Was suspected of being a thief, then saw an actual one.

[Idaho45guy]

So, made my weekly reluctant trip to Walmart today to get supplies. Leaving on a road trip to AZ next week and needed a large storage locker for the back of my SUV for gear. They had one clearance for $30.

So, I grabbed a shopping cart and made my way to the automotive section to get one. I put it in the cart and it barely fit. It filled the entire cart. But, I still needed food for the week, plus Superbowl snacks for tomorrow.

So, I got the bright idea to just put the items I needed in the locker. But, the lid wouldn't stay open. So every time I went to get an item, I would lift the lid of the tub and put it in, then close the lid. I got a few strange looks doing this.

I got the tub about half full and was going to do self-checkout, but I figured that would be a logistical nightmare due to the tiny little shelf space you get for your items.

So, I headed to one of three open checkouts.

Then I noticed a customer that had given me a funny look earlier, was now talking to a couple of Walmart employees and pointing at me. While I was waiting in line to checkout. One of them was speaking into a walkie talkie. Uh oh.

I finally got up to the belt and was able to open up the locker and start pulling all of the items out and place them on the belt. The employees and the customer stopped watching and left the area.

So, I had a nice chat with the cashier and she put all of my items back in the locker and handed me my receipt.

I start heading towards the door when I see a male and female walking from the grocery area with a box of merchandise. They are college-aged and he's a redhead wearing an old Army field jacket, and she's a chunky brunette that is mixed race of something wearing sweats.

They just walk briskly out the doors right in front of me, laughing.

The female immediately lit up a cigarette and the male started opening the box. Looked like it was a box of protein bars or something.

My first reaction was to yell at them or try to detain them.

Then I realized I was carrying. Then I thought about the actual potential outcomes and risk and rewards.

I decided to keep my mouth shut and just go to my car and leave.

It's simply not worth it to confront a criminal, while armed, over a box of protein bars being stolen from Walmart.

I even thought about simply taking a picture of them and their car, then letting store security know, but decided they would likely not want to be bothered over a $10 theft.

It went against every fiber of my being to not intervene and prevent the theft, but in today's world, it's just not worth it, sadly.

[skeettx]

Wisdom comes with age.
Well done and you have learned
Mike

[Gator 45/70]

Best we can do in a situation like that is hopefully they choke on the goods

[Minerat]

Or maybe the Texas 2 step.

[cwtebay]

You definitely chose the better part of valor.


Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

[Winger Ed.]

Well done.

It's not your job or responsibility. You're not a cop, or their store security.
The stores themselves tell their employees who aren't trained/armed security types not to interfere in situations like that.

I talked to a store cashier one time after the place he worked at was robbed.
A couple guys came in, and as the robbery progressed, he gave out all the money in the register
and told the robber it was no big deal--
it wasn't his money, and to grab some beer and a bag of chips on the way out too.

[Nazgul]

Was ringing the Salvation Army bell at our Walmart last Christmas. My wife's High School community service club had agreed to do it long before the controversy so we fulfilled our commitment. I was interested to see reactions since the news got out. No reaction at all, we got the normal amount of money.

Anyway, there was a large redheaded women with 5 kids who made 3 separate trips into the store with large baskets of stuff. Her hair was done up in an outrageous style, lots of tattoos and loud clothes. Very conspicuous . On her 3 rd trip store security stopped her in front of us. Wife told them about her previous trips and they searched her car. Saw in the newspaper later she was charged with some serious theft. We are in a conservative, rural, farming area so a good chance she was convicted and punished.

Don

[NSB]

We don’t get bags at the checkout here in NY. They outlawed plastic bags (actually not a bad idea, there are about a million of them outside the store in the bushes and woods) so you have to bring your own bag to the store. They must be used to it, I stuff everything in my pockets and empty them at the checkout. No one seems to mind, but I bet a ton of stuff gets stolen daily. I guess they don’t care because the cost just goes back on the merchandise we all pay for.

[Half Dog]

Where I work, ~2% of annual sales are allowed for theft. Items are marked up to offset that loss. That equates to around $250,000 per year.

[farmbif]

protein bars pale in comparison to this fold walmart theft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wjbVvhRiRo&t=852s

just gotta love sheriff Grady

[Froogal]

Had a similar thing happen to us at a Walmart, but with a picnic basket. The picnic basket filled the cart, so we placed a few items into the basket. Then we noticed several employees watching our every move and even following us to the checkout. We got even more scrutiny as the items were placed on the checkout counter and we were watched very closely as we exited and walked to our car.

Wife and I were in our '60s at the time, and dressed very normally. We have never visited that particular WalMart again, and we avoid ALL Walmarts unless that is the only choice.

[bedbugbilly]

As much as it goes against how most of us were raised, you did the right thing. What is going on right now is crazy and people better wake up. The "bill" for all of this "entitlement theft" is being paid by all of us.

Last year, at the Wally World near us here in AZ, a guy went into the store, went back and got a bike off of a high display and RODE it out of the store! Another sleazy could went in, picked up a new car battery - then switched the price label - putting a 35 cent label on it and then tried to tell the check out girl that "it's on sale". In both cases, they got caught but there has to be a lot of stuff "walking out" - and like I said, WE all pay the price for it.

You did the right thing - a box of bars isn't worth a situation that could have escalated into a situation where they turned on you - two against one - especially when you are carrying - a box of bars isn't worth it. Karma is a wonderful thing though - and at some point the thieves will get their's.

[Geezer in NH]

What paranoia guys Wal-mart employees are told not to confront shoplifters they do they get fired gheesh.

[contender1]

First off,, you did the right thing.

Secondly,, it's a SAD state of affairs that in this day & age,, letting a thief go is considered the right thing.

It used to be that anytime a thief was caught,, employees,, or customers were rewarded,, with at least praise. Plus,, it was a good thing to try & keep expenses down by reducing shoplifting.

Our society has been degenerating steadily for decades. Petty crimes are overlooked out of fear of it escalating into something worse. Plus,, the court system is so full & overworked,, often petty stuff is just dismissed. Heck,, in Asheville NC,, due to the huge loss of LEO's (thanks to a huge push to defund the police,) to the tune of 1/3rd of the force,, the DA announced that they didn't have the manpower to investigate crimes under $1000. A cop arrests a thief,, and the DA turns the thief loose.

Until our society decides it's had enough,, this downward spiral is going to continue AND get worse.

Personally,, if a store such as wally world, would stand strong,, and PUSH HARD for prosecution and try HARD to stop shoplifting,, it would make a big difference. But they choose to punish the good people by just jacking the prices so that everybody pays more to cover their no-spine attitudes.

[Battis]

Stores do not lose money though shoplifting. $.05 of every item you buy goes towards the store's losses. We pay the price. Another stat - 70% of all store theft is done by employees.
Back in the day - 70s and 80s - I worked retail security. I stopped a thief once that was stealing a pair of $14.99 shoes. He stuck a .38 in my face and told me to back off (I was unarmed). During my time in that job, I arrested doctors, nurses, a police sergeant, priests, a Sister Superior from a Catholic school (twice), and many employees (store managers, etc). We caught a famous singer (I won't name him) for stealing $75 worth of shirts. He had $3500 in cash on him. Heroin addicts with a $300 per day habit had to steal $900 worth of stuff to get that $300, and they'll fight every time. I got stabbed in the side with a screwdriver once (that hurt).
All races, religions, ages, male and female - it's a problem that is passed on to the consumers. Would I get involved now in stopping a shoplifter? Not unless someone was getting hurt.

[MUSTANG]

The story (and several of the comments) reflect that our society is severely corrupted. Strange that we have many on the forum who advocate their religious beliefs; but many seem to explain away any need for accountability of actions - or 'Cluck Cluck Cluck at the tragedy with no true advocations and demands for enforcement of society's common sense laws that span many thousands of years (Thieves in this story, but also one could say those who convey threats to extort, commit assaults, robbery, rape, mayhem, and .....)

[Four-Sixty]

The story (and several of the comments) reflect that our society is severely corrupted. Strange that we have many on the forum who advocate their religious beliefs; but many seem to explain away any need for accountability of actions - or 'Cluck Cluck Cluck at the tragedy with no true advocations and demands for enforcement of society's common sense laws that span many thousands of years (Thieves in this story, but also one could say those who convey threats to extort, commit assaults, robbery, rape, mayhem, and .....)

How about this?

First offense we pull their pants down and spank them in public

Second offense, we beat them with rubber clubs so that it hurts to walk for a week.

Third offense, we hang them.

I think the pendulum swings, and vicious justice will return again... That, unfortunately, portends hard times for all first.

[lightman]

You did the smart thing but I know it still made you mad!

When I had my part time electrical business I would sell scrap copper once or twice a year. They would take my picture with the scrap, take a picture of my drivers license, my vehicle license and a thumb print. All the while a little gangbanger would come in, drop a pile of copper freon line on the scale, get paid and leave! It would make my blood boil! I would be in my 1 ton van with ladders on top and electrical material inside. Obviously a work truck! I said enough about it one time that I was told not to come back!

[Outer Rondacker]

Well done. At my walmart and Lowes the workers are told to just let them go. My stepson was head of Loss Prevention for about a week at Lowes. He quit after being told to let the thieves go with around 5000 dollars of items. If the store does not care why should you.

[Winger Ed.]

What paranoia guys Wal-mart employees are told not to confront shoplifters they do they get fired gheesh.

Most corporate places are like that.

They don't want all the problems that can go with an employee getting hurt or worse over a theft or robbery.