It was a rough day at the office for a Michigan Walmart security guard last week. The Muskegon News reports a guard was physically abused and humiliated as he tried to stop two female shoplifters from making off with some goods that they found priced too high.
Things started getting crazy when the guard tried to block one of the women from entering the passenger’s seat of the getaway vehicle. Reporter Heather Lynn Peters writes:
At that point, Cole “head butted” the security guard, who fell backward into the vehicle, Regan said.
“The bottom of the body fell into the passenger’s seat and the front part in the back of the car,” Regan said. “Then she sat on him. He grabbed his phone and called 911, but she fought for the phone and then urinated on him.”
And then the women drove off with the security guard before police eventually caught them.
Once you’re out in the parking lot, blocking someone from entering her car, maybe you deserve what you get. The local justice system apparently agrees, charging both women with robbery but not with kidnapping or aggravated assault.
The court that really matters, though, is that of public opinion. Is there any sympathy out there for the zealous security guard? Or did he have it coming?
Police: Security guard head-butted, sat on, driven away at Wal-Mart [Muskegon News]
(Photo: k.james)
(Thanks, Jason!)
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While I do think that the security guard made some poor decisions in chasing the women, I’m not sure if I think it’s entirely his fault that he did so. Other than the obviously criminal actions of the women, I think that part of the blame for this incident falls upon the management of the store. Some of the employees that work these jobs, especially at Walmart, aren’t in the greatest of financial situations, and probably really need their jobs. If they had been given instructions by mgmt. to stop shoplifters, they probably knew that it wasn’t the best thing to do, but might have been in the position where they really had no choice. It’s not like someone can just walk down the street and get a job elsewhere right now, and if that security guard has mouths to feed at home that depend on him, then he may be more inclined to do some questionable things at work to make sure that he can provide for his family. Honestly, unless I saw something showing that this security guard was the type of employee that takes it upon himself to cross the line like this, and has been disciplined for it before, then I think he’s the victim in all this mess.
Wow. I feel so proud of my hometown right now.
Muskegon Michigan, motto: “You may get assaulted and peed on, we may have the highest unemployment in the nation, but at least we have really nice beaches.”
Hot damn diggety! The revolution’s on!
Let’s have another one, just like the other one!
Phil, you bastard.
Beat up by bitches? There goes his dignity.
I feel bad for the security guard. Wal-Mart has demostrated that if you don’t stop shoplifters…you get fired. If you do stop a shop lifter…you get fired. He “touched” the customer so end result is he is probably out of a job.
She peed on him? Really? WTF!
What more could you ask from a woman but to give you head, then sit and piss on you?
Everyone in the wrong on this one. The one woman had a previous charge for bank robbery. The other assaulted the guard, and fled him to begin with at the store. If they were in the right, they should have calmly dialogued with him, or waited for police and settled it that way. They didn’t.
On the other hand, Walmart corporate and/or the guard are in the wrong for physically intervening over $45 and over curtains and make-up. This guard’s life and safety are or should be worth more than $45. Once it is clear guilty parties are fleeing, he should call the police and let them handle it. By encouraging guards to act like storm troopers, they have introduced a shopping environment of fear for the rest of the shoppers, and that is wrong.
This will only lead to real criminals using deadly force to steal chewing gum, not to mention non-criminal consumers being more resistant, angry and less cooperative with over-zealous guards now.
This story is what happens when trailer trash criminals meet trailer trash retail corporations.
About a week ago there was an article about a Wal-Mart that detained a woman and separated her from her young children for supposedly shoplifting. After the police were called and it was determined that she had not shoplifted, further confirmed by no charges being filed. She was then requested by Wal-Mart to pay an inflated price for the product. So based on Wal-Marts bad behavior in that case I wish it had been a man in this case so that he could have peed in the security guards face. People need to get over this idea “that stuff”, has any real value and needs to be protected at any cost. The security guard should have written down the license # and gone back in the store and called the police. He did not deserve what happened but he got it anyway. I fail to see the distinction.
“The bottom of the body fell into the passenger’s seat and the front part in the back of the car,” Regan said. “Then she sat on him. He grabbed his phone and called 911, but she fought for the phone and then urinated on him.”
For some people, that qualifies as fore-play.
Sorry Azuaron but unless you have power to arress, the guard does not have the right to detain anyone. Security Officer’s job is to observe and report. What the guard should have done was get their plate number of the vehicle, color, make model of vehicle and full description of both suspects, call his field supervisor, the cops and compose a full incident report. The guard taking on that ‘ROBO COP’ mindset is what lead to his assault and no charges filed. The guard went beyond the scope and duty of a Security Guard.
For the most part; none of those security companies give any damn about their guards. All they care about is the CONTRACT and the CLIENT. If something happens to the guard, he will simpley replaced with another body! You are not a humanfucking being to these brutes; just a body and nothing more. Im like why place yourself in danger for a hartless employer that does not give a damn about you to begin with? All I would do is observe and report and NOTHING else. Do my DAR (daily activity report) and any incident reports as shit goes down.
@Chumas: +1 internets for you.
@sleze69: I shall not stand between you and your apparently righteous fury, sir.
@nbs2: “Detained” seems like such an official term for what probably amounted to the guard and a few clerks watching the women and telling them to stay put. While it may not be against the law to chase after shoplifters, it’s against Wal-Mart’s policy, and he broke policy to exact what he felt was rightful justice.
@LeChiffre:
What DVD costs $29.99? Maybe a box set or something.
@PTB315: I thought BluRay movies cost that much.
@kaceetheconsumer: Agreed. I think it previous commenters on this post degrade the point of their argument by suggesting that because this man was going beyond his job description he deserved this or caused this to happen to him.
And I agree with you, if this was a woman, nobody would DARE say that. Shouldn’t be any different for man. What happened to this guy is pretty awful regardless of circumstances.
@Kimaroo – Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis: I don’t think anyone is using the assault as an excuse for a just-world hypothesis. I don’t think anyone is saying he deserved it. But a lot of us probably think he could have taken a more cautious tactic.
@h3llc4t, breaker of office dress codes: You owe me a cran-apple juice since mine just ended up all over my monitor.
I heart you.
@Vanilla5: Seconded with heart and all.
@Vanilla5: @admiral_stabbin: Heh, glad I can be of service.
@pecan 3.14159265: Yes.. I guess he could have been more cautious.. but he didn’t really lay any hands on anyone.
The only reason I mentioned “deserved” is because of the article saying “Is there any sympathy out there for the zealous security guard? Or did he have it coming?”
That’s a bit much. For me atleast.
@Hank Scorpio: BTW, You Only Move Twice was on the other day, and I thought of you as I watched it.
@GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee: All I ever really wanted in life was for strangers on the internet to think of me while they watch TV. Mission accomplished.
@Michael Belisle: Actually the points are IN agreement.
First off, there’s no mention in the article whether the security guard as actually such, a private security contractor not directly employed by WalMart or one of their in-house loss prevention associates.
In either case though, once the women ran out the door–notify police, notify management, get a good description of the suspects, try to get vehicle description/license plate number, etc. But DO NOT try to give further chase at that point. Thus preventing problems like this from happening in the first place.
@pecan 3.14159265: You bring up a good point: the things we’re all making up in our heads about how this unfolded has a significant effect on our individual conclusions about whether or not the guard acted prudently.
I’d like to think that there was some semblance of size parity between the guard and shoplifter, but in reality nobody knows anything beyond the the few sentences in the article.
@Hank Scorpio: All I wanted was to own the Dallas Cowboys.
@NatalieErin:
Well, if you’re a dog or cat, it’s a relatively normal reaction…
@Kimaroo – Fortified with Kittydus Purrularis:
Actually, it is. DVD is a trademark managed by the DVD Forum. Similarly, so is “Compact Disc”, which is managed by Philips and Sony. This was an issue a few years ago when copy protection software was getting more common on CDs and Philips threatened to refuse to allow such discs to be referred to as “compact discs” because they violated the necessary specifications for the format.
@pecan 3.14159265:
I wouldn’t really call detaining a shoplifter vigilante justice. Good thing those 20 people at the high school dance didn’t take it upon themselves to try and help that girl getting raped. Judging by the reaction of a lot of people on here, standing by and letting a crime happen is the way to go. Oh, I guess someone could have called the police and hoped they showed up 15-60 minutes. That way only 5-6 people could have their way with her before they arrived.
@GitEmSteveDave_HurtHisKnee: Would you accept the Denver Broncos?
@shepd: I’m trying to picture the actual act of urination. *Shudder* I mean, they’re in the car, so there must not have been a lot of room. It’s a woman, so she can’t exactly aim her stream with precision. She must have climbed on, squatted down all-scrunched-up-like, ripped down her pants, and… ew.
Self-defense?!
@Saboth: You’re not seriously comparing a brutal gang rape to swiping a DVD, are you? Even the MPAA wouldn’t go THAT far. Very often.
@What The Geek: Yes but Walmart is rarely such a store – they generally own their property and have to go through all sorts of hoops to get their stores built.
@Trai_Dep: No, they wouldn’t. But what about the RIAA?
Clearly there was a line that he shouldn’t have crossed. But, I don’t think he crossed it. He wasn’t trying to get into the vehicle, there is no indication that he intended to touch her. I looks like he just wanted to be an obstacle (which, I suppose he was since speed bumps are obstacles). Yes, he could have been shot or stabbed. That could have happened in the store as well. Nevertheless, I will give you the violation of Walmart policy.
But, what he did wasn’t vigilante justice. Moreover, nothing he did merited the urination or kidnapping.
@nbs2: Not sure about the RIAA, but definitelly the MPAA’s Jack Valenti in this infamous testimony:
@Trai_Dep: Of course it is. Can’t rely on the police to do everything for you. Sometimes it’s quicker and more efficient to just get out your gun.
@pr0k: No empathy and no reading skills.
@Skipweasel: not from that lady!!
@pr0k: Err, that’s precisely what they’re paid to do.
@pecan 3.14159265: Store policy is absolutely beside the point. Most (all?) jurisdictions have “shopkeeper’s privilege”. The specifics vary depending on jurisdiction, but, in general, a guard can do certain reasonable things to detain suspected shoplifters.
Whether it’s against store policy is largely irrelevant as to what is legally allowed.
And it DOESN’T fall under self defense. Self defense defenses usually don’t work after the criminal act has occurred. You call the police. Moreover, self-defense is usually a defense for batteries, not robbery (YMMV).
[books.google.com]‘s+privilege&source=bl&ots=k1dKlkaF6x&sig=RR7Tf9AOmfYczYPRDHvs7cTEhkk&hl=en&ei=DN_9SqOyAcXdnAeBleWcCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CB4Q6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=shopkeeper’s%20privilege&f=false
This is not a case of someone taking your stuff, these goons stole from walmart and the guard went beyond what he was supposed to do, most of these guards are unarmed but are there to deter crime. Me, if I were a guard, I would have some form of protection on me no matter what. if it isnt a taser or stun gun, I would definately have mace or something that I can use to protect myself and get to safety. I always carry protection with me. on my person and in my vehicle. If you walk up on my vehicle in attack mode and Im not able to drive off then I will go into G I jane and use whatever I have in my car and let the bad guy have it. You cant always rely on the police. So you have to take your personal safety into your own hands. No, I would not do security without having some form of protection at my fingertips. People are desperate these days, I dont carry my purse through malls, markets or parking lots. I have weapons on my person, my fully charged cellphone id and a credit card. I dress in loose fitting clothing so if I need to move and or fight. I will be dressed for it.I keep my nails about 1/3 on an inch and filed to a point. I am careful of my surroundings and on guard whenever I am alone. I also have lots of family members here where I live; at least 20 locally alone and we all keep in contact with each other daily. we always let each other know where we are going and who with and give their info to other family members. I gave my niece a mace ring, a small mace can for her keys. and a stun gun that looks like a cell phone. I also told her to keep at least two pairs of hard shoes in her vehicle and a large umbrella. these things are legal to carry in your vehicle. I also carry both a cane and a pair of crutches. Since I had broken my foot; it is medically documented about my using crutches and canes.I once had to take a dude out in a parking lot with the use of one of my crutches and mace. He attacked me without provocation and I defened myself and let his ass have it.
@LeChiffre: There are two in Muskegon now. One on Sherman and one on Henry. You will also be happy to know that Meijer still gets more business than Walmart in Muskegon.
On topic, I have to say that this is absolutely hilarious, wish I had been there. Almost makes me want to go to Walmart once in a while. Almost.
@Underscore_Lysdexia:
Ha! Glad you said it. I was thinking the exact same thing.
@notlupus:
Like their commissary allowance for cigs.
@jc364: And shoplifters willing to do this to the security guard would be willing to hurt an innocent bystander as they flee – But they’d have no reason to attack anyone if there isn’t a rent-a-cop chasing them.
@Dondegroovily: Ummm, someone who wants the job?
@Areyouagoodlittleconsumer:
Your generalizations about the individual involved without knowing anything about him or the circumstance (not to mention your generalizations about me) are very revealing.
I was simply using a basic example of why a blanket statement like “average citizens should not take it upon themselves to exact vigilante justice” are a bit much.
Next time actually read and take time to comprehend on my comment before quickly jumping to a ridiculous angle on it.
@katstermonster: I was replying to someone else’s comments and somehow (probably my bad, sorry) ended up in the next thread down. Either way, I never implied that the guy physically detained anyone. And he did not *let* them proceed to the parking lot, he tried to stop them inside the store.