Done This Puzzle Yet?

C here too.

But before I saw everyone's answer I was thinking that the £70 or merchandise would have only cost £50.
 
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sux when you work it out but I look at it like this - I didn't look up the answer lol
 
But before I saw everyone's answer I was thinking that the £70 or merchandise would have only cost £50

How on earth did you get to that figure. My initial thought was £170, but then I realised that was just too obvious.
 
You are All wrong, the thief wouldn't come back to that store again so the answer is still £100 short (c)
 
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Read the post properly Mike, most of us got the £100 and we've been explaining why; and the thief would definitely have gone back for a second go, as most get off with just a warning, he just wouldn't have paid for anything on the second visit.
 
Read the post properly Mike, most of us got the £100 and we've been explaining why; and the thief would definitely have gone back for a second go, as most get off with just a warning, he just wouldn't have paid for anything on the second visit.


"Most" ?? We all got it I was just being controversial to add a bit of spice :)
 
Actually the question doesn't ring true.

Had the thief stolen £100.00 in £10.00 notes, then he would only have offered £70.00 in payment, no change would then need to be offered.

To get £30.00 change he would have had to have stolen a £100.00 note, and offered that for payment, raising suspicion with the shopkeeper.
 
Read the post properly Mike, most of us got the £100 and we've been explaining why; and the thief would definitely have gone back for a second go, as most get off with just a warning, he just wouldn't have paid for anything on the second visit.
Of course O did read it but I also wanted to add a little spice to the quiz, but actually I will be honest, I had to work it out!
e.g.
 
Actually the question doesn't ring true.

Had the thief stolen £100.00 in £10.00 notes, then he would only have offered £70.00 in payment, no change would then need to be offered.

To get £30.00 change he would have had to have stolen a £100.00 note, and offered that for payment, raising suspicion with the shopkeeper.

Or two £50 notes
 
I think you could argue that the thief returning isn't immaterial, it's one of the events which we're being asked to mathematically take into account - in which case
there's not enough info in the question to give a definitive answer. The effect of the purchase on how out of pocket the shopkeeper is, is unknown.

Scenario A:
£100 stolen
therefore £100 out of pocket
£70 returned, therefore out of pocket by £30...
for goods which cost (out of pocket) nothing (fell off the back of a lorry)
therefore out of pocket by £30

Scenario B:
£100 stolen
therefore £100 out of pocket
£70 returned, therefore out of pocket by £30...
for goods which cost (out of pocket) £80 (it's a loss-leader to encourage new trade)
Therefore out of pocket by £30 plus £80, total £110

Scenario C:
The shopkeeper had a £500 bet with a friend that he could sell the goods, which were given to the shopkeeper for free. No-one was ever going to buy them, because they were useless. The thief (for whatever reason) bought them
Therefore out of pocket by £30, but up by £500, so a £430 profit overall.

You can't know how much the shopkeeper is out of pocket by these events unless you know the effect on his or her pocket of the sale.
 
Actually the question doesn't ring true.

Had the thief stolen £100.00 in £10.00 notes, then he would only have offered £70.00 in payment, no change would then need to be offered.

To get £30.00 change he would have had to have stolen a £100.00 note, and offered that for payment, raising suspicion with the shopkeeper.
I agree so the answer is not £100, but £130, because no change was given, and £100 notes don't exist
I think you could argue that the thief returning isn't immaterial, it's one of the events which we're being asked to mathematically take into account - in which case
there's not enough info in the question to give a definitive answer. The effect of the purchase on how out of pocket the shopkeeper is, is unknown.

Scenario A:
£100 stolen
therefore £100 out of pocket
£70 returned, therefore out of pocket by £30...
for goods which cost (out of pocket) nothing (fell off the back of a lorry)
therefore out of pocket by £30

Scenario B:
£100 stolen
therefore £100 out of pocket
£70 returned, therefore out of pocket by £30...
for goods which cost (out of pocket) £80 (it's a loss-leader to encourage new trade)
Therefore out of pocket by £30 plus £80, total £110

Scenario C:
The shopkeeper had a £500 bet with a friend that he could sell the goods, which were given to the shopkeeper for free. No-one was ever going to buy them, because they were useless. The thief (for whatever reason) bought them
Therefore out of pocket by £30, but up by £500, so a £430 profit overall.

You can't know how much the shopkeeper is out of pocket by these events unless you know the effect on his or her pocket of the sale.

I think there has to be a scenario D, how would the shopkeeper know how much money he had lost since if he didn't know what was inside his old fashioned register that didn't have a tally counter?

so really the shopkeeper would think customer spending who spent £70 was a real good gem, and he would have been happy to have a sales figure of £170 for the day.
 
Nonsense.

A person went into a shop and bought something for £70, gave shopkeeper £100 and received £30 change.

He went back later and stole £100. How much is the shopkeeper out of pocket?
 
Nonsense.

A person went into a shop and bought something for £70, gave shopkeeper £100 and received £30 change.

He went back later and stole £100. How much is the shopkeeper out of pocket?
£170, because he can't be a good and Professional thief (Registered with Tills Safe body) if he doesn't empty the entire till. If he left any money behind, he didn't do his job right.
 
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He checked the CCTV later on when he realised his till was £100 down.

He recognised the thief and went to his house. He took his £100 and his merchandise back ;)
 
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