agreed, but unless they made a note on his account, they wouldn't know to check for it. If the supplied by the hotel pillows were in the room with covers on them, why would they look for extra covers laying around.

 

Its kinda like Towels, if you go to the front desk and ask for towels, and they just hand them too you, they really don't know who took them.

[Wireman]

Couldn't you just ship the pillow cases back to them?

[TAC]

What was the thread count on the pillow cases? Honest mistake if you call them to pay, theft if you do not.

[halfback20]

Depends on what state you were in. In Kentucky theft by unlawful taking under $500 is when a person:

 

(a) Takes or exercises control over movable property of another with intent to deprive him thereof; or

(b) Obtains immovable property of another or any interest therein with intent to benefit himself or another not entitled thereto.

 

 

I say it's a mistake not a theft.

[spindoc]

^This