Why do cops do what Walmart employees tell them?
Comment on A job's a job
barkybeak@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Walmart loss prevention are terrible. They are willing to die so Walmart doesn’t lose $35 worth of food.
I saw a police cam video of a woman who accidentally didn’t scan a $10 item. No big deal. I have been guilty of that myself. You get reminded to scan the item.
These L&P people called the cops and then the cops called for back up. They stopped the woman before she left and had her arrested.
No prior offenses. She had a baby with her (less than a year old). Just someone who made a simple mistake and would easily be fixed with simple conversation.
But Walmart L&P was not having it. Telling the cops to charge her to the furthest extent
Even the cops were like “Hey she didn’t do this maliciously. She has not left the store. She can still pay for the item. “
Walmart L&P told the cops to “teach her a lesson”
The cops were “nice enough” to wait until the baby’s father arrived to take the baby but the woman got arrested for not ringing up a $10 item
The L&P had these smug looks as if they took down some Batman villain. Giving each other high fives when this woman was put in cuffs.
nightofmichelinstars@sopuli.xyz 3 weeks ago
Gold_E_Lox@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 weeks ago
i think you misunderstand the purpose of police
white_nrdy@programming.dev 3 weeks ago
I’m guessing that the L&P staff are acting as legal proxies, and therefore can press charges
asqapro@reddthat.com 2 weeks ago
I’m not a lawyer, and maybe this is just a US-centric understanding, but someone “pressing charges” doesn’t force the police to arrest the accused person, let alone actually charge them with a criminal offense. Pressing charges, at least to my understanding, is notifying police of a crime, pointing out the offender, and tacitly agreeing to cooperate if the police need more information.
white_nrdy@programming.dev 2 weeks ago
You might be right. I am also not a lawyer, and I’m also in the US. I assumed that they would arrest since Walmart is technically provate property, L&P might have had her legally removed for trespassing? I don’t know, who knows. It might also just be that the police were just listening to the orders of their corporate overlords 🤷
Buddahriffic@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Afaik in Canada, you aren’t even breaking any law until you try to leave the premises without paying. Perfectly legal to grab shit from the shelves and stuff it in your pockets as long as you take it out and pay for it before you leave. If you wanted to fuck with their loss prevention people, do that looking as shady as you can, like furtive looks around as you shove things in your clothes, then just pull it all out at the register.
Note that they can ask you to just leave and ban you from the store without needing to charge you with anything (after which returning at all could get you a trespass charge), so it’s more of a funny prank to think about and then not bother doing because there’s nothing to gain.
versionc@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Pretty sure that’s how it is in Sweden too, though I’m not sure if grocery stores have a right to ban you like that. I have a tendency to put stuff in my pocket if I forget to take a basket.
Dasus@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
This is how it works in Finland at least.
I know that for certain.
One could technically argue you’ve attempted to steal them by stuffing them in your pockets, but apparently that would never work.
Still though, it’s not as if the cops and guards are aware of that. Just today I had a guard hassle me, asking me what the can is in my pocket, in a store I went to a few hours ago. We went just a few min before it closed, but we never even went near the drinks section. The guard was just a babyfaced young guard who wanted to somehow try his authority. I had better things to do so I said nothing and showed the can, as it was a cold beer can, and they don’t stock that beer, or even if they do, they don’t chill any of their beer cans. I knew I could’ve legally refused from showing him, but eh, couldn’t really be arsed, as it would’ve taken so much of everyone’s time and no-one would’ve got why I would even do something like that. (Finns don’t understand the risk of authoritarianism)
osanna@lemmy.vg 2 weeks ago
eh, in some places, “concealing items” is illegal, even if you intended to pay. I believe that’s the case in florida. If you hide items, that in itself is an illegal act. I recommend not doing this.
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
it’s more of a funny prank to think about and then not bother doing because there’s nothing to gain.
they can ask you to just leave and ban you from the store
that’s plenty to gain right there.
shneancy@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
so America actually does what my anxiety disorder used to tell me would happen?
guys you live in hell
GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
Walmart, in general, is a horrible piece of shit company that is just as vile as Amazon. They just have more experience in sweeping everything under the rug.
coaxil@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
That’s a crazy level of boot lick, Jesus fuck
Hasherm0n@lemmy.world 2 weeks ago
At that point they’re not even licking the boot. The boot was telling them to chill.