If you’re one of those principled people who never ever take anything from a hotel you’re staying at, not even the complimentary stuff, the world needs more people like you.

That said, don’t judge those of us who do. After paying all that money, we feel entitled to helping ourselves to some things, which is why I kind of feel bad for the Indian Family who attempted to get away with multiple hotel items only to be caught and exposed by hotel staff despite their belated pleas to pay for the things they’d taken. I would die of embarrassment!

I take stuff from hotels too. Only "small” things though, like shower caps and those fluffy bathroom slippers for two reasons. They’re cute and it’s not like anyone else is going to use them so why let them go to waste, right?

I also take those mini shampoo and shower gel samples and even though I always carry my own toiletries, better believe I’m taking that toothbrush, mouthwash and some toilet paper because hotels just have the softest tissue.

Oh and I also help myself to any snacks, chocolate and those coffee sachets. I don’t touch the wine though because they will make you pay for it.

I think that’s what the average hotel guest takes so when I heard that some people take showerheads, light fixtures, hangers, curtains, flat irons and even mattresses, I was a little shocked.

There’s a guy who’d apparently scout the room and then leave briefly only to return with a suitcase large enough to carry the TV and some other valuables!

That’s brazen but also a lapse on the Hotel’s part. Certain items should be locked down, literally. I mean, banks and many offices chain pens down and you’re just going to leave coffee makers, plasmas and mini fridges unsecured so guests have no trouble packing them off?

And how about cameras?

I’m not suggesting they spy on guests but they could maybe keep an eye on how much luggage someone checks in with and when they’re checking out, just compare notes though I know if someone is determined to steal, they will find a way around that too.

As for the Indian family, I wonder if they’d done it before and who came up with the idea. Dad? mum or the kids? Did they have a family meeting to strategize beforehand? As in who’d take what? Were they sharing rooms or booked separately in order to take as many items as possible?

And what would they do with the stolen items? Resell them? I ask because hotel stuff is likely to be branded and if someone tried to sell me a pair of sheets or a soap dispenser bearing the Serena Logo for instance, I’d be suspicious.

Well at least they’re collectively sharing the embarrassment and notoriety as opposed to just one family member doing the dirty because then everybody else would attack the culprit for bringing the entire family into disrepute!