Robby didn’t feel like showing his receipt to the Walmart receipt checker, and when the guy came after him, Robby ignored him. That’s when other shoppers started closing in on him, and why he started running.

First of all, I’d like to say that the general consensus of this story is split between “you’re a douchebag” and “you should sue them”. Being a long-time reader, I’ve seen many “detained illegally” type stories, and I know my rights more or less.

Being the last day for the $200 Xbox 360 Arcade with $100 gift card at Walmart and coincidentally also being console banned the same day, I was eager to try and score one. I called around and managed to find exactly one in Woodstock, GA on Highway 92 (about 30 minutes away), but they were unable to hold it for me. I make my way to the Walmart, and briskly walk towards the electronics department and am able to buy one there. I pay with cash and put the change and the receipt in my wallet (with a bunch of other change and receipts).

I leave the store, and as per usual, I don’t bother to show them my receipt since it’s not legally required, and there are about a dozen other people leaving at the same time. I go to my phone to set up GPS to find my way home, and I hear the greeter/bag checker yelling “RECEIPT! RECEIPT!” as I make my way towards my car. Apparently some Walmart patrons heard and decide to be good samaritans and come after me.

At this point running towards my car on the other side of the parking lot, one of them TACKLES ME, and I lose my right shoe a few yards away from where I land. The guy is pinning me down and easily weights twice as much as me, and I have the scrapes on the elbow, hand, and wrist to show for it. The greeter/bag checker catches up and grabs me by my arm, and I tell him to let go or I’ll press charges for assault. I tell him about three times, and he ends up taking the Xbox back inside the store.

I find my receipt amongst the others in my wallet and show it to the onlookers and the tackler’s cronies who all think I’m a thief. I take it inside and show it to the greeter/bag checker, he looks at it, still doesn’t believe I actually purchased it, gives it back, then needs to look at it again because he forgot to check the date/time. I really wish I had gotten a picture of the guy who tackled me so I could press charges and also post him on PeopleOfWalmart.com.

I guess everyone’s guilty until proven guilty at Walmart even if it’s not legally required to show receipt and they are not allowed to physically restrain you. Call the police? Fine. I’m sure they’ll love to hear that customer bought an Xbox 360.

Note: I deleted and re-published this post due to an error. Because of this, the first several comments were lost. My apologies.

(Photo: Vironevaeh)

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