By Emma Gill

Copyright manchestereveningnews

A dad has sparked a debate with comments over a woman he saw shoplifting in Tesco . Ashley Griffith says the lady was caught trying to pinch baby milk and wipes and told security she couldn’t afford them. But rather than criticising the mum over her actions, he said it’s the system that’s at fault for ‘leaving families in situations where they feel they’ve got no other choice’. In a post on Facebook , content creator Ashley, who runs his own mental health group on social media, said: “Security stepped in, and she broke down straight away, saying she didn’t have enough money but her baby needed them. For the best ideas on days out, shopping and parenting issues, get the Manchester Family newsletter here “Now, I don’t condone stealing it’s not the answer, and it puts staff in a difficult position. But as a dad, it hit me hard. I know how expensive baby essentials are, and how relentless the cost of living is right now. Formula, wipes, nappies the prices just keep climbing, and for some parents it’s become a choice between feeding themselves or feeding their child.” He added: “It’s heartbreaking that in this country, in 2025, people are being pushed to those lengths just to provide the basics for their kids. Nobody should ever have to feel that desperate. “I left the shop thinking the real crime isn’t the mother who made a bad choice, it’s the system that’s leaving families in situations where they feel they’ve got no other choice.” Thousands of people have reacted to the post, which has attracted hundreds of comments. Some were less sympathetic, including one woman who said ‘how do we know she was genuinely stealing for her own child’ and another who said she’d previously worked in a supermarket where a shoplifter would regularly steal to order. Others questioned the need for wipes when ‘a flannel and warm water is a good alternative’ and suggested the woman should be turning to a food bank instead. But the majority said they too find it a sad reflection on today’s society, with many saying they would have offered to buy the products. “I agree totally with you,” said one. “I have worked in shops in the past and although I get the financial loss connected to shoplifting, I would often feel very deflated at how unsympathetic people are. I genuinely feel upset when people steal to eat or more importantly, the situation in the post here.” Another commented: “I would have helped if I had the money to. As a single mum I’ve been there, not the stealing part but I’ve struggled. It’s not nice.” Join our Family WhatsApp group HERE Ashley eventually decided to turn comments off on the post because of some of the ‘vile’ remarks made towards him and the woman he mentioned. “Nobody knows this person. People calling her a drug user, an alcoholic, and other things is actually quite disrespectful and disgusting,” he said. “Then having the cheek to call me out for “not paying“ when this situation was already being dealt with by staff and security, so it would have been impossible regardless to even pay for it at this point. “You’re all entitled to your opinions and you can say what you want, but non of us here know this person. You’re all piping up saying you’d pay for it this and that. But are choosing to hate on me instead. Which is fine I don’t really care what any of your opinions are but stop bullying someone you know nothing about.” Ashley, a dad to twins, told the Manchester Evening News he was saddened by the comments that were made towards the woman. “I just think people are quick to judge in my opinion without knowing the full background,” he said. “I posted it because I just felt at the time it was just so disgraceful that nobody should go through that, and in my opinion it’s not necessarily about that, the government need to wake up and look at what it’s doing to people.” Official figures from last year show shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales have reached the highest level on record, with more than half a million logged in 2024. Crime figures show that shoplifting offences rose following the pandemic, but have continued to rise. Across the board retailers have all been stepping up their fight against offenders. In March we reported how five Greater Manchester Asda stores became the first to use facial recognition in a crackdown on shoplifting and abuse . And in June we shared images of detergent and dishwasher products kept in sealed plastic boxes at The Food Warehouse in a bid to deter shoplifters. What do you think about the dad’s comments? Do you sympathise with the woman’s plight? Have you witnessed anyone shoplifting during the cost of living crisis? Let us know in the comments here .