Theft At Walmart in Florida

911

911

Well-known Member
Location
USA
I wasn’t going to publish this story because it sounds far fetched, but here goes. I am staying here in Florida at my friend’s house and yesterday I had to run to Walmart for some hardware to fix my neighbor’s screen door. On the way out, I saw this little girl, maybe about 3 or 4, carrying out 2 little dresses still on the hangers. I told the little girl she had to pay for them before taking them out of the store.

The greeter or package checker or whatever her job is just looked at me. The little girl’s mom was with her. There was a big guy standing in the vestibule where I was. He told the mom to go back into the store and pay for the dresses. I started recording what was going on. The mother didn’t say anything and kept walking. The big guy asked the Walmart employee if she wasn’t going to do anything. She shook her head no.

The big guy told her he needed a pair of work gloves, so I guess I will go get a pair and walk out the door. You stop me and I will sue Walmart. I thought he was only testing her, but he went back into the store, got a pair of gloves, walked past the employee shaking the gloves in her face and walked out the door. She never said a word. I told her I didn’t know Walmart was giving stuff away and here I am like an idiot paying for my stuff. She shrugged her shoulders and that was it. I took my screws and latch kit and left.

I heard about this stuff going on, but never seen it until yesterday. Toda, in the newspaper, there was an article about how much money stores lost in 2023 to thieves. I found it to be somewhat ironic that the story was printed a day after I saw the theft. I know Walmart has Loss Prevention personnel, but they sure aren’t doing their job.
 

Last year, I watched a young woman walk out of Walmart wheeling a bicycle that she had pulled off the rack in the bike department.

I told two clerks, one of which shrugged and said it wasn't his job and the other one just shrugged and walked away.

I also spoke to the guy at the door who said there wasn't anything he could do.

Like 911, I have no idea why *I* am paying for things when I could just walk out with them......except for the pesky sense of what's right and what's wrong that my parents taught me.....
 

Something stolen is not worth the cost of an employee's life. They are taught to let the person leave, not to put themselves in danger. That said, if the store sees what is happening, they can call the police and have them waiting in the store or outside to take the person into custody.

I have no sympathy for those that steal but I do feel bad for those that try it to provide for a child. Food, diapers etc. if that is all they take I would offer to pay for it my self.
 
Times they are a changin'

Young and between jobs, I took a job working the 7p.m. to 7a.m. shift at a gas station/grocery mart. It was just me each night for those 12hrs.

So one night a dude walks in, picks up 2 twelve packs of beer and walks out. I had a firearm with me there always for personal protection. I picked up the pistol. By the time I got out to the gas pump island, the dud was in the middle of the street and off store property.

With pistol pointed at his back I said, "Stop or I'll shoot". Without even turning around he said, "Well shoot M**F**".

... I couldn't believe it. This guy didn't care about his life. All he wanted was free beer. Well several thoughts raced through my head as they do in a "crisis" situation and I realized 1) Not worth shooting someone over stolen beer which wasn't even mine to begin with. 2) He was off store property and not a threat to me or anyone and if I shoot him I'd be in a huge legal mess. 3) Calm down, go back in the store and call local LEO's.

Police arrived and I gave them a description of the guy. The perp had an easily recognizable scar in the eyebrow over one eye and his eyebrow was disfigured in a unique way.

The police officers told me that I should have fired a round anyway even if I didn't strike the thief !!! That shocked me a bit and I thought 4) Firing off a warning round in the city isn't a good idea. It could come down anywhere.

It wasn't a half hour later that a patrol car pulled back up and the Officer marched a guy into the store for identification. And yep, that was the guy. So he was arrested and a couple of days later a court date was set for about two months away.

Well by the court day, I had found a much better good paying job in a different city. I told the store corporation that I would be glad to take a day off work and go to the perps court date but I would need compensation. Never heard back from corporation. And I thought 5) Two twelve packs of beer don't matter much to corporation.

When I didn't show up for court, I figure the charges against the guy were dismissed. Who knows.

All that was close to 50yrs ago. The times they are a changin'
 
Someone, a political candidate or maybe a congressman, proposed the idea that department stores like Walmart and big-chain grocery stores set up a free-stuff kiosk where people could just walk in and take whatever, no questions asked.

The arguments were: who would fund it; state or feds, and the even bigger argument was protecting the would-be thief's privacy. Others would see them enter the free-stuff part of the store and know they're struggling.
 
Murrmurr said:
Watching this happen is so depressing.

And I've noticed that the wider the wealth gap is between regular folks and lawmakers and other elected officials, the less motivated those officials are to create laws and ensure just punishments that protect and deter.
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I'm not so quick to blame elected officials. The government isn't a be all end all and was never intended to be. Besides, there were enough laws on the books a hundred years ago to have a civilized and just society. So I don't think the problems of today are rooted with laws, lawmakers and lawyers. Think the problem is closer to home ... and on social media, with cultural "heroes" and perhaps in part, in schools. But there are no easy answers and it took America almost 250yrs to get where we are and will likely take a few years to get to where we should and need to be. And thinking it is a government problem won't get us there. Well, maybe the "right" government would help ;)
 
Murrmurr said:
Until they teach their children that it's ok to steal....as in this case.
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I do not want them to teach their children that but I want all children to know if they are in trouble, hungry, cold, scared, abused to just tell someone, anyone and they will be helped. I think so many think that this normal they don't tell, don't ask for help.
 
Murrmurr said:
Someone, a political candidate or maybe a congressman, proposed the idea that department stores like Walmart and big-chain grocery stores set up a free-stuff kiosk where people could just walk in and take whatever, no questions asked.

The arguments were: who would fund it; state or feds, and the even bigger argument was protecting the would-be thief's privacy. Others would see them enter the free-stuff part of the store and know they're struggling.
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I don't think this is a good idea. If grown adults need help there are ways to ask or get help. If there are children are involved any half way responsible adult would be willing to give up the child to make sure they have the medical care, proper nutrition and education to make sure the child can grow to their fullest potential.

If not, the child or children should be removed, placed with responsible loving people, like you, to provide the care they should need. If those parents lose custody of their children it is by their own doing. The main thing is the child/children recieve the love and proper care to help them grow into happy, healthy adults.
 
Nathan said:
Retail security staff will be fired if they intervene with a shoplifting or robbery, the corporation is scared of hurting sales....
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It is also the possibility that they are mistaken, no crime was done, and they have paid thru the nose for false accusations. If they, the corporation do not have rock solid proof, they should not accuse the innocent. Many of these employees make assumptions without concrete proof.

This has comeback to bite them in their ass. Part of this I speak to our seniors, we can go to the store and wander around looking for things we can't find. For some reason this is called suspicious behavior. No, it is old age or the fact we don't get out that often and enjoy browsing, making the choices of what we can afford this month.

I have been asked for a reciept at many places. I do not mind showing them.
I understand why they ask, if anyone has anything to hide it should not be a problem. Pride goes before a fall. I know I act in a lawfull way, why should I be offended to show it. No one should, if they want to see proof, just show it and be on your way, no reason to freak out and cause a scene. Why is everyone looking for a lawsuit?
 
Blessed said:
I don't think this is a good idea. If grown adults need help there are ways to ask or get help. If there are children are involved any half way responsible adult would be willing to give up the child to make sure they have the medical care, proper nutrition and education to make sure the child can grow to their fullest potential.

If not, the child or children should be removed, placed with responsible loving people, like you, to provide the care they should need. If those parents lose custody of their children it is by their own doing. The main thing is the child/children recieve the love and proper care to help them grow into happy, healthy adults.
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"medical care, proper nutrition and education"

These things are already available for people getting social services (welfare). But the checks don't go very far.

This congressmen (or whoever) was just talking about free stores attached to major chain stores, and the main purpose was to curtail thievery. I liked the idea. It had the potential to keep struggling parents out of jail and prevent them losing their kids to CPS.
 
Naturally said:
I'm not so quick to blame elected officials. The government isn't a be all end all and was never intended to be. Besides, there were enough laws on the books a hundred years ago to have a civilized and just society. So I don't think the problems of today are rooted with laws, lawmakers and lawyers. Think the problem is closer to home ... and on social media, with cultural "heroes" and perhaps in part, in schools. But there are no easy answers and it took America almost 250yrs to get where we are and will likely take a few years to get to where we should and need to be. And thinking it is a government problem won't get us there. Well, maybe the "right" government would help ;)
Click to expand...
When courts have become a revolving door for thieves, especially, then the problems are rooted in laws. And enforcing laws as well.
 
I haven't verified but remember it said that America already has more people in jails and prisons than just about the whole world or something like that. Apparently laws aren't much of a deterrent and courts tasked to uphold those laws are in a tough position to figure how to hold criminals accountable according to their offense without further overloading an already packed system. There are no easy answers.
 
It still might be better to set up a center at the local police station, fire station or churches that require some form of identification that the family is struggling and needs additional support.

That way the child protective services could keep an eye on those families for future care needs over and above welfare. I think society as a whole is not aware of the true reality of struggling families, raising children, on minimum wage. Even with government assistance, I think there are many that still have trouble keeping a roof, food, clothing and medical care for children.

I may live in a mindset that that is not possible but if that is the case, the children should be removed. I only had one child but we always saw that the child not only had the basics but enough to fit in, be confident in who they were, to be able to particpate fully in everthing, ever opportunity, they had. Sometimes that meant Mom and Dad did not get things they wanted.

The child went to school in clothing they liked so they felt comfortable, the child was enrolled in soccer, music, band. The child has his own trumpet, went for private lessons, went to every contest around the country. They also went to every cross country event and pole vaulting competition. The most important thing is that I or his father were there watching, cheering them on.

The child thrived in school from the beginning. They were in AP classes from elementary age. At high school level, invited to be part of the IB program. They only had a stumble when Dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

The child kept going the best they could. Got a scholarship to junior college when Dad was sick. After Dad passed, they went on to college at a well known Texas college and got their degree.

The point is that every parent should want the best, plan for their future and be willing to give up the material things they may want so that money is available to let their child be all they can be. I think my child lived it, saw the true nature of the world and that if they want the best for their children they may have to do the same.

I know that you get this. You raised your own children and then still had enough love in your heart to take Paxton to your heart and give him the love and protection he needed. I also know if you were younger and had better health you would have adopted him without question. That is where my heart breaks for you. He was and is your son and still you knew that the best thing for him was to step back and let him be part of a younger family with siblings. It pains you to this day, I understand it, you understand it but it does not make it easier. Know that you have he admiration and love from everyone here.
 
Third hand story I heard. An undercover worker followed a young woman out of the store. He gave her the chance to go back in and pay for the things. Told her to open the bag and she fought him for it. Screaming and yelling he was beating her. Some people said he shouldn’t have stopped her and he was beating her. The other half of the crowd agreed that he didn’t do those things. Finally she just quit and went in and paid. There were cameras around. His job would be easier if he just let her go.
 
A thought. If a store has video proof of someone stealing and they want to avoid confrontation, why not ban them from the store. There’s lots of facial recognition software that they could use as proof.
 
I have only seen it one time, not at Walmart but another national grocery store chain. A man at the meat department stuffed a package of beef into the front of his pants. He knew I saw him but both of us seemed to be in shock. I hate to say it but I did not say anything. I was just shocked that someone would do such a thing. I just thought if he and his family were that hungry and he was willing to go to jail for $10 it was his choice. I still regret it, I should have told him you do not need to do that, I will help but I did not.

I have now realized the need and have helped others I see struggling at the store to pay for things. Many of these have been elderly, I guess living on a fixed income. I am older but I do have a certain amount of cash so I can step up and help when I see an older person struggling to pay for what they put in their cart. There was always just the basics we all need, no silly stuff. We should all have bread, milk, eggs, veggies, fruit. Think about it if you see someone in trouble, they just need a few dollars to get the important stuff.
 

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