Lee, a self-described “good Catholic,” says it’s morally acceptable to steal from Whole Foods because its parent company is owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. He’s not alone—many Americans now believe petty theft is fair game if the target is rich enough.
Key Facts:
- Lee, a Washington, DC resident, admitted to routinely shoplifting from Whole Foods between 2020 and 2022.
- He justifies the theft by citing Bezos’ wealth, Amazon’s size, and the company’s alleged wrongdoings.
- Other individuals interviewed described similar behavior, including return fraud and large-scale grocery theft.
- Many see their actions as a form of protest against wealth inequality, not as actual theft.
- Experts warn these acts have consequences, including rising prices, demoralized employees, and harm to small businesses.
The Rest of The Story:
From stealing lemons at self-checkout to hiding smoked salmon in a laptop sleeve, some Americans now view taking from Amazon-owned Whole Foods as a small form of protest.
Their reasoning? Jeff Bezos is too rich, and Amazon too powerful, to suffer from their petty crimes.
People like “Jesse” and “Carson” admit they feel little remorse.
They see Bezos as a symbol of corporate greed and justify their actions as a sort of Robin Hood mission.
These justifications range from Bezos’ influence at The Washington Post to Amazon’s labor practices.
But moral outrage aside, experts in ethics and criminology warn that this behavior is still theft—and it often harms people far removed from Bezos himself.
Retail employees, small third-party sellers, and honest consumers end up paying the real price.
And the problem is growing, especially among middle-class and upper-middle-class consumers who feel justified in their actions.
so a lot of people steal from whole foods and do some light return fraud at amazon. and if you ask why or if they feel bad about it, the answer is absolutely not, because jeff bezos. pic.twitter.com/4cvSwRc1Ek
— Emily Stewart (@EmilyStewartM) March 27, 2025
Commentary:
This story isn’t just about a few stolen lemons—it’s about the crumbling values in our society.
That someone can steal, admit it, and then call themselves “moral” shows how far we’ve drifted from basic principles.
Being rich is not a crime.
But stealing is.
It’s dangerous when people decide their feelings about a person’s wealth give them the right to break the law.
That’s not justice—it’s envy disguised as activism.
If everyone decided to take what they wanted because they didn’t like who owned it, the rule of law would mean nothing.
This behavior doesn’t hurt Bezos—it hurts workers, small business owners, and shoppers.
Stores raise prices, lock up merchandise, and make returns harder for everyone.
The result? Honest people suffer while thieves pat themselves on the back for their “righteous” actions.
We’ve allowed a culture to take root that excuses bad behavior if the target is seen as powerful.
That’s not accountability—that’s moral decay.
Theft used to be seen as shameful.
Now, it’s becoming a political statement.
And that’s dangerous.
The real solution isn’t to let petty theft slide—it’s to punish it swiftly and clearly.
The risk of getting caught needs to outweigh the reward.
We must return to a society that sees stealing for what it is: wrong, no matter who you’re stealing from.
If we want to fix what’s broken in this country, it starts with restoring respect for property, the law, and personal responsibility.
Excusing theft because it’s “from the rich” only deepens the divide and weakens our social fabric.
The Bottom Line:
Some Americans now view stealing from companies like Amazon as morally justified “payback” against billionaires like Jeff Bezos.
But theft is theft, no matter the target.
Excusing it only harms the rest of us.
It’s time to reject these so-called moral gymnastics and reassert that stealing—even from the wealthy—is still a crime.
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