WalMart Shoplifting

[Wakey]

Our small town WalMart used to call the police and simply trespass the offender. The police politely asked WalMart to quit wasting their time so they did.

I watched a guy walk 4 Razor boards out the door, nobody cared when I tried to report the theft.

 

[3930dave]

Home with the flu today, so took the time to start at page 1. Hatred for thieves is common, and shared.

Was going out of Home Depot with a full heavy cart of lumber when I realized that I had used a small plastic tub of fasteners in between two similar stacks of lumber to separate them for counting. With a full stack, the tub was squashed pretty flat, so both the clerk and I missed it. I was still close to the cash, so just walked back with a red-face and explained what I had - I needed the fasteners so she just grabbed a wireless scanner and scanned the tub once I lifted the stack clear, then I paid the second one-item bill..... that's as close as I've come.....

Corporations are mostly run by accountants and lawyers. Today, they seem to be willing to let it slide, for a few reasons....... lawsuits for injuries, negative press, lobbying by special interest groups......

As long as corporations can just pass the associated theft costs along to "regular" (ie. honest) customers, they seem inclined to let it go..... Path of Least Disruption....

I'm not much of a shopper, but will put up with and have shopped at Costco for years. Selection is limited, but there are certain products I like, at a price I can live with. Their receipt-at-door system isn't perfect, but should cut down on guys rolling out a free big-screen TV. Some people do some extra "shopping" at the food-court (after the cash) - wife was talking with a lady who had been stopped at the door - she'd stopped at the food court and somebody had liberated one or two items from her cart - Costco replaced the missing items.

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've caught shoplifters at small family owned businesses like Hardware stores and the owners were most grateful...

I guess the difference is the independent owner sees the theft as out of pocket where with large business everyone is an employee?

The idea it is OK to steal is just so wrong.

In High School I was school lunch cashier... and some of the ones I caught were given a pass... one guy destined for the NBA was always trying to get something past... I often would catch it but with the only repercussion being he had to pay for it...

I looked him up years later and he is an Educator for a Christian school... kind of makes me wonder... his Warriors NBA contract was cut short due to injury...

 

[RSKY]

I was talking and walked out of a local restaurant without paying. Was pumping gas across the street when my wife asked if I had left a tip. I realized what I had done and went back and paid. The lady owner at the cash register said it happened every week that somebody would come back in and say that they had walked out without paying. I asked how many didn't come back and she said she didn't know and didn't worry about it because so many did as I had.

RSKY

 

[RandyT]

Was grocery shopping today and often seem to spot people acting suspicious... no formal training... just 35 years of property management and hospital security...

Anyway... I see this guy of about 30 with a Hoodie grab a bottle of Vodka back handed... his "Partner" is at the Deli Counter buy Mac and Cheese... pays for the Mac and Cheese and then head for the "Entrance" to Exit... I mention it to the the clerk and ask for Loss Prevention... she said the store does not prosecute and it is just a cost of doing business...

I wish I could say I had never seen it before... but typically it has been teens... not someone in his 30's...

A few weeks back a beloved clerk at another grocery store heard a customer scream as she was leaving the store and the clerk tackled a purse snatcher and foiled the robbery and the thief was arrested... the customers and TV said the guy is a hero... 13 years on the job... the Store terminated his employment...

There was such a public outcry he got his job back with a reprimand warning should he not follow company policy in the future...

Tough call but I doubt many here could simply stand by if we had the chance to help...

The reason that they don't want the employees intervening is because that $20 theft, or purse snatcher could easily turn into a $50,000 or more lawsuit against the store, even if the employees did the right thing. Loss prevention can't afford making a mistake with a possibly shoplifter. if they stop somebody that person didn't actually shoplift, every employee that intervenes to stop that person from leaving now are subject to multilple felony charges against them, as well as lawsuits naming them personally as well as the store.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

They still bust peeps all the time for stealing at Walmarts in Bryan College Station Texas

 

[mcfarmall]

I like the mommies who pick up a bag of grapes and let their brats eat them throughout the store then pay by the pound for the leftovers.

 

[ultrarunner]

The reason that they don't want the employees intervening is because that $20 theft, or purse snatcher could easily turn into a $50,000 or more lawsuit against the store, even if the employees did the right thing. Loss prevention can't afford making a mistake with a possibly shoplifter. if they stop somebody that person didn't actually shoplift, every employee that intervenes to stop that person from leaving now are subject to multilple felony charges against them, as well as lawsuits naming them personally as well as the store.

I understand what you are saying... but still can't understand how we got to this point.

Also... a small Mom and Pop market would seem to have more to loose than one of the largest retailers in the country... the Mom and Pop could very well have to shutter the doors.

In the inner city... it was like a revolving door... new markets would go in and wouldn't last a year... simply to much shrinkage and slip and fall suits... now it has spread to "Better" areas.

 

[aczlan]

The reason that they don't want the employees intervening is because that $20 theft, or purse snatcher could easily turn into a $50,000 or more lawsuit against the store, even if the employees did the right thing. Loss prevention can't afford making a mistake with a possibly shoplifter. if they stop somebody that person didn't actually shoplift, every employee that intervenes to stop that person from leaving now are subject to multilple felony charges against them, as well as lawsuits naming them personally as well as the store.

Don't forget the possible workers comp claim if the alleged shoplifter hurts the employee or if the employee falls while trying to catch the shoplifter.

Aaron Z

 

[Ford850]

Don't forget the possible workers comp claim if the alleged shoplifter hurts the employee or if the employee falls while trying to catch the shoplifter.

Aaron Z

As long as they go that far, they should remove the checkout lanes altogether since a cashier could injure themselves bagging items. Just prop the doors open and let people come in and clear the shelves.