Pilfer

To steal items of small value, often repeatedly and in a petty way. Pilfering suggests a clandestine, stealthy nature to the theft, often involving items that are not significant enough to be considered major theft. It frequently implies a casual disregard for ownership and a sense of minimal risk associated with the act. The motivations behind pilfering can vary, ranging from financial gain on a minor scale to simple impulsiveness or the gratification of taking something without permission, the items may seem insignificant, like a small tool or an item of stationary but are still considered theft. The word emphasizes the stealthy and relatively minor nature of the theft rather than the value of the stolen goods or any acts of violence.

Pilfer meaning with examples

• During the renovations, construction workers were warned to be vigilant, because tools kept going missing. It seemed someone was pilfering small hand tools from the site, making it difficult to complete daily tasks. The site manager put up a new notice informing all staff that pilfering was not to be tolerated and would result in disciplinary action.
• She was caught pilfering office supplies, pens, and notepads, over a period of several months from her employers. Though the value of the stolen items was negligible, her actions caused a breach of trust and she lost her job. The company decided to replace the stationary supplies with locked cabinets and strict signing-in and -out protocols for using office supplies.
• The school investigated claims of pilfering from the school canteen, where snacks and drinks were disappearing each week. The teachers watched the student council and, after a few weeks of watching, they finally caught two senior students pilfering packets of crisps, which they had been doing repeatedly for over 6 months.
• After noticing that valuable ingredients were slowly being removed from the kitchen stock, the restaurant owner suspected pilfering by their staff. They decided to implement a new inventory system and increased surveillance to catch the guilty party. After a few weeks, it was uncovered that the head chef was behind the pilfering and was dismissed.