Caught Shoplifting!

[crazypoohbear]

What would you do if you were in a store, i.e. target/walmart and saw a family shoplifting.
I was at Walmart :(
tonight I needed batteries, I was in the video game section and I see a "father" sitting on the floor with 3 kids about 5-9 years old standing next to him.
Behind him and the kids are"mom, Grandmother and Uncle"
The adults are standing in a semi circle around dad and the kids. I see Dad opening the video games and giving the game itself to the various children. He is then putting the empty package way back on the bottom shelf.
I know that they were shop lifting as I saw the whole thing going down. I heard the "dad" asking the kids which games they wanted.

So.... before I tell you what I chose to do, tell me how you would have handled this situation.

[disneydeb]

Videocammed them with my phone for a while and found a CS rep form Walmart.

I hope you were not identified as the one who turned them in.

[tinkerbellybutton]

I actually also would turn them in. Been there, done that. I even had to fill out a statement for the prosecution but it was worth it. Shoplifters are the reason we pay more and more every day.

[DISNEYLOVERS5]

i work at walmart so I would have called the big man and might have gotten a raise.

[PirateLover]

I definitely would've reported them. Until I started working in retail myself I didn't realize how much even the smallest stolen good can affect the entire store. People are crafty and it's hard for workers to catch them so it's nice if other customers help out once in a while.
You shouldn't even need to take video with your phone. Even if someone isn't monitoring the video all the time, I can almost guarantee that there was a camera on them and all it takes is one person to notify someone so they can go back and check the tape.

[BronxTigger]

Well, I wouldn't have stood around to watch. I would have acted like I saw nothing and then went and told security or an employee.

One time I got caught in the middle of 2 guys and a bunch of Target security. I saw these guys looking over their shoulders and whispering to each other, and running around the aisles. Seconds later, a bunch of plainclothes Target security people came rushing past looking for them. I just tried to stay out of the way.

Another time I saw a couple of people with a cart full of electronics running through the Target parking lot (different Target) and a car speeding across the lot. It stopped, they threw the stuff in, jumped in, and sped away. By that time it was too late for me to really do anything, but I know about that particular Target's security system and I KNOW they had the whole thing on camera - including the parking lot bit.

[PirateLover]

I work at Ikea, and I've been told that there are rewards for catching shoplifters as well. Unfortunately I haven't caught any yet, though I find their evidence every day...

[Georgesgirl1]

I would have turned them in for sure.
I used to work at Victoria's Secret in college and it is amazing what people will steal and also what people would try to return after wearing (YUCK!).
Then it means higher prices for everyone else and more work for the employees who have to tag every piece of merchandise with those anti theft devices. Dishonest people ruin things for everyone else!

Kristin

[princessjojo]

That's really hard to answer, kinda. For me, it depends on what they were stealing. If it were food, necessary foods like baby foods or vegetables, and I felt like they really needed it, no I wouldn't report them, but it still doesn't make it right for them to do it.

But in this case it was nothing more than a video game. That is pure greed on their part. You better believe I would let someone know. It sets a bad example for the kids. I'm the type though that would tell, then stalk them through out the store. And if all else fails, I would make sure they knew I saw what they did. One of my friends used to work for Wal-Mart as a pharmacist and detailed how their security works and the chances are that the family would walk. But my objective would be to let them know that there are people out there who don't take shoplifting lightly and naively hoping that they would think about it before they tried to steal something again.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I would have told a Walmart employee what I just saw, and hoped that they would do something about it.

[BronxTigger]

I'm the type though that would tell, then stalk them through out the store. And if all else fails, I would make sure they knew I saw what they did.

But my objective would be to let them know that there are people out there who don't take shoplifting lightly and naively hoping that they would think about it before they tried to steal something again.

I'm not sure I would want them to know I turned them in. They are brazen enough to be shoplifting with their children on the floor of a Walmart...what else are they willing to do that is illegal?

[DestinationWDW]

Theft is theft; even if you didn't report it and the persons weren't caught by security. Eventually they will have to answer for their sins

The 10 commandments come from Exodus 20:1-17. Here is the verse:


And God spoke all these words, saying: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

8. You shall not steal.

They are good, basic laws that will help keep us right before God, and also help keep us out of trouble with ourselves, our families, our friends and our neighbors.

And if they are stealing necessary items like food or whatever, there are places to get if FREE, like churches, soup kitchens, etc. I hope you didn't confront the thieves and put yourself in harm’s way.

[ncscgirl2005]

I would have turned them in for sure.
I used to work at Victoria's Secret in college and it is amazing what people will steal and also what people would try to return after wearing (YUCK!).

Kristin


Throwing up in my mouth:ack:

[ncscgirl2005]

I hope they are prosecuted for their actions. I probably would have went to management or something like that.

[kakn7294]

I would have gone directly to the nearest employee and reported what I had seen.

[katzctkpt]

Most definately report it. They need to be punished and to have the children involved how stupid. Ooh that just makes me mad.:mad:

[BigRedDad]

I would definitely report it and hope they take action. Nothing would be more satisfying than seeing 5 adults get arrested and their children taken from them by Social Services for being stupid.

[RalsFam]

that's really hard to answer, kinda. For me, it depends on what they were stealing. If it were food, necessary foods like baby foods or vegetables, and I felt like they really needed it, no I wouldn't report them, but it still doesn't make it right for them to do it.
Doesn't matter, theft is theft. I am sure that someone in that family is in good enough shape to get a job.

[Tinkerfreak]

I also would have turned them in. There is no excuse for shoplifting, and come on people how horrible to be involving the kids.
I saw someone hit a parked car once and reported it. DH said I should have minded my own business but I told him what if it was our car and someone had seen it.

[Dsnygirl]

I would definitely have reported them, as fast as I could. It's one thing (sort-of) when, like what another poster wrote, people are stealing out of necessity - food from a market, that kind-of thing. But video games?? Pure & simple greed.

But what REALLY makes me mad is the father doing it in front of his kids and involving them in it... it's bad enough he's doing it, period. But to use them as shields and teach them... that is purely vile to me. To me, he is no father in that situation, but just a criminal passing on his tools of the trade. How very, very sad.

I truly hope they got caught -- it's sad when a store has to teach children their morals. :(

[tmosier]

Adults stealing is bad enough, but it is absolutely shameful to do it in front of children! I wouldn't hesitate to turn them in.

Tinkerfreak's post about seeing someone hit a car reminded me of the time years ago that my husband and I chased a hit-and-run driver! It was pretty exciting and after about twenty minutes we were able to get the tag number and call it in. Long story short, the lady was caught. Maybe my husband and I should pick this (chasing criminals) back up once the kids are grown and gone!

[crazypoohbear]

Hi all,
Well, it's great to see so many people you there would do the honest thing!.
The way I "discovered" what the family was doing was I was trying to get up the isle but they were all standing around the dad and the kids blocking the isle. I said "excuse me" twice and they looked at me and would not move, kinda gave me a dirty look even!
So, I looked over the "grandmom's" shoulder to see why no one would move out of the way.
That is when I see dad with an open game saying to one of the kids, "is this the one you wanted" and giving the kids the games and seeing the kids put things in their pockets.

So, I pushed my carraige through the group, still acting like I didn't know what they were doing.
I walked over to the register in the video game area and told the two people there what I had just seen.
Then I see the family scatter in three different dircections.
Lucikily there was an undercover security guard right there so he took off in one direction and two other employees took off in another.
Someone else came over and asked if I was sure what I had seen. I said YEP and showed him where they were kneeling/standing. They found some empty boxes.
Meanwhile the security guard comes back because he isn't sure who he should be following so I walk down the isle with him and point out "grandmom" he says "really?" I said yes So off he goes to watch her.
The store employees were following the others and the others kept splitting up into smaller groups ( to make it harder to follow all of them)
There were seven people involved in this theft that I saw, could have been others looking out for them as well.
It was obvious to me that this was a pretty common occurence based on how they all knew what to do, even the kids!
I was so mad that
1. I would be paying EVEN higher prices shortly because of "shrink"
2 that the kids seemed quite comfortable with what was going on.
3. that this seemed like their way of shopping.

I left before the "big bust" at the door but I saw plain clothes people stationed inside and outside.
I really hope they caught them all and the kids at least learn that this is not another example of
"welcome to America, help yourself":mad:

[MsMin]

Thanks for helping out. I would have tattled too. I hate stealing but this family thing really sickens me. What ppl don't teach their kids. :mad:
I'm also glad you did it the safe way too.
I was in walmart when a guy had witnessed a man beating his child. They had it on video and asked him to leave the store b/c they don't allow child abuse in their stores and he wasn't welcome back. Well, this guy waited for the guy who reported him in the parking lot. It was a big ordeal and sad thing was he was only the one who he "thought" had reported him b/c it was really someone else.
I was glad that walmart stood up for the person that reported it and that they don't allow child abuse too.

[Dragongirlx]

Well done for telling the store about these people Crazypoohbear. I would have done the exact same thing.

I used to be a security Guard for the Scottish Parliament and you would be amazed what people would try to get away with.

We even had a bunch of Foreign students try to steal fire extinguishers.

I really appreciated it when a member of the public would let me know when something like this was going on.

[mrsgaribaldi]

I guess I'm in the minority but I think I would have just walked away, and I'm not dishonest in any way. I don't think that not reporting something makes you dishonest, it doesn't even involve me . I really don't know why I wouldn't get involved, I just don't think I would, not for that anyway. Now if someone were getting attacked I would be right in there.

[Flower]

I would have have told.

My mom is a greeter at Walmart and theft happens ALL the time, except at her store the security guys never seem to be working.

They expect my mom to ask people for receipts, she takes SO much verbal abuse from customers - they do not pay her enough. Half of the time they expect her to chase people down if they don't show receipts - she is 67 years old, 4'8" and does not even weigh 100 lbs. :old:

I hope they were able to catch them!

[Disney Doll]

I would have definitely told a store employee. DH works in retail management and I myself worked in retail for several years. Stores and managers are often ranked on shrink. A poor ranking can affect opportunities for promotion, bonuses, etc. You can't watch everybody and I always appreciated when a customer would alert me to mischief. If not for the sake of the store I would have reported it for the sake of the kids. They need to see that stealing is wrong and there are consequences. It really does take a village.

[Jenemmy]

Wow -- it is simply insane what people will try!! Good for you for standing up for what's right!

I was in line at a Wal Mart once and watched the lady in front of me stuff several pairs of earrings and other small jewelry into the toe of a pair of shoes she was buying and then replace the tissue paper that is normally in the toe of the shoe. I was all ready to point it out when she got to the cashier, but the cashier immediately picked up the shoe and pulled out the tissue paper before I had a chance to speak. Guess they have seen it all, huh?

Like everyone else, I am sickened by the example being set for the kids that you saw. Sure plops them on a rocky path in life, doesn't it?

[DisneyDog]

Good for you! I'm glad to hear that you spoke up. I saw something really tasteless on Friday. I was at lunch at Burger King and this woman rushed in with a huge cup from McDonalds, ran over to the soda fountain and filled up her cup with Burger King's soda. I consider that to be shoplifting too. She rushed in and out so fast that she was gone by the time I realized what she had done. I wish I could have pointed her out, but how would they have proved it?

You did a good thing. Hopefully you have done something that will make those children better people in the long run, too.

[disneydrmr]

Good for you for doing the right thing! :thumbsup: It's so sad what our society has come to. I worked security at Target for awhile and it was amazing the stuff we found stolen and the way people worked to steal it. Employees would ring up lower prices for their friends (even after going thru training being told that cameras were recording your station) One employee tried to sell a game station for just $10. His really stupid mistake was coming up to me and telling me that when he swiped it over the deactivating pad it did not beep so he wasn't sure it was deactivated but the person was paying for it so I did not have to check the receipt... that alone alerted me to what was going on and I went and told my supervisor who actually was already watching the whole thing on the security tv..

Flower - I can't beleive they would expect your mom to give chase! That's ridiculous! Target has a no chase policy. At least for the 'employee security' I think the true undercover security was allowed to.

[diz_girl]

Poohbear - I applaud your efforts. You did the right thing and followed your conscience. It's sad that you had to witness this and that children were involved, but hopefully they (the adults) were caught and the children will learn a lesson that what their relatives were doing was wrong and that they themselves shouldn't do it or they'll be punished.



It's so sad what our society has come to.

I know that I'll probably get flack for this, but this is nothing new. There has always been theft and other crimes in our society. Is it more prevalent now? Maybe, mabye not. In 1960 there were 200 million people in the US and now there are 300 million people. Maybe there is more crime because there are more people, but the crime rate may be steady or even have fallen. For example, the homicide rate is roughly what it was forty years ago. Yes, one is too many (like my aunt), but the rate, as a percentage of the population, has not gone up.

So don't despair that society is going down the tubes. I don't watch the local news anymore, because they just report what's abnormal in our society (crime) and not the norm. So it's not as bad as you think.

[PirateLover]

Tinkerfreak's post about seeing someone hit a car reminded me of the time years ago that my husband and I chased a hit-and-run driver! It was pretty exciting and after about twenty minutes we were able to get the tag number and call it in.
I did this once with my boyfriend. About 2am he was dropping me off and was pulled over in front of my house when someone crashed into a car on the corner and was trying to come down the street the wrong way. As soon as we realized what happened we gave chase and I was on the phone with the cops the whole time. Not sure if they ever were caught... they lost us. The car was found but as it was so dark we couldn't describe the driver and they had already exited the vehicle. We were never called to be a witness or anything.

[pdrlkr]

Great job crazypoohbear! :thumbsup:

[crazypoohbear]

Great job crazypoohbear! :thumbsup:

Thanks :mickey:

I just couldn't believe that this was a family excursion :(

I think if it had been just the kids I might have said something to them to "scare them straight" but this was like a family outing, not one of them seemed nervous or timid about what they were doing. Sad state of affairs.

[Dakota Rose]

Good for you, poohbear! You did the right thing!

[MegaDisney]

I would have turned them in.

But I think the real crime is shopping at Wal-Mart. If you do a search for Wake up Wal-Mart you can read about all the ways Wal-Mart abuses their corporate status and employees...

[crazypoohbear]

I would have turned them in.

But I think the real crime is shopping at Wal-Mart. If you do a search for Wake up Wal-Mart you can read about all the ways Wal-Mart abuses their corporate status and employees...


I KNOW!!! I would not have even been there except my DS had been bugging me for 2 days to buy batteries for the XBox 360 controllers!
It was getting late on Sunday and I had to run out. Normally I would have gone to Target!

I guess it was divine intervention that I be there at that time

[MegaDisney]

Even I am forced to stop in there once in a while, and my comments were certainly not an attack on anyone who does shop there (I have to admit their prices are better than Target) but I do make an effort not to spend my money there (whenever possible), we unfortunately don't have any other 24hour options in Phoenix aside from a dumpy K-Mart.

[SteveL]

Thanks :mickey:

I just couldn't believe that this was a family excursion :(

I think if it had been just the kids I might have said something to them to "scare them straight" but this was like a family outing, not one of them seemed nervous or timid about what they were doing. Sad state of affairs.


Who are you kidding? There is no such thing as scaring kids like this straight. I'm sure that this isn't the first time, and it won't be the last for them. It's a normal day in their lives. You wouldn't believe how much gets stolen from all stores, including Disney Stores.
Anyone who had seen the security monitors would have known in a heartbeat what they were doing. Perhaps the store needs to take a look at the incompetence on the part of their security.

[SteveL]

But I think the real crime is shopping at Wal-Mart. If you do a search for Wake up Wal-Mart you can read about all the ways Wal-Mart abuses their corporate status and employees...


I often wonder if working for Wal-MArt is all that bad or if it is blown way out of proportion. They don't seem to treat their associates so horribly when compared with other retailers.
I know when I was making the princely sum of $5.76 /hour at Disney Stores (after two increases) my assistant at the real job was making $7.75/hour at Wal-Mart. She also got stock as part of her compensation. I didn't get any Disney stock.
Let's face reality, retail today isn't the same as retail was 50 years ago. Back then a person could support a family if their career was selling shoes at Sears & Roebuck. Those days are long gone.

[Ian]

I know that I'll probably get flack for this, but this is nothing new. There has always been theft and other crimes in our society. Is it more prevalent now? Maybe, mabye not. In 1960 there were 200 million people in the US and now there are 300 million people. Maybe there is more crime because there are more people, but the crime rate may be steady or even have fallen. For example, the homicide rate is roughly what it was forty years ago. Yes, one is too many (like my aunt), but the rate, as a percentage of the population, has not gone up.

So don't despair that society is going down the tubes. I don't watch the local news anymore, because they just report what's abnormal in our society (crime) and not the norm. So it's not as bad as you think.Good comments. I totally agree. It's not that there's more of this stuff going on these days, it's just that we're more aware of it with 24/7/365 news that focuses on nothing but the bad.

Overall, yeah I'd have ratted them out immediately. Especially with the kids involved. That's just a disgrace.

Actually I'm sort of surprised, though, that they were able to even accomplish what you said they did. Almost every store I've been in the last 5 years has their video games locked up in a case. Either that or the cases on the floor are empty and don't get discs put in them until you pay. I'm shocked that Wal-Mart has them out like that. Stupid on their part.

I never shop there, though, so I have no clue how they handle their games. Not because they abuse their employees (this is America ... if their employees don't like it they can go get a new job), but because every single one I've ever been in is the dirtest, filthiest dump I've ever seen. We only shop at Tar-jay.

[crazypoohbear]

Good comments. I totally agree. It's not that there's more of this stuff going on these days, it's just that we're more aware of it with 24/7/365 news that focuses on nothing but the bad.

Overall, yeah I'd have ratted them out immediately. Especially with the kids involved. That's just a disgrace.

Actually I'm sort of surprised, though, that they were able to even accomplish what you said they did. Almost every store I've been in the last 5 years has their video games locked up in a case. Either that or the cases on the floor are empty and don't get discs put in them until you pay. I'm shocked that Wal-Mart has them out like that. Stupid on their part.

I never shop there, though, so I have no clue how they handle their games. Not because they abuse their employees (this is America ... if their employees don't like it they can go get a new job), but because every single one I've ever been in is the dirtest, filthiest dump I've ever seen. We only shop at Tar-jay.



The games they were stealing were the one's that had been out for awhile so they were not locked behind the plexiglass cases. These were the ones I think are called "greatest hits" or something like that.


As for the crime rate going up or being the same, I personally think that years ago, IF a KID was caught shop lifting or doing something stupid it was handled differently. I have heard stories of kids, (now middleaged people) getting caught doing something and having to "work it out" doing slave labor for the person they wronged.
I.E. you spray painted graffitti the police weren't called you spent your weekend cleaning up and repainting.
Kids were "forced" to work off their debt to make things right and learned a lesson hopefully.

That was the comment I meant when I said IF it had just been the kids I would have tried to "scare them straight" I would have hoped at that age IF they were alone it would have been their first time and getting caught would have been enough to scare them straight.
But... because they were being taught by "pro's" all they would learn was to be more observant next time :(

[SteveL]

I used to joke that we needed a life guard stand at TDS so someone could sit high to see the shoplifters

[BronxTigger]

I used to joke that we needed a life guard stand at TDS so someone could sit high to see the shoplifters

They do this here in the Bronx....not lifeguards, but big guys who sit on top of ladders near the doors to watch the store. The funniest (saddest?) thing was when our school had a Book Fair and they put two guys from the staff on top of ladders at each end of the book fair to keep the kids (and parents!) from taking the 5 finger discount.

[Dixie Springs]

Hey, that was me - and I was only letting the kids 'borrow' the games! ;)

I probably would have let security know. As many posts have said, shoplifting makes us all pay more - no matter what store it is. Plus, I was recently the victim of a car break-in (smashed window and all), so I'm a bit thief-insensitive right now. There is no legitimate excuse for stealing, only forgiveness.

[ayeckley]

Sounds like you stumbled upon a professional theft ring to me. Modern day Gypsys that travel the country and steal for a living -- the kids were being taught the family business. Crime families like this are also big into faking car accidents and extorting payment from unsophisticated victims. My wife fell for that years ago. There are still a lot of old-fashioned crooks out there.

[Gooftroop5]

Thanks :mickey:

I just couldn't believe that this was a family excursion :(

I think if it had been just the kids I might have said something to them to "scare them straight" but this was like a family outing, not one of them seemed nervous or timid about what they were doing. Sad state of affairs.


Someone that I know was caught shoplifting with her kids. She was arrested & she was visited by child protection & charged with endangering the welfare of a child. When you talked to the oldest child she simply said "Oh my mom does it all the time." It was a great comment when I am trying to tell my oldest that this person did a very bad thing. Of course she was able to plead it to community service & her file was sealed. There was no lesson learned for any of them from what I can see. I am not even sure she still isn't shoplifting.

I use to work in a pharmacy. Our security guy once got punched in the face by someone trying to get away. Needless to say he was small but scrappy. The guy got dragged back into the store & the sheriffs showed up to arrest him so not only did he get arrested for shoplifting he got charged with assult. I had noticed several people that would shoplift. There was a lot of time the en went running through the store. Most of them said the same thing it was their first time. Which you know wasn't the truth.

[brownie]

Who are you kidding? There is no such thing as scaring kids like this straight. I'm sure that this isn't the first time, and it won't be the last for them. It's a normal day in their lives. You wouldn't believe how much gets stolen from all stores, including Disney Stores.
Anyone who had seen the security monitors would have known in a heartbeat what they were doing. Perhaps the store needs to take a look at the incompetence on the part of their security.

You can't be everywhere at once. I worked for Meijer Loss Prevention in college and for a few years after. We had responsibilities beyond just looking for shoplifters, like locking and unlocking doors, medical emergencies, safety inspections, and other similar things.

[brownie]

Sounds like you stumbled upon a professional theft ring to me. Modern day Gypsys that travel the country and steal for a living -- the kids were being taught the family business. Crime families like this are also big into faking car accidents and extorting payment from unsophisticated victims. My wife fell for that years ago. There are still a lot of old-fashioned crooks out there.

That's exactly what I was thinking when I read the original post.

[brownie]

That's really hard to answer, kinda. For me, it depends on what they were stealing. If it were food, necessary foods like baby foods or vegetables, and I felt like they really needed it, no I wouldn't report them, but it still doesn't make it right for them to do it.

Most people who shoplift actually have the money to pay for what they stole. In my years at Meijer, it was rare for us to catch someone stealing food. We can't know everyone's situation. I seem to recall a case involving baby food that was being stolen to be sold elsewhere. I don't think we should make a judgment about people's intentions or whether they are needy or not. Shoplifting affects all of us by increasing the prices we all pay. Better to report it. If they are in situation of need, hopefully being caught can help to connect them to other resources, especially those for children.

[beksy]

I would have reported it. It makes me angry to think about how I have to scrimp and save to make ends meet and then there are people who act like this and make the prices even higher. Then to have the kids not just witness it but actually be involved is just disgraceful! :mad: They are not parents (except of course biologically) to raise their kids this way. I know if my parents ever caught me doing something like that I would have been punished until I was 30! I was raised with good, old-fashioned values and think that I'm a better person for it (I've even made return trips to the store when I realized I was given $5 too much in change!). Maybe we need more parents acting the way my parents did and teaching values today.