How do you handle a senior who loves to steal utensils from restaurants?

Does FIL have some dementia?

Wow, what a crowd of oldie snatchers. It kind of funny but they can get into trouble no matter their old age for stealing is stealing n especiall in grocery stores. As for restarunts not sure if they will do anything however stealing is stealing. Maybe you can give a spot search before leaving the place like in their purse n etc. Maybe someone else on here will have a better solution too.

Well, having a store with cameras, is exactly what I am afraid of. Our Walmart here has been known to prosecute children over a stolen sucker! I came right out and told him the other day, that if he gets arrested, I may have to let him stay there. You can imagine the look I got. It was like I was the nutcase. My mother-in-law used to steal the sugar packets. I have always thought that this was perhaps more innocent, than the tableware. Perhaps I was totally wrong in that thinking.

Along with the sugar and jelly packets, we have the issue of bags of candy (namely M&Ms) being opened in the store and her pockets will be full !!!. When confronted, she simply laughs and says "so what are THEY going to do to ME? I'm an old lady"
How do you respond to that one? She is correct, they won't do a thing to her.

My parents take the jelly and sugar from restaurants. I have no idea how to get them to stop, but I wanted to let you know you aren't alone.
A cousin works at one of the restaurants where my parents do this. She said they do have cameras watching the the dining room. That made my mother stop and think, but I'm sure they will keep on doing it.