I imagine that about 2% of the thieves are kleptomaniacs who need help. But the rest are just greedy and characterless. They do it because they think they can get away with it. They think that no one will know and by the time the theft has been noticed, they will have skipped the city and it will be too late for the hotel to do anything about it. The Indian family who were caught at the South East Asian hotel probably believed that they would have been on a flight back to India by the time the theft was discovered. The Bollywood actress knew that the hotel would have noticed the missing items but believed that the cost would have been debited to the producer who was paying for her suite.
Basically all thieving from hotels comes down to this: people think that it is the perfect crime, one that will not be discovered till they are gone. Or that even when the missing items are noticed someone else will take the rap.
During the uproar that erupted on Twitter after the video was posted, many people asked what it was okay to steal and what should never be removed from hotel rooms. Well, broadly, speaking, this is not a question you need to ask. Anyone who steals a painting, a pillow or a phone knows that this is not on. But there are some grey areas, so here is my take on what’s okay and what’s not.
Bathrobes: Never. Not even if they have your name on them.
Towels: Mostly: never. But I will admit that there have been times when I have wrapped something fragile in a hotel towel. But I always bring the towel back on my next trip.
Minibar: No. You pay for anything you take out of the minibar.
Water: If a hotel puts bottles of water in your room and you want to take one for the journey to the airport, that’s fine. Nobody minds.
Fruit Basket: A question of degree. If there is a large fruit basket in your room, you can’t tip its contents into your handbag and take it all home. But if you take an apple with you for the flight, that’s fine. The odd piece of fruit is entirely ok.
Stationery: Yes. Hotels don’t mind if you take their writing paper, pens or pencils.
Teabags, sugar sachets, coffee capsules etc. No, of course not. How despo are you?
Complimentary wines: Some hotels will greet regular guests with a bottle of wine with their compliments. They expect you to drink it while you are there but don’t really mind if you take it with you. (This is theoretical. Most times the wine they put in the rooms is so bad that nobody wants to drink it anyway. The exception is ITC Hotels outside Mumbai.)
Toiletries: The one area where you can steal. If you have used the soap, the shampoo, the shower cap etc. then take it with you. They are not going to re-use it anyway. Unopened little bottles of shampoo are a more complicated matter ethically but frankly, most hotels don’t mind.
Books: Hotels often leave books in your room. You cannot steal them. You leave them for the next guest to read.
Chocolates: Yes but not from the minibar. If they leave a chocolate on your pillow you can take it.
Flower arrangements: No. they are part of the room’s fittings. But if you pick out one rose or something like that, hotels will understand.
Cutlery, crockery ashtrays etc.: Do you even need to ask? Of course, not.
Hangers: No. Cheap hotels have those idiotic hangers with no hooks so that you can’t steal them. Better hotels have normal hangers because they trust you. Be worthy of that trust.
Bathroom Slippers: If they are of the toweling variety and you have used them, then yes. At a beach resort, if they put rubber chappals in your room and you use them, then yes, take them with you.
And I think that about covers it. Here’s the golden rule though. If it can’t be re-used (soaps etc.) then there may be a case for taking it.
Otherwise, anything you take it just stealing.
And it makes you a thief.
Remember that.