Comments on: Everything Under $25 now FREE at Walmart?

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 04:08:02 +0000

Prosecute petty shoplifters? No.

But what they do to ‘em when they drag the hoods back to the Fabrics and Crafts Section ain’t pretty.

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 23:10:57 +0000

This is insane. Even if Wal-mart decides to go along with this. I would be extremely mad if companies went public with what we are doing. You’re still going to get those idiots that steal $24.99 worth of stuff.

Next time, I think Wal-mart should do this without telling

By: Hazzard

Hazzard — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 20:50:30 +0000

Good points. I did see in the end of the article where it says the information got leaked, and I can understand why they would want to limit the amount of times they try to prosecute from a cost perspective, but it still seems to give a bunch of hoodlums one “get out of jail free” card.

By: Kira

Kira — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:39:15 +0000

I imagine they still have ways to embarrass you if you are caught. Most people don’t shoplift, not because it’s illegal but because the payoff is rather small in comparison to the potential shame.

By: Blaine Moore

Blaine Moore — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:36:53 +0000

As I understand it, they didn’t actually come out and say it, but that their policy change got leaked to the press. Wal-Mart is usually pretty tight lipped about their policies to begin with.

The general idea is that they lose more money prosecuting petty shoplifters than they do by letting them go. This is for first time offenders, by the way. They also lose police protection if they call in somebody for lifting a pair of socks when the police decide that they don’t need to head right over to Wal-Mart because they are busy doing something more important.

By: Carl

Carl — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 18:44:30 +0000

I have seen a reason that a Walmart should not be built is due to all the Crime at the Store. They get police stats on how many calls a store has had and then point out that it must have a lot of crime (Don’t mention that Walmart called on every shoplifter and half the town it seems is always at the store). So don’t build a new one near me because of all the crime. This would for sure reduce the calls and reduce the “crime” around the store.