Did you see that story out of Hawaii where a woman ate an entire chicken salad sandwich while shopping at the Safeway store and then forgot to pay for it with the rest of her groceries?

She and her husband were arrested for shoplifting and their toddler was turned over to child protective services for 18 hours. The Safeway store management later apologized, saying that when they called the police, they didn't realize the child would be taken from the parents since they were both going to be arrested.

Commenters on facebook etc. fall on two sides of this argument: some think there is nothing wrong with wandering around the supermarket eating something off the shelves as long as they keep the packaging so it can be scanned and paid for at the register.

Others think it's just wrong to eat something until it's paid for because it comes across as a sense of entitlement and flaunting of the rules that apply to most of us.

One of my rich friends was like this - we'd stop at the store to pick up something, and she'd grab a loaf of French bread and walk around tearing pieces off it to eat while shopping. I didn't approve, but apparently that particular market was used to it.

One reason I don't like it is that it gives a wrong message to children - they may not understand that the parents are eventually going to pay for the food they grab and eat.

One of the things mentioned in the article I read: whether it is right or wrong depends on the neighborhood and the store. In other words, it's okay for rich people to help themselves, but when poor people do it, it's a crime.