THIEVES AND WALMART SAVINGS...

So now that we made past Christmas and everyone has had a chance to spend time with their love ones I want to take you all through a call for service that unfortunately plagues the malls throughout majority of the holiday season. The topic of discussion today will be concerning a Shoplifting complaint that I responded to and completed in accordance with the law.

It is a regular day on Patrol, the calls for service are steady and time is flying. Just the way we all like it. I got dispatched to a Shoplifting complaint from Walmart, the Loss Prevention Officers caught and detained the offenders pending my arrival.

Upon arrival at the Walmart, I am escorted to the back of the store into an office that is well hidden from the public eye where the Loss Prevention staff have two subjects detained because they were observed attempting to steal merchandise from the Walmart. Subject A and Subject B is what they will be referred to moving forward through the call for service. As soon as I walk in the door Subject A begins to cry, and Subject B simply puts his head down as if he knows that someone is going to jail.

I make contact with the Loss Prevention staff initially who informs me that they have on video the two subjects attempting to leave the Walmart without paying for a cart full of merchandise valued at Six-Hundred Dollars ($600). The Loss Prevention staff played the video showing me the two subjects in action throughout the store, then heading towards the door instead of the registers to make payment for the items collected. Based off of that I already have probable cause to charge both with Shoplifting, however I turn to the subjects and ask what happened? And Why are you stealing?

Subject A tells me immediately that she thought Subject B paid for the items and was just going along under the assumption that everything was alright. I inform Subject A that she is lying and that she accompanied Subject B throughout the store and then toward the exit evidenced in the video that I just watched. At no time did ether of the Subjects go even remotely by the checkout lines.

Subject A continues to cry and doesn’t really say much else for the duration. Subject B takes the blame stating that Subject A had no knowledge of the criminal action and that he is to blame. I explained to Subject B that the stolen goods are worth Six-hundred dollars ($600) making the offensive felonious in nature and that he would be taken to jail if he is taking responsibility for the criminal action.

Subject B states again that Subject A didn’t have anything to do with it, letting me know that he understood what he was going and accepting. Subject B was placed under arrest and taken to jail for Shoplifting.

Unfortunately, Subject B also had prior convictions involving theft so when he was convicted in court he was given jail time and a hefty fine as well. In addition to that, Subject B was given a lifetime ban notice from all Walmart stores. That in itself is a brutal punishment, that man lost out on major savings for LIFE! 

This call for service is common unfortunately, however every now and again something like this situation occurs. Subject B took full responsibility for the actions, normally the two parties would be telling on one another in hopes of being released. The overall point is that stealing is wrong and has consequences so it is wise to NOT do it…unless you don’t value your savings at Walmart that is….

Thieves and Walmart Savings…