"We take shoplifting SEROIUSLY..."

I had a friend that did the loss prevention thing as a full-on career.. They take the whole "rent-a-cop" thing to a whole new level. It never ceases to amaze me how amped up he would get he "caught" someone doing something bad.. 100% pure adrenaline rush for him.

To his credit, he had severl people over the years pull guns on him and knives.. yet he was still gung-ho about "detaining" someone when he had the chance..

The guy should work at Macy's. I was in Macy's in NYC a couple months ago and saw some woman put socks in her purse. I went over to the security guard to tell him what I saw. He didn't speak any English!! He just smiled at me and nodded as I pointed to her and said she stole socks. No wonder Macy's stock is in the tank - all because of her socks!

In Illinois you are not allowed to use force to stop them. You can block them with your body and call the police.

@Samets: So that's why the Bears suck so much this year.

So people feel sorry for the thief? Is that what's happening here? Now, if she hadn't been stealing, I can see the problem. But if you steal from me, expect the same, or worse.

While it's a bit overzealous to tackle a shoplifter I don't think people breaking the law should count on every one else playing by the rules. I'd hate to see this lady suing the guy or Walmart over this and profiting from crime.

@johnfrombrooklyn: Even if he did speak English, he probably couldn't do much. My sister worked at the Gap for a while. She said people would come in with shopping bags lined with foil to get past the sensors, and just fill them up and walk out of the store. The manager had to see it to stop them.

I also worked at the Gap for a few months. You can't even really say anything. If you see someone stealing a belt (for example), they tell you to say something like, "can I help you with any accessories today? Like maybe a belt?

It's silly, but I guess they stand to lose a lot more by being sued than they do to shoplifters.

I dunno, kudos for him. If this were somewhere in the middle east, she'd lose a hand.

I don't get this. It was his job, wasn't it? So what if me, as a concerned good-samaritan citizen seeing a crime take place, tackles her instead. would she sue me and have me arrested? how can you fault anyone for doing the RIGHT thing against someone doing the WRONG thing.

Kudos to the guard.

@Samets: Can you cite the law for that? It'd seem to be a somewhat gray area.

@illtron:

Someone's not carrying a one in their calculations. time to get better lawyers and better accountants.

Granted the bulk of theft happens by employees, but they aren't going to lose money stopping people shoplifting. The shoplifters aren't making any money suing the store unless the clerks are breaking the law right back.

@bravo369: Cuz you're not a cop, maybe? And if you WERE wrong, you'd have your ass handed to you in civil as well as criminal court?

The problem here is that 'loss prevention' does not equal police officer.

If a police officer had called her out, and she ran, then the cop could have chased her down and tackled her. Generally retail loss prevention people are told not to make physical contact with someone who they suspect or know has been shop lifting.

I don't feel bad for the woman, because yeah, she was breaking the law, but committing assault and battery is STILL illegal, even if you are wearing a special Wal Mart shirt.

@The Sharpie Control and Sensitivity Training Intern: Bears are in first place. I know, don't let the truth screw up a good joke, but couldn't you have gone with the Illini?

she obviously was just being environmentally friendly by using her own bag, and just left her money in the car, and forgot she had her environmentally freindly bag full of merchandise when she was assaulted. a simple misunderstanding on walmarts part will now cost them millions in a lawsuit. i hope she wins.

@testsicles: there's really no reason (or right, for that matter) in this instance to resort to violence. the lpo could just as easy have followed her to her car, taken down the proper info & reported it to the police.

yes, theft is a crime & the woman should be punished. but assault & battery are also crimes. & so the lpo should be punished also.

do i feel sorry for the thief? not at all. but i will not stand for the improper use of force by any enforcement officer. as long as i have rights, i intend to defend them.

@Red_Flag: Let me rephrase. I doubt it's a gray area that LP should not assault a shoplifting suspect, but I don't think they can block them for exiting without causing unlawful detainment unless they are phoning the police.

Wow... that's a horribly runon sentence, isn't it?

@bravo369:

You, as a good samaritan, are in a better place than he is (likely). There is an expectation that Wal-Mart has trained this person to know his legal limits. As a good samaritan, you do not have that expectation.

Good job in stopping the theft, but dude may have been overly forceful.

@ElijahDProphet: Exactly. "Security" or "Loss Prevention" != sworn officer of the law. No matter what the LP's shirt title says, he has no more authority over another citizen than any other. That also means he is not immune to lawsuits stemming from his unlawful use of force.

@JohnDeere: Lol, nice.

@Samets:
At a crappy hot topic in Illinois that I worked at we weren't allowed to stop anyone from stealing unless we saw EXACTLY what they shoved into their pocket. I saw so many people steal things but I didn't know what exactly, so I just figured the darn place deserved it since there was nothing I could do. That, and even if you knew what they took, you were only allowed to call security and block them with your body from leaving the store.
Is this a law everywhere or is it just Illinois? It's seriously WTF on my scale.

@smurph0404:

Hell, I can almost promise you she's going to sue walmart and win some outrageous settlement. The fact that the media has already picked up on this story means that crooked trial lawyers are already contacting her. I'm not saying it's right, but I'm sure it's going to happen.

@bravo369: whats wrong with following her to her car and taking her plate number, allowing the proper authorities to pay her a visit? no violence and justice is served. maybe pull out your cell and take a picture for evidence...

now, the thief becomes the victim and will probably be awarded a hefty prize for being scum.

crime pays sometimes...

@AlteredBeast: If only consumerist posters took spelling seriously :-P

In Lansing Mi the security chased some shoplifters from a mall and one crawled into a trash compactor at Goodwill and guess what...she is not with us anymore. Makes being tackled a piece of cake.

Just goes to show that most shoplifters are doing it for thrills and not out of desperation.

I mean really, what's worth stealing at wal-mart?

@bravo369: save your good samaritanism for more appropriate times. the right thing to do would be to report the woman to store authorities & allow them to handle the situation, not tackle her.

there is a certain amount of protection under the law for citizens that stop a crime in progress, but generally, force can only be used in instances where there is a threat of violence or injury.

@ElijahDProphet:

You don't need to be a cop to do the right thing.

I'd bet you are the same person that takes candies from the open bin at the supermarket.

@xwildebeestx: man your kidding right, the nascar selection is off the hook.

@Specalt: Oh, boy, one of those.

How about you go do your "right thing" and we'll sit back and laugh when you get carted off to the county lockup BECAUSE THE LAW DOESN'T ALLOW CITIZENS TO ACT WITH POLICE POWERS. Which is why we have... police.

@xwildebeestx: Food?

@testsicles: Ummm, Yeah I do...
She stole something, before leaving she was approached, she left the items IN THE STORE, and presumably not on the PAYING side of a cash register.
She is NO LONGER STEALING, she should still be reported, but at no point is she now STEALING from the store.
The Rent-a-cop wannabe has issues. She now just made MORE from this than if the linebacker they hired had let her go with the merchandise.
Our prices will now be higher BECAUSE of them both, however, I bet they will be higher due to her OBVIOUS medical claims and injuries and lawsuit.

@thebluepill: Same problem we have with law enforcement, tsa, us customs, etc. Bunch of retards with a little power that makes their head spin with glee!!!

I worked as a security guard for years. Believe me... its a really shitty job. You are expected to do your job but pretty much arent allowed to do anything. Otherwise you get sued and/or fired. You really are a figurehead of impotence in that kind of job. You prettymuch have the power to make a citizen's arrest (just like every citizen has)... but that is it. It is really NOT worth it to get involved in an incident with a customer or employee... because you will all come out losing in the end.

John Locke works at walmart?? But John! That's not what you're meant to do! Come back to the island John!

@illtron: I worked at Old Navy and they had the same policy - manager on duty had to see it for anything to be done.
In fact, I think they used the same "belt situation" you just described, verbatim, in their training. I saw plenty of people stealing, all I would do is give them the stink-eye.
So in closing, retail sucks.
That is all.

@mac-phisto: I'd rather not waste police resources tracking down and picking up every shoplifter. Shoplifting can be taken care of through private security enforcement and handed over to the proper authorities for the legal portion far more efficiently. I wish it was actuall policy to give every shoplifter a black eye. I'd shop there everyday.

@Red_Flag: It does if I'm on my private property, to an extent.

@smurph0404: Uh?? Playing by the rules???
That is EXACTLY the reason why POLICE OFFICERS go through >20 weeks of training and some LAW ENFORCEMENT training for this very reason.

Really, does anyone know if the outfit they HIRE these jackasses from do any training in LAW??? Probably not.

It should be a no brainer when hiring one of these people that what there responsibilities are, and an understanding between the company that rents them out and the company that hires them what their duties include.

I would have them sign a legal document stating just that.
YOU DON'T TACKLE people for merchandise. DOING so is on your head. NOT ours.

I bet that would quickly put an end to this crap. The first lawsuit against the store that proves that this was in violation of their policy and that the place they got the rental from was at fault would shut them down...

@mac-phisto: "force can only be used in instances where there is a threat of violence or injury. "

not in Texas, woot, Hook 'em Horns!

@Saboth: Because that IS the law there.
It isn't here.
Why is that so hard to understand??

The guard was probably a bit excessive, but come on, she's a thief!

And to head off anyone who thinks they have no right to use physical force to detain a shoplifter, please look up the "Shopkeeper's Privilege" on wikipedia.

@Samets:

Untrue. Illinois does have the "shopkeeper's privilege" on the books, and it's been affirmed by the courts.

Any NFL player needs additional practice with offense?

Give Mr. Gregorie a call and give him a run for his money!

@zarex42: Shopkeeper's Privilege does not provide immunity to charges of assault. In fact it does not even allow a search.

Try again.

@zarex42: Shopkeeper's Privilege does not allow use of force. He's still on the hook for ASSAULT.

I'm torn. On the one hand I like that she was caught, on the other, I feel uneasy about people beating you for what they think you are doing. We already have issues where police shoot you in the head for getting a cell phone...do we want normal civilians to be able to also severely hurt you for supposed crimes? I know in this case it's cut and dry, but what if it wasn't? We have police for a reason, call them, the merchandise isn't worth it and I'm sure Wal-Mart agrees (especially after the settlement they are going to have to pay this women).